Growing up in Hawaii, I became interested in both visual art and the beautiful biodiversity present in the coastal water from an early age. This made it difficult for me when deciding what to study in college. I completed my undergrad with a Zoology degree and went on to work in conservational education at the Honolulu Zoo. I find natural history fascinating and enjoyed working at the zoo, but always felt as though something was missing.
In the early 2010’s, I became increasingly aware of the beautiful artwork featured in animated films. With my passion reignited, I decided to go back to school and dove headfirst into the world of 3D animation and visual arts.
I have always been torn between art and science. I love the freedom of expression offered by visual art and the limitless boundary of the creative world, but I also love the structured and analytical nature of science. For the longest time, I kept these two disciplines separated because I felt they contradicted one another. However, I've learned that some art forms can be approached very methodically. I recognized this in Visual and User Experience design, and that's why I enjoy it and am drawn to it.
From my Zoology studies, I learned that nature is vast with exciting and bizarre spectacles. Still, they all evolved to serve some intended purpose. The number of resources in nature is finite, and therefore a form must serve a function for the species to thrive. This is also true in my understanding of illustration and visual design. Designers are constantly working under some form of constraints, such as time or budget. A design decision must serve a purpose, or else it is irrelevant no matter how aesthetically pleasing it may be. To be successful, I see great values in striving for the best while considering limitations.
For me, visual design challenges allow me to test my ability to solve problems by offering creative solutions through methodical processes.
