Today we’d like to introduce you to Xiao Qing Chen.
Xiao Qing, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have been fortunate to sustain a career in doing what I love – illustration and design. I currently work as a Disney Imagineer as a concept designer at Walt Disney Imagineering, designing for parks and resorts. I am incredibly flattered and humbled to have been honored with a Silver Award from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles and a team Kancil Silver Award. My work was also recognized when I was shortlisted on Adobe Design Awards and Communication Arts magazine.
For the first sixteen years of my life, I always wanted to be a doctor. Growing up in a small town called Kuching, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, I thought being a doctor would be most helpful to the general public. My world changed when I failed to get a medical school scholarship, and eventually got accepted into architecture school instead. I have always loved drawing and thought that I might be a good fit in architecture school. It opened up my eyes and brought me the joy of learning what a huge part designers can play in this world. I started on a path that has been quite unsettling and challenging, but nonetheless exciting and rewarding. Two years into architecture school, I then switched to studying Advertising and Graphic Design in The One Academy in Malaysia. After I graduated, I gained work experience as a professional designer before later enrolling in Illustration at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California to further develop my skills. I have been continuously working in the field ever since.
When I am not working, I like to sketch and paint outside, oftentimes at lively places so I can people watch and observe human interactions in certain spaces. My inspirations along this creative path are largely travels and food, as well as my very supportive parents, family, and friends.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do? Why? And what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I consider myself an illustrator, a graphic designer, a concept designer, an urban sketcher, amateur calligrapher, and I am in a very fortunate position to now learn my ways as an Imagineer at Walt Disney Imagineering. In short, for most of my time, I help design parks and resorts for Disney.
In my day job, I help visualize concept art for themed entertainment projects. It could go as broad as an entire land, to as small as a doorknob. Sometimes it is a blue sky idea of a ride. Sometimes it is repackaging a vending machine. I am lucky enough to be working among people that have had many decades of experience and are generous about sharing ideas with one another. I am proud to call them my peers. My day to day consists of but is not limited to — researching, brainstorm sessions, loose sketches, scale drawings, sometimes drafting, storyboarding, paintings, and presentations.
Architecture school taught me the joy of experiencing a great space. Although I ended up not finishing architecture school, it came back full circle that I now end up designing for theme parks. As our society places more and more importance on great experience design from engaging in products and everyday spaces, I find it hugely gratifying seeing people being completely immersed in a curated experience. It is cliche, but they say you never forget how a person makes you feel, and I believe it is the same for experience.
Someday when the projects I am currently working on are open to the public, I hope that people get to enjoy them and find joy experiencing them. I hope that people feel comfortable letting out their biggest laughs and smiles while going through the experiences our team designed and will walk away wanting to bring their loved ones to it to relive those moments again.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
Absolutely. Given everything that is going on in the world today, I think our society is gaining more awareness of the importance of visuals and experiences to help overcome communication barriers and to better lives. We now have additional opportunities to help shape a healthier and more empathetic society by making more purposeful artworks and designs.
There is an abundance of information accessible at our fingertips. As artists and designers, we ought to be more cautious of the information sources, and be more sensitive with how we interpret and incorporate them into our designs when needed. The wealth of information is prompting designers to create designs with depth that help communicate stories and solve problems, rather than just adding visual noise.
With so many new and unexpected events happening around the world, I’m constantly reminded of how much I do not know yet, but I’m excited to learn and discover more every day. I try my best to design more thoughtfully and be more sensitive to current issues and events. As an individual, I understand I cannot change the world and solve big problems overnight. However, with a community of designers, I know that we can certainly create meaningful designs to help solve problems and shape a kinder future for the coming generations.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My current projects with Disney are still in the work, and I apologize, but I am not able to talk more about them. I am, however, excited for you to experience it someday when it is open to the public. Ask me in four years, and I will gladly share them with you.
I have my work up on my website, www.xqchen.com, and I post urban sketches on my Instagram with the handle @xqchen_art. I sometimes join gallery shows and have my artwork up on display. Currently, there will be one coming up from Light Grey Art Lab in Minnesota, themed Lost Isle of Kismet with a choose-your-own-adventure book collaboration project. The dates are unannounced yet, but I should have an update on my Instagram when I know. I am also planning to publish my own collection of artworks, so please stay tuned!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.xqchen.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xqchen_art
Image Credit:
Han-Wei Kung
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