Meet London-based illustrator, Weitong Mai

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Weitong Mai, a freelance illustrator. I am originally from Shenzhen, China. I moved to Vancouver, Canada with my family when I was 14. Then I came to London, UK for my study, now I live and work in London.

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

London is not only a city with its own rich history and culture, but also welcome to different culture and people. I can always find out many exhibitions, creative events, musicals, and concerts that are inspiring. In the meantime, there are many gardens and parks to help me stay connected to nature.

The best thing should be the unique environment and atmosphere for creative people to be inspired. There are rich cultural resources to help the creative workers to understand who they are, and motivate them to be the one they want to be.

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

The best thing should be the unique environment and atmosphere for creative people to be inspired. There are rich cultural resources to help the creative workers to understand who they are, and motivate them to be the one they want to be. Personally, the worst thing to live in a foreign city is the difficulty of building up a close relationship with family.

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

Active, Inspired, multicultural.

How did you start your career in art?

I studied illustration degree in the university and learnt a lot of knowledge and skills to support me to be an illustrator. Luckily, I kicked off my illustrator career in the early stage. I started to receive commissions when I was still in university. I also gained a lot of experience from being an intern in different creative studios.

I studied illustration degree in the university and learnt a lot of knowledge and skills to support me to be an illustrator.

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

Yes. My family is open-minded. They are really supportive of my decision, so I started to draw since I was little. My mom always advices me to take full responsibility from making decisions, so once I made up my mind, she understands how important the choice means to me.

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

Keep creating illustrations that can fulfill my self-satisfaction. For me, it is important to keep pushing myself out of the box and try different possibilities with my own style. I also want to collaborate with more potential companies and clients to bring out some interesting ideas.

For me, it is important to keep pushing myself out of the box and try different possibilities with my own style.

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

Hmmmm. There are too many people I want to collaborate with. The first person that pops out from my mind is James Jean. His artworks inspired me the most on being an illustrator.

How would you describe the women around you?

My mom is my role model. Even though she knows a little about art, she taught me how to be a better person. She taught me to be both financially and mentally independent, understanding, and brave.

My mom is my role model. Even though she knows a little about art, she taught me how to be a better person. She taught me to be both financially and mentally independent, understanding, and brave.

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

I finished my high school in Vancouver and met my IB art teacher, Mrs. Brailean. I struggled a lot with cultural differences and creative bottleneck. She taught me to be friends with life, and express all my feelings through drawing.

Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

For me, so far so good. I think the challenging aspect is always the difficulty of finding a balance between life and work. It is essential to be more respectful to others. 🙂

Follow your heart.

Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?

Follow your heart. No matter what happens around you, be determined to your decision. It is okay to make mistakes and pause for a while, but remember to prepare yourself once again and follow your spiritual aspect.

Photos courtesy of Weitong Mai