Check Out Leni Yi Wen Gao’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leni Yi Wen Gao.

Hi Leni Yi Wen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in an environment that placed great emphasis on the idea of “contributing to society”. This belief has stayed with me, but for a long time I didn’t know how I could contribute. During high school, I felt lost and struggled to find reasons and energy to keep going. It was the manga series *One Piece* that gave me faith again. Part of it was simple; I had started following the story before I went to elementary school, so I wanted to see how it ended. But deeper than that, I was moved and highly influenced by the stories, emotions, and energy it carries. That made me realize I can only give more to this world when I am doing things I enjoy, and creativity and art is the way I make meaning. So I decided to study illustration at ArtCenter College of Design and pursue a career as an illustrator and designer.

At ArtCenter, I got introduced to motion design. It felt like a new world opened up, and it became my main storytelling medium. I met many talented, creative minds, and we grew together. The journey wasn’t smooth, there were lots of creative blocks, technical roadblocks, and plenty of all-nighters. But, finishing each project has brought me satisfaction and the sense of accomplishment I had never felt before, unparalleled by finishing any other projects, even compared to finishing the boring and long high school English essays.

It was also at ArtCenter that I explored other areas like rebranding, editorial design, font design, and digital sculpting. I enjoyed learning all of these, every skill I picked up has become a part of my design language. Although the fields are different, I love how they all sharpen my design thinking in unique ways and expand the potential of my “contributions”, my creation of work that emotionally connects people, and pass on joy and hope.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not smooth. One of the biggest struggles was feeling like I had to “catch up” in terms of technical skills. When I first got introduced to motion design, it felt like I had been living in 2D and now suddenly I had to survive in 4D. It was overwhelming how much new things I need to navigate and learn. I spent a lot of time just trying to learn to use the software and understand how things work. Well, now I know that powerful work can also come from simple design, but back then I felt buried under the weight of what I didn’t know.

As I tried to focus on improving my technical skills, another challenge hit. I started losing connections to my own work. I didn’t know how to express my voice anymore. I was looking at tons of references that I began to feel like I was creating things that didn’t reflect me. For me, it felt like a double-edged sword, other people’s amazing work has inspired me so much, refreshed and expanded my understanding of motion design, but they also influenced me too much, so that I started losing my personality in the work I created, and questioned myself. Sometimes I can’t even feel the connections to my work, they didn’t feel right. That feeling scared me, because how can I expect anyone to connect to something that even the creator feels unfamiliar or strange with?

To overcome this, I started turning inward. Who am I? What matters to me? What do I want to put into the world? I began reading more, reflecting and paying closer attention to my thoughts and feelings. I realized that these are the important considerations that distinguish everyone. I slowly began to put elements that I find to be personal and true into my work. Although this process is still ongoing, I’ve started to feel more grounded and aware of expressing my uniqueness, and that has made all the difference.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create cheerful work through motion design and illustration, hoping to connect emotionally with everyone. I have won awards with my rebranding and book design projects, but I’m also excited and proud of my personal projects. I don’t think I’m the most talented or creative person, but I never gave up when things got tough, and I always try to put my full heart in every project, making each piece unique and meaningful.

I care about emotional connections. I’m always thinking about how my work makes people feel and what feelings I wish people have. I’m also not afraid to keep exploring. I always keep my curiosity, and I hope that my work can inspire everyone in my own sincere way, and bring comfort and joy to people:)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lenigao.com
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lenigao
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Rebrand
Femmbit logo reveal
The Polar Express Main on End
Personal project portraiting Leni’s life at ArtCenter
Ceramics made with 3D software and 2D illustration
The Big Wave Editorial Design
(All above are student work)