Today we’d like to introduce you to Leia Ham.
Leia, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Growing up in Singapore, I spent most of my time reading Harry Potter and watching anime with my dad and friends. When I wasn’t doing that, I was drawing. Still, there was a lot of pressure to become a lawyer or doctor, so naturally, I enrolled in an animation school without anyone knowing.
As time went on, I felt like I was stagnating. With my parents’ blessing, I applied to a bunch of art schools in America and found myself on a plane to Los Angeles, nervous but ready to start at Art Center College of Design.
The Visual Development program at Art Center was gruelling, but I met some of my closest friends there and mentors there. The people I met taught me more about life and art than any class could.
In 2018, I graduated with my BFA in Illustration and found some work doing theme park design and VR game design. Now, I work as a Background Designer at Cartoon Network Studios.
I feel like I’m still at the beginning of my art journey, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
If I had to name a favorite genre, it would have to be historical fantasy. I’ve always been enthralled by fairy tales. Stories of young girls going through hell and coming out stronger always inspired me.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a cultural anthropologist (or like Brendan Frasier in The Mummy). I had a fascination with ancient ruins and different historical eras. Since I’m an artist and not a fictional swashbuckler, I fulfill that fantasy by making art about mysterious places and eras gone by.
In my art, I want to give the sense that there’s something beautiful just around the corner, waiting to be discovered. There’s a lot of cynicism in the world, but what I like about art, and making art, is that if you look at it the right way, everything can be beautiful or meaningful.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
This is a hard question. Full disclaimer: I’m very privileged in that my parents were able and willing to put me through art school, and I very quickly found work after graduation to support myself.
I think being a professional artist is just like any other job, with the financial challenges of pursuing your passion as a career. A lot of people are made to feel guilty for not sacrificing everything, which is not realistic. It’s important to take care of yourself first and foremost, and art will come.
I do believe that hard work pays off, and will show in your art. There are wonderful artists who never went to art school, and there are plenty of people who go to expensive art schools and didn’t work hard. I think it’s important to be true to yourself and persevere, and be a good person. People will remember that.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can see my work at my website, www.leiaham.com, or on Instagram @leiaham and twitter @artificialham. I don’t have a shop or anything, but if you like my work, please feel free to follow me and say hello!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leiaham.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leiaham/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/artificialham?lang=en
Image Credit:
Leia Ham 2019
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.
