Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Uchida.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Born and raised in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, I had the privilege of growing up immersed in the cultural richness of the Hawaiian islands and surrounded by its stunningly beautiful natural environment. However, it was no secret that I considered myself a homebody, as I loved staying inside to draw and paint. Video games and animated movies played a meaningful role in my childhood and sparked my interest in drawing stylized characters similar to ones I frequently saw on-screen. I was homeschooled from kindergarten through high school, which provided me an opportunity to truly pursue art. When I was in elementary school, I remember I always made it a priority to start and finish a drawing every day during lunchtime. Drawing original comics with my markers became a favorite hobby of mine; I even produced a weekly series for my family to read every Sunday.
Once I entered high school, the deep realm of design was introduced to me as I was invited to participate in and eventually lead a local high school’s unique design and fabrication club. This pushed me to translate my analog work into digital form as well as trained me to think three-dimensionally. The school generously gave me many rare opportunities to explore the way art and visual components, such as installations and murals, can influence a physical space and environment. From those experiences, I grew an appreciation for graphic design and typography. At the start of my junior year, I enrolled in traditional drawing and painting classes at the community college, where I further built my foundational and technical skills. It wasn’t long before I began considering art schools for college, and ArtCenter’s diverse illustration program that focused on the subject from a business and industry perspective seemed like a good fit.
Has it been a smooth road?
Once I began my studies at ArtCenter, I realized just how many diverse paths existed in the world of illustration. Editorial illustration, concept art, motion design…these categories of art don’t have a strong presence (if any at all) back home, so it was my first time learning the amount of influence illustration is capable of possessing through thoughtful design and concept, rather than just painting for the sake of creating a pretty image. I entered the school with an open mind, so the exposure to all these new possibilities at once was exciting and yet incredibly confusing; I suddenly felt the pressure of having to navigate my assortment of interests and decide what I wanted to pursue quickly.
I took advantage of ArtCenter’s diverse repertoire and took classes from all the different tracks within the illustration major. From hand-lettering to animation, it has been an array of learning experiences and challenges that I’m incredibly grateful for. I genuinely believe that it’s only from dipping my toes in these different methods of art that my passion for digital painting recently became very clear to me. Finding my artistic voice and calling has been my biggest challenge and has definitely managed to confuse me along the way. While I finally feel like I’ve set my path ahead of me, I continue to appreciate all categories of illustration and design. They continuously inspire and push one another forward to discover new methods to effectively visually communicate a subject matter or idea.
Please tell us more about your art.
My body of work consists of a diverse set of illustrative styles and formats but focuses on visual development and concept paintings that I’m currently working to build up further. I love finding the perfect way to capture a moment in time that communicates a story through color and lighting. The thought process and problem-solving an impactful composition entails motivates me and continually challenges me to be more effective with every painting. From the ideation phase to the finishing touches of a design or illustration, there’s always something valuable I manage to learn along the way, and I always try my best to implement that into the next piece. When it comes to storytelling, I especially savor the opportunities where I can express the beauty and underlying emotion of intimate, heartfelt moments. There’s something special about the challenge of visually representing and hitting on a very specific, yet intangible concept that drives me, whether it’s through the interaction of characters or the environment that they inhabit. I’m always excited to start new projects and work alongside those who share a similar passion and commitment. I’ve learned the most from my friends who always push me to create the best work I’m capable of.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
There’s no denying that Los Angeles holds an incredible amount of opportunities for creatives. In regards to my future as an artist, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be studying, and for that I’m grateful. It’s been both inspiring and invigorating to get to know such ambitious and talented people who traveled to LA in pursuit of their respective dreams. That being said, coming from such a slow-paced lifestyle, this city moves so quickly that I often find myself still struggling to catch up (both metaphorically and literally; the freeway speed limits here are so much faster than back home!) I find myself missing the humble, tight-knit community mentality that Hawaii embraces and which I feel LA often lacks, and I hope to represent my home state well, wherever I end up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meganuchida.com/
- Email: uchida.meg@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megan.uchida/
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.
