Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Kam.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Matthew. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in Hong Kong. Like most kids I was really into comic books and cartoons, and I tried to make my own. They weren’t very good, I mostly ripped off stories I liked, but I was the only reader and it was fun. I wouldn’t say I was always obsessed with making art, it was something I happened to be better at and that lured me into liking it.
Years later I went to university in Hong Kong to study Communication Design. Although illustration was not a big part in my school, I met mentors and friends who sparked my ambition to pursue it as a profession, it was then I really started taking this seriously. When I graduated I applied for a scholarship that supports fresh graduates to study abroad, and I took a chance to apply to art school in the US and luckily I got the scholarship. So here I am in LA, going to school and learning my craft as an illustrator.
Has it been a smooth road?
I am grateful that I have parents who support me, mentors who see something in me, and friends who are sharing this creative journey with me. That said, I’m still finding my path as an illustrator.
The process of becoming self conscious is difficult. When I made those comics as a kid I didn’t know they were bad, and they were purely for fun. However, somewhere along the line you start to compare, you start to look at works by people who are more talented or might have started the journey earlier than you, and you become aware that you are bad. That’s a kick in the butt in a good way but having that in mind can make working frustrating at times. So I think not despairing in the face of comparison is a big struggle, but to this day a perhaps misguided belief has given myself the benefit of the doubt, that I’ll be ok if I keep working at it. At the end of the day, this is something I enjoy doing immensely and that’s enough reason to keep going.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Matthew Kam – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m an illustrator who creates work for editorial or publishing purposes. Besides imaginative ideas, where people find beauty in seemingly mundane places is equally intriguing to me. If it’s between inventing the strangest alien ever or to draw an avocado in a way that makes you go “Oh, hello.” I will go for the avocado every time. Currently I am exploring how I could translate what I see in life into visual and emotional experiences.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like the feeling of being surrounded by art. The people, the galleries, the events, the street art, this feels like a city with constant creativity. One of my first impressions of LA is Richard Wyatt’s mural in Union Station, it was the first thing I saw after coming from the airport and I still have a fondness for that station.
Since I come from Hong Kong, the public transport in LA pales in comparison. There really isn’t a need to drive in Hong Kong, but in LA it’s different. Everything is quite spread out and it’s hard to get around with public transport without sacrificing a lot of time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://matthewkam.myportfolio.com
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Matthew Kam
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