Making a career out of it

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. Looking back, I have always been inspired by interesting characters and their stories. From the storybooks in our classroom's library to the cartoons I watched growing up, I found inspiration and, started drawing scenes and my favorite characters from the media I consumed.

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            During primary school, I considered drawing a hobby. However, when I reached high school, that's when I considered making it a career. That's why I decided to pursue a fine arts degree (much to my parent's concern). To somehow ease their worries, I took up a BA major in Advertising arts, just to have a financial safety net. I've been through career paths that are expected for an advertising degree; graphic designer, a vector artist. (unpaid intern)

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            Although I was thankful for some of these opportunities to grow as a professional, I figured these weren't the places where I wanted to grow as a storyteller. It has been my first love, and I keep going back to it. It's undeniable that this is what I wanted to do long-term, and so I followed the not-so-easy path of being a freelance artist. The journey up here wasn't a piece of cake, filled with financial, emotional & physical hurdles, but I'm thankful that I kept going. I get to do what I'm most passionate about, and I get to meet amazing people along the way (fellow artists and clients alike).

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            Being an illustrator has led me to express myself; my thoughts and my emotions, and share them with different kinds of people. I've also been able to advocate for causes that I believe in, and have collaborated with artists with the same values as mine. With these experiences I've gained through the years; I'm still striving to learn more as I grow, both as a person and as an artist.