Check Out Kristie Tai’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Tai.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi! I’m Kristie, the artist and creator behind DreamCreamCo. Growing up, I always loved drawing with different art mediums: pencils, pens, crayons, chalk—you name it! Flash forward to 2019, I began digital drawing on Procreate with my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil every night after work (I used to work in an office full-time in Accounting). In 2020, I quit my job due to burnout and spent most of the pandemic focused on creating an online store where I sold enamel pins, keychains, and stickers with my designs.

What began as a passion project bloomed into a full-time small business (est. April 2021). I specialize in cute and functional products with anime-inspired designs drawn by me! The brand is currently most known for its collection of colorful blankets, festival fans, desk mats, and more! My items can be found at my new retail space in Irvine at Open Market, as well as various shops in the Bay Area and Las Vegas. It really is surreal to me that I get to do what I love for a living.

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?
As an artist who primarily shares artwork on social media, I struggled with self-doubt and imposter syndrome. I used to view social media as a numbers game, and allowed the number of likes on my posts and number of followers to determine my value. I was constantly comparing myself to other artists as well and questioned my own drawing techniques because I did not study art in a traditional classroom setting.

It wasn’t until I started tabling at anime conventions and night markets that I realized how much people loved my art. Seeing their reactions to my products in person was so heartwarming! Making a sale at an event feels so much more rewarding than an online sale as well.

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 specialize in cute and functional items featuring kawaii anime-inspired designs drawn by me! Dreamcream is most known for its colorful collection of woven and fleece-style blankets, but as a music superfan and active festival-goer, I transformed my designs into festival fans, too! I have been attending music events for eight years now, so creating cute accessories for the very community I have grown to love and appreciate really means a lot to me.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is drawing for me and not for others. I have received many requests over the years to draw designs from various anime and shows, but if I haven’t seen it yet, I probably won’t draw it! My designs have to resonate with me to have meaning. All of my current designs are based on my favorite snacks, Japanese animation films, video games, and shows.

Contact Info:

• Website: dreamcreamco.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/dreamcreamco
• Other: Tiktok.com/@dreamcreamco