Meet Jocelyn Tsaih

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelyn Tsaih.

Jocelyn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Originally my family and I are from Taiwan, but we moved to Shanghai when I was very young and I spent the majority of my life there. After graduating from international school in Shanghai, I moved to New York to study graphic design at the School of Visual Arts.

Though nowadays I’m an illustrator, my design background continuously influences my work and thought processes. The style that I work in is bold and graphic, similar to what I gravitated towards while studying design. My work is in between abstract and representational, and I always try to communicate a message, feeling, or emotion through the images that I create. My drawings are largely based around a recurring faceless figure that’s meant to represent a universal being. My intention behind this is to create work that is inclusive and relatable for everyone.

After living in New York for seven years, I moved to California for a change of pace and to gain new inspiration. I’ve been here for about two years now!

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 road has been filled with doubts along the way! I was not sure I wanted to pursue art to begin with, because it wasn’t a common choice amongst my peers. And I was also just afraid I couldn’t make a living off of it. That’s partially why I decided to “play it safe” and choose graphic design as my major in college.

After graduating from SVA, it took me a while to figure out what I really enjoyed doing. I really liked to draw in my own time but I wasn’t technically trained as an illustrator and didn’t think that I could make a career out of it. However, I started doing a good amount of drawn animation, which eventually led me to exploring illustrations more and more.

Please tell us more about your art.
I’m an illustrator and I mostly do a lot of editorial illustrations and murals. I’ve also started to work on my own art-making practice and have been doing some paintings. I think I’m definitely known for the amorphous figures that I always draw! Their forms have evolved over the years but it’s been a consistent focal point in my work.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was pretty reserved, quietly creative, and in my own head a lot. I was also very unathletic but interested in the arts, such as music and dance. My parents didn’t put too much pressure on me to be one way or another, which I’m thankful for, and I was able to figure out my own interests and make my own decisions.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jocelyntsaih.com
• Email: jocelyntsaih@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jocelyntsaih

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.