Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Mai.
Hi Angela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m an LA-based Chinese artist. I grew up in Guangzhou, China, and moved to LA when I was 15 years old. Being an artist is my dream since I was a child, i can’t see myself doing anything other than this. Now I got a degree in illustration from ArtCenter College of Design and want to pursue my path as a multi-disciplinary artist. I have many interests in multiple art-related fields; creating is just like breathing to me. Asides from drawing and painting, I make ceramics, sculptures, sound installations, jewelry, press on nails, and remake clothings, and sometimes I model for photo shoots. I’m currently apprenticing at a tattoo shop, getting ready to be a tattoo artist at Gung Ho Tattoo. Meanwhile starting up my accessory brand called Friedraven Claws with some friends.
My artistic voice is developed by my ideology, my interests in humanity, and my aesthetic preferences. I want to deliver the feeling of solitude, serenity, and vulnerability in my work. Being raised in Eastern culture, I have an insistence in the search of internal peace; I want to be placid like water that can forgive everything while remain peaceful—it’s a life goal of mine. Also being a highly sensitive person, I could see things that others might ignore. Everything changed when I notice the existence of time; I used to feel sad every day as a child because nothing lasts. So I was constantly searching for something that is eternal. I think the yearning for eternity is a nature of a vulnerable specie like us with so many limitations. One day I realized that time washes away everything but only solitude stays. Everyone is isolated in our own world; we never truest comprehend each other, no matter how hard we try; we all came into this world by ourselves and will be gone by ourselves.
Another realization I have as an empath is that everyone is vulnerable, whether we admit it or not.
Being a nostalgic person might be able to explain my obsession with things from the past, like antiques and dolls. The beauty of the static human shell fascinates me, it inspires me to sculpt human figures and make dolls myself.
I also like the etherealness and delicacy of the aesthetic of the Victorian era, my drawing style is pretty much inspired by the golden age illustrator such as Kay Neilson. They inspired me to incorporate the atmospheric rhythm into my own work.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. I think it takes courage and hard work to do what you want to do regardless of the ordinary standard in this world. One of the biggest struggles so far is I’m just fresh out of college and I see so many possibilities in my life but I’m still not quite clear about what I want to focus on and how to pursue it so that I can do what I like to do while maintaining my life. I’m certain that I don’t want to get an 9am-5pm job, I only want to work for myself and do what I like to do; I won’t walk in the path that others paved. But know the price of freedom is that I have to be responsible for the burden of my own life. I have to think about the material life: how much I need to pay rent, groceries, health insurance, car insurance… It is not an easy decision to be a freelance artist. To be honest, I’m afraid that my life will be miserable at the beginning of my career. I heard lots of stories from freelance artists about their tough path starting off. Being an artist is not just about creating art that satisfied myself, it is a business. I don’t want to take the risk to live a miserable life so I have to work on multiple things to support myself.
On top of that, the other challenge is time. Although my school is famous for training students in time management, I still struggle with that in my college years. Graduating from college gives me a clear realization that my time is limited, it is on my own hand. If I want to pursue my dream, I have to start managing my time scientifically and change my old habits to regulate my daily routine and work.
Another challenge is the uncomprehension from my family. My parents are supportive as long as I can make money, but my relatives in China are conservative; I used to be a good kid that lived up to their standard when I was young but now I’m grown and I think it is difficult for them to accept my changes. For example, My grandma is worried about me and frequently asked me if I find a proper in-house job already and try to convince me to give up being an artist because it is difficult to make money in her opinion. I will never blame them because it is a generation and cultural gap. Although I don’t care much about people’s thoughts on me, it’s hard to ignore judgment from my own family.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an illustrator, I specialize in digital editorial illustration, publishing illustration, package design, poster design, and tattoo design. Asides from commercial work, I also like to explore traditional mediums such as oil painting and acrylic painting. I am passionate about fashion, I love styling and clothing remakes. I also love to make things by hand such as jewelry, press-on nails, ceramics, dolls, and sculptures. I think the work that I’m most proud of are the pieces that successfully deliver my thoughts and sentiment, such as a porcelain sculpture called The Tail and an oil painting called Harelips.
I think there’re many aspects that set me apart from others. I never feel like I fit in anywhere, my thinking process and my ideology are different from most people. I think that’s why I’m insistent in expressing isolation. I appreciate the beauty of brittle, decayed things and many of the negative emotions. I am very sensitive and empathetic, I like to see people and things in a deep level, including myself— I always try to stand out of my own position, to watch myself and the world as if I’m in a outer world.
I think all of these constitute my work.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I’m still at an early stage of my career. At this point, I’m trying to stabilize my life financially to get myself ready for doing what I truly want to do without financial pressure. For the next five years, I will focus on freelance illustration, tattooing, and working on my accessory brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: angelamaiart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedraven_/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/angela-mine
Image Credits
Picture of Angela credits to Kenny Cheung
