Life and Work with Elisa Wong

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisa Wong.

Elisa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Sure thing! I’m a freelance designer & illustrator based in Echo Park. Art has been a pretty influential part of my life for as long as I can remember, especially when it came to dabbling in a bunch of different creative hobbies. I remember my mom used to get frustrated with me growing up because I would never just ‘stick’ with something, but what can I say, I like mixing things up! When I was in high school, I was enrolled in a design and technology academy that gave me the opportunity to take some really interesting classes. I got to try out 3D modeling, architecture, engineering, web design, photography, illustration, and film; so that really scratched my itch for variety. But going into college though, I had no idea what I wanted to stick with. There were so many cool things, I was so indecisive!

I did choose something though! I attended university at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in Savannah, GA and Hong Kong and got my degree in Graphic Design. In my first year of school, I was SUPER hesitant about staying in it though, mostly because I was worried it would feel too restricting. But as I got deeper into my classes, I realized how expansive it really was and ended up really growing a passion for it.

After college, I moved to Atlanta, where I worked at 2 different design agencies doing digital design for about a year before peacing out and relocating to LA for a job. I had been itching for more diversity in my work – the clientele was primarily in the utility industry, so it wasn’t the most engaging, and I was also the youngest (by 10+ years) at my company, so it was kinda hard to relate to my colleagues at times. Thankfully, the design agency that one of my good friends was working at was hiring, so she helped get me an interview and a month later I was living here in LA.

I worked there for around three years and learned a lot but also experienced a lot of challenges. It ultimately wasn’t a good fit for me and I ended up leaving, taking a few months off to focus on my mental health and re-asses my career, and then slowly easing into freelancing. Now, it’s been a little over two years doing my own thing and it definitely hasn’t been an easy journey but I’m embracing the process and am really enjoying my work!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely not, haha. I feel like my entire life has been a constant struggle forward. But I don’t hold any resentment or negativity towards my struggles though. They all happened for a reason and have all shaped me into the person I am today.

Throughout my career, I haven’t really had any mentors to help me along the way, so I’ve had to figure out a lot on my own. That’s definitely something that I wish I had as I feel it could’ve helped me feel less alone and cultivate more confidence and direction in my life at an earlier age. But having to figure things out solo has taught me how to get good at failing and in return, build lots of inner strength.

A lot of my past experiences in studios has also been tough because the culture wasn’t really the best fit for me and didn’t feel very supportive, so it was challenging to grow. I felt like I got passed up for a lot for opportunities that I wish I could’ve gotten and I didn’t really know why. Overall, it was hard for me to fit in and after time, it started to make me question myself and my abilities and left me feeling very isolated from my colleagues. By the way, if some young designer is out there feeling like the studio life isn’t working for them, just know that there’s nothing wrong with you and it isn’t for everyone. Maybe it’s the studio culture itself that doesn’t suit you, or maybe it means you were meant for something else!

For me, I think I was meant for something different because I actually ended up getting let go from that job. Though it was a blessing in disguise, at the time it felt like my world was crumbling. I felt so incompetent, rejected, and very confused. Because I was already in a mentally fragile state, losing that job sent me over the edge and a lot of the anxiety I had worked really hard to overcome over the years instantly resurfaced. So, there I was at 24, having this multi-year mental breakdown wondering how the hell I was going to get out of it. I knew I would and that my feelings weren’t permanent, I just didn’t know when or how. I took a lot of personal time and had some extremely hard conversations with myself as I reflected and reassessed my life. Though I think what helped me the most was reading self-help books – it gave me hope and helped me shift to a more positive mindset. As I started to learn more about my anxiety, I slowly started gaining enough strength to put myself back out there.

And then, just as I was getting my footing again, my dad, who I was very close with, suddenly passed away on New Years of 2019. The universe was not giving me a break! Thankfully, I was equipped with a better mental toolbox by then, so I tried my best to take as many lessons as I could from my dad – he was the smartest, most resourceful and efficient man I ever knew. And although it was the worst thing to lose him, he reminded me how much I have to be thankful for, how incredibly precious life is, and to make the absolute most out of the remainder of my time here on Earth, regardless of how long that is.

I now walk through life in a very different way than before and carry a lot more love in my heart these days. I also started doing more work that’s meaningful to me and allows me to flex many creative muscles. Overall, life has been feeling a lot brighter and I’m continuing to ride this high, pushing myself to put my best efforts into everything I do, and only putting out love in the world.

So, to anyone that’s just starting their journey or is also experiencing a lot of hardships and curveballs in life, just know that life is filled with both mountains and valleys. Regardless of what it may throw at you, there is something to learn from everything – good and bad – and it all only makes you stronger. And if something isn’t working out, it’s okay to pivot! The most important key is to never give up. We’re all out here just trying to live our best lives and to be honest, most of us are all going through really similar struggles. It wasn’t until after I talked to some of my friends about the insecurities that I realized this. So, don’t be afraid to be a little vulnerable, open up to others, and ask for help and guidance if you need it. You’ve got this!

Please tell us about your work.
So, I’m a designer and illustrator by trade, but honestly, I kind of do a little of a lot. As you now know, I’ve always had that desire for diversity, so I’m pretty open to new opportunities! I will say though, some of the things I do most often are digital design & experiences, branding, and illustration. One thing that I’m really thankful for from my time working at agencies is my strategy and research experience, which I can now bring to my projects!

Right now, I’m at a pretty pivotal point in my career – I’m setting up a lot of foundational blocks to the next chapter of my work, so there is still a lot I’m figuring out. I am in the process of opening up a multidisciplinary design studio with my life & creative partner that will focus on design and production for the music industry, so we’re VERY excited about that too!

Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
Absolutely! I actually have an entire list of resources and recommendations on my website that you can check out, but some of the most influential and transformative for me are Daring Greatly by Brené Brown, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson, Freelance, Business, and Design by Hoodzpah Design, and The Creative Pep Talk podcast by Andy J Pizza. And I’ve gotta say, my #1 life-changing book is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. This book entirely changed the way I think about and approach life – it’s absolutely amazing and I recommend it to literally everyone in my life!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elisawong.com
• Email: hello@elisawong.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/elisadoesstuff

Image Credit:
Raymond Wei

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.