Daily Inspiration: Meet Kei New

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kei New.

Hi Kei, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, I am an artist illustrator born and raised in the South Bay of Los Angeles. I’ve been drawing for about as long as I’ve been alive. Drawing took over most of my life in school. I struggled to pay attention in a lot of my classes and my class notes were often overtaken by the doodles in the margins. After a bit of argument I finally got approval from my parents to pursue art in college. However, my dad passed away before I got accepted in to an art school.

After college I came back to LA for a dream job which didn’t go the way I wanted. Then I burned out for a while. I’ve slowly been getting back into that love of drawing again and cautiously getting back to hope that I can prove to my dad I can make this work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Sort of. I struggled a good deal with school and social life as well as the death of my father in my senior year of high school. Also, it’s been pretty difficult to find paid work – I’ve been scammed, rejected, and had projects put on ice. On the other hand, I’ve been incredibly fortunate/ privileged in the schools I’ve attended, the people I’ve met, and the family I have.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I draw mostly, I have a variety of different styles inspired by the different things I find interesting. This includes the paranormal and strange parts of life, as well as my Japanese ancestry and the rich history of Asian artists. During the day, though, I’m a server at a restaurant and when it’s slow you can find me doodling on post-its.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
It’s a little soon to call myself a success because I am not where I want to be- I’d like to have lots of print-making equipment to make shirts and totes and I dream of doing it all right- sustainable, accessible, and high quality. But I do know I’ll get there eventually, and everything in and along the way helps me grow.

Pricing:

• Woman at bar print – $45
• Bubs the Monarch keeper print – $40

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: KeiNew.com
• Instagram: @keinew.art
• Twitter: @Keinew_art

Image Credits:
Zhitong Zhao Trevor Liu