Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilie Vo.
Emilie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a 24-year-old Asian-American illustrator born from Vietnamese refugees of the Vietnam War. Growing up, my family was poor, but most Vietnamese refugee families were in a similar financial standing in Orange County. Logically, many of my peers strove to leave poverty by pursuing STEM careers.
During the times where I felt like I should have put my efforts into something I thought was of equal academic value, I drew a ton of horses. I was told early on by my relatives that If I wanted a career in art, I could not draw horses forever. In the process of attempting to prove these neigh-sayers wrong, I found my love of illustration.
I sadly no longer draw horses, but my art style very much derives from that era in my youth. They are sprightly, cheeky, and at times, childish. In drawing, I hope to reach out to those with similar backgrounds as me and give them a little laugh.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The largest obstacle I had to overcome was my own insecurities. It’s easy to say that my parents gave me a hard time about my career path, but I know now that it’s also because their concerns about me not having a stable career mirrored my own.
I also struggle with being kind to myself as well as maintaining somewhat strict discipline. Honestly, it’s good to balance both, but I haven’t quite figured out the perfect concoction yet.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
As an illustrator, most people know me from conventions, and others know me from the purple comics I post on the internet! I’m most proud of the fact that I have so many different sides to my style that most people seem to enjoy! I’m also constantly experimenting and making new products for fun.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would tell the horse girl she had nothing to worry about.
Contact Info:
- Website: someheavylines.weebly.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/emilieevo
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/toastedonwheat
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
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