Judy Chen
Meet designer and illustrator from Hong Kong, Judy Chen.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a designer and illustrator, born and raised in Hong Kong. I am currently studying Scientific Illustration in Maastricht, Netherlands. I enjoy travelling and exploring new cultures.
Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.
Hong Kong is an international harbour city, a well blend of east and west. The city is crowded with fast-paced lifestyle. People are hard-working and efficient, and we can learn that from hearing some quotes in daily life: “the more you work, the more you earn”, “there are no ugly ones, only lazy ones”, “be quick but don’t hurry”, etc. You can reach locations, acquire things meeting friends easily within a short time. With transportation reaching everywhere, shops and meeting places are always in close proximity. Hong Kong also has good information accessing systems that attract foreigners to live in this city.
Maastricht is a historical city close to the border of Germany and Belgium, its location allows easy access to many other European countries. It is a relaxing place full of green, retired elderly and international students. People here are friendly and sociable. I met random people chatting with me in a restaurant, and received a homemade waffle while waiting for the bus.
I admire the spirit of Hongkongers being open to different cultures and being flexible to go through many different kinds of tough situations.
What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?
The highly adaptable character of Hong Kong is both best and worst. I admire the spirit of Hongkongers being open to different cultures and being flexible to go through many different kinds of tough situations. This allows rapid evolvement of the society. The bad side of it is probably shown in recent political issues. Some people might be too flexible or unconscious towards injustice.
Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.
Passionate, diligent, modest
How did you start your career in art?
I have developed my interest in drawing since I was young, and gradually found out I am better at understanding and expressing through images more than words. Thus, most of my choices along my life, including selecting schools, are to pursue more opportunities to create visual work.
I have developed my interest in drawing since I was young, and gradually found out I am better at understanding and expressing through images more than words.
Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?
My family members are open-minded. They inspire me the way of choosing instead of setting boundaries on my choice. They are very supportive as long as I can find my passion, and trust my commitment to it. I am also lucky to have inspiring teachers, who open up my eyes to the creative world. They showed me the aesthetic experience, freedom of self-expression, and diverse ways of problem-solving.
My friends show creativity and empathy towards each other during those ups and downs in our life. We are all so different, and yet we admire each others’ uniqueness and quirkiness. They show me creativity is an attitude. Some of them show it on the stage to gain applause, some show it off the stage through daily jokes to inspire each other. It is an attitude that brings happiness to our life.
What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?
I believe everyone and everything exists for a reason. Someties people overlook the value behind. I would like to let people see the values regardless of a person or a subject. Through a distinctive design perspective, I wish to create quality works that can engage audiences’ emotion and memory.
I believe everyone and everything exists for a reason.
If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?
I do not have anyone specific in mind, but I will love to work with people from different fields, like scientists, botanists, and morticians.
How would you describe the women around you?
They are gentle, independent, and witty. Their unique point of view on daily details bring joy to people around them. They also love travelling. They understand there is a need to take rest from a busy city. It is a way of meditation and to gain new knowledge by exploring new frontiers.
They are gentle, independent, and witty.
Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?
Yes, there are some female creatives I admired, mostly on the literature side, like Sanmao (a Taiwanese author). Another female artist I like is Ho Sin Tung, her drawings are poetic and filled with symbols. Generally, I seldom explore the artists’ gender, as I focus on the artworks more instead. When I find a series of artwork created by the same person that really catches my attention, I will do in-depth research on the creator.
Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?
There are not many challenges that happen due to my gender identity. I did not find any specific tasks that cannot be done by females in this industry. I believe creativity and an open mindset can bring us out from the box of gender bias. Different characters, genders, and experiences bring out different art perspectives. It is also what we need in a creative team. Being a designer, you will be exposed to various new topics, and I believe a team with diverse members that can collaborate, will be able to achieve excellence within the time required.
I believe creativity and an open mindset can bring us out from the box of gender bias.
Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?
It’s ok to fail and learn to stand up again elegantly.
Photos courtesy of Judy Chen.
Website:
Behance:
LinkedIn:
Date:
May 12, 2020