Food and nostalgia are central themes to my work as the images I explore are shaped by the pop-culture I’ve consumed as well as my cross-cultural experiences as a Chinese-Filipino individual growing up in the US. I treat the imagery depicted in my illustrations as windows into personal memories of childhood, as if to capture and preserve a feeling and moment in time. These images come in fragments that I aim to piece together in order to accurately portray my work aesthetic and identity. I often find myself illustrating and using collage as a form of investigation into my personal identity and culture. My favorite part of collage is using all the leftover material I’ve collected from previous projects to tell a story.
I am interested in the storytelling of various cultures and using narratives to provide representation and a sense of familiarity and community. While creating designs for my student-led Filipino organization, I’ve realized how much I enjoy serving my local community through graphic design and have also learned how much the image of an organization helps reach a wider community. I hope to utilize my graphic design skills to help serve marginalized communities and advocate for social good.