Airi Pan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Airi, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
Man I’m always chasing something.
Career-wise, it’d be to design something on the big screen that I can truly be proud of. That was my dream as a child. If I stopped, it’d be giving up on myself. So until my hands are taken away from me, (knock on wood) I’m going to fight for it with all I’ve got.
Life-wise, it’s health and the maintenance of my closest friends and family relationships. I’m tinkering out some health things at the moment, and my family / closest friends all live veerrrry far away from me, so it’s a lot of maintenance. But if I stopped chasing these things, that is NOT a good thing haha! ALWAYS CHASE THOSE!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Helloooo my name is Airi Pan! Most know me as an artist with a distinct East meets West style that reflects my upbringing in both China and the States. Professionally, I am a concept artist and illustrator, and by night I’m a teacher and content creator. I specialize in entertainment within movies and games, and have worked with past clients such as Blizzard, Activision, Netflix, Pixar etc. Currently I work as a concept artist at Riot Games.
I’m also a huge fan of anime, games, all things storytelling really, and when I’m not drawing, I’m an avid cook who loves to cook for her friends :]
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That my limiting beliefs defined me and were my reality.
I remember being a sophomore in high school learning about concept art and thinking, “I could never do that job. My artwork is so terrible.” And then literally a year later, studying furiously to try and make it into the art school of my dreams, and 10 years later, now in my dream career.
I now look back and think about all the things I believed as a kid. That I was a terrible athlete, that I could never dance, that I wasn’t fashionable, that I was a terrible speaker. But, with effort, I was able to prove each one wrong bit by bit (except the athlete part, I think I’m still kind of average but that’s a plus for me).
I’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter what people say externally, it’s always the inner voice that limits us. But once you start challenging those beliefs, you genuinely can put your mind to anything.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Growing up, my family moved constantly, so I had very few lasting friend groups and came from a low-income background. I was never quite able to fit in or keep up with trends, and for a long time, always felt like an outsider. But over time, I’ve become genuinely grateful for that experience, because it taught me authenticity.
Moving so often helped me care less about what others thought of me and so I stayed true to myself, since I wasn’t going to be around for long anyways. I feel like that helped me naturally attract people who actually resonated with who I am, and gave me the ability to see others for who they really are. People say success can blur your sense of self, but thanks to my struggles I was able to stay grounded and develop a strong identity.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I want to help elevate the art of animation. To me, animation and storytelling is one of the most gorgeous art forms, where illustration, animation, writing, music, and all the arts intertwine to make a masterpiece. I want to help bring animation into more culturally relevant spaces, and show that it’s not “just for kids,” and to make it easier for people to discover and enjoy the incredible work of artists around the world.
I also want to create quality, art-driven products that integrate seamlessly into people’s lives, and create products that are both beautiful and meaningful. Think home goods, clothing, or accessories, not JUST an artwork on the wall. Ultimately, I want people, no matter what their career is, to try something creative, such as drawing or sketching. To go cafe sketching is an amazing thing- please try it!!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Boy am I lucky to have this problem, but it is a problem nevertheless. I genuinely love what I do and I care so, so much that I can easily get overwhelmed because I want to do EVERYTHING… to the BEST of my ability. At the start of every project, I can see the end result, shiny and perfect in my mind, and it fills me with so much excitement that I jump to the task, only to start to burn out towards the finish line.
What I’m trying to learn is to find joy in things other than what I love, even if it’s outside of the visual arts. Things like cooking, dancing, and just hanging out with friends, to balance the excitement of creation with appreciation for everything else life has to offer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://airipan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pix_bun/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/airi-pan/
- Twitter: https://x.com/pix_bun
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pix_bun
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pix_bun
Image Credits
Kevin Chen
Francis Ochoa
