Today we’d like to introduce you to Alina Chau.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I went to UCLA Film School, major in animation. After I graduate from school, I worked in the animation and gaming industry for over ten years. I worked on popular game as a 3D animator, such as. God of War, Gear of War, Medal of Honor, Sypro, etc.. My last studio position is with Lucas Film, working on the Emmys Awards winning show – Star Wars: The Clone Wars 3D animated series from season 3 – season 6. Throughout my animation career, I worked on mostly masculine boy shows. When I was full-time working for studios, I missed connecting with my own voices and I missed drawing. After work, I like to paint and draw to fulfill my own creative outlet. At first, the painting and drawing is more of a side “hobby” after work. Over the years, I slowly improved. One day one of my coworkers invited me to join the Totoro Forest Project art show at Pixar.
Up to that point, I never seriously considered to do gallery shows. But after participating in one group show, and someone actually would buy my painting. I get very excited with the possibility. I started to take painting more seriously and reached out to galleries for exhibition opportunities. As time passed, I get pretty good at it, and slowly get more invitation to various gallery shows. My paintings slowly get recognized. I start getting many shows invitation and commission requested, and even publishing opportunities. At one point, I can no longer balance my day job and my side gigs. I painted after work and didn’t get enough sleep at night. It poorly affected by performance during the day. That’s when I decided to give independent artistic career a try. I resigned from Lucas Film with much supports and encouragement from my directors and co-workers in 2013. After a few years of self-exploration my arts and my voices, I slowly focus my art career towards children book publishing … and now I am working on my debt graphic novel, Marshmallow and Jordan for First Second. A book with Scholastic and another book with Lee and Low…
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The path to find my direction as an independent artist is not exactly a smooth ride. The first couple of week after I quit a full-time job, was nice. It felt like an unlimited honeymoon vacation. But very quickly reality hit, I realized I no longer have a steady paycheck and health insurance… and I have no idea what exactly I wanted to do as an independent artist or how to make this whole independent artist lifestyle sustainable.
Fortunately, I have some very talented friends who had been through similar experience and became very successful artists. I reached out to them for advise and supports. I spend my first three years as an independent artist, exploring and trying different type of creative direction, from convention, toy design, merchandise design, gallery arts, commercial illustration, publishing etc.. I try to find my own voice and my direction. After many trials and errors, I discovered I love storytelling. I choose animation, is because I love storytelling. While I love to draw and paint, I discovers … what I love about drawing and painting is not so much about creating beautiful visual images. I love to tell story with visual mediums. Eventually, I discover my passion is in publishing. The process is very much like animation. I get to draw and paint pretty pictures and tell stories. Once I have a clear career direction, things slowly become: “easier.” While it still takes a few years for me to achieve some kind of financial stability, but at least I have a clear direction and a goal. Once I have a goal, it becomes easier to strategize and focus in rebranding and polishing my skills to head towards the goal.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I don’t own a company. I am a freelance. I consider myself as an author and illustrator. I work with major publishers, such as Chronicle Books, First Second, Scholastic, Simon and Schuster, Little Brown, Albert Whitman, Lee and Low. I start my publishing career as an illustrator, working on a few children books. While I still do book illustration, I also start writing my own book. Currently, I am working on my debut graphic novel, Marshmallow and Jordan for First Second. I also have a book with Scholastic, which I can’t talk about it yet.
I just start writing fairly recently. I feel my strength is bring in different cultures in the narrative. I was born in China; grew up in Hong Kong during British Colonial Era; my family is Indonesia Chinese: by now, I have lived in US half of my life. I am a big mixing pot of cultures. I kind of fit in many of these cultures and social groups. But, I am also a misfit in each group. I speak 3 languages and understand four languages. Yet, I never feel I am good at any language, because I feel I know a bit of some, but none is specialized. When I was a child, I often feel a bit confused with my culture identity. As an adult, I learn to appreciate the diverse cultures upbringing which I received. It makes me extra sensitive and aware of the importance of diversity. It provides me a different perspective in understanding cultures and social differences. I am hoping to share my experiences through my storytellings, and bring something different to the readers.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I hope to keep writing more stories and explore different type of storytellings. No big changes, just keep moving forward one step at a time, exploring my voice and style. I would love to publishing a wide range of books in the future, from picture book to young adult. I still haven’t given up animation and the film industry. My dream is to have my stories made into either films or TV shows.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alinachau.com
- Email: alina.chau@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alinachau/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ainachauart
- Twitter: twitter.com/AlinaChauArt
- Other: http://alinachau.tumblr.com
Image Credit:
My photo – photographer – Anna Eftimie, Cute Moments Photography; Anna Eftimie, Award Winning Photographer, Cute Moments Photography Phone number: (408)637-6433 Follow us on Facebook Visit our website: www.CuteMomentsPhotography.com
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