Today we’d like to introduce you to Gracy Liu.
Gracy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in a businessmen family. Everyone else grew up being the ideal student with the perfect grades, then the model employee with the best reviews. I wasn’t. I would be told to write my name a hundred times every day because I was not supposed to draw it into animals. My parents would be called into school because I enjoyed my comic book so much that I laughed out loud during a class. I would be yelled at by my favorite teacher: “What else can you really do besides drawing?” But I didn’t stop because my parents loved my weirdness, and they thought I was creative and funny. At that moment, I learned that it’s ok to follow through passion, and I’ve wanted to be a designer ever since.
My high school art teacher, Ms. Linda Budd, was the first person to guide me into the creative world. She would hand me a different drawing medium every other week and asked me to play with it. I realized I could pick up something and get the hang of it, and I’m able to create what I’ve never imagined I could.
Now I am an M.A. Advertising student at Savannah College of Art and Design. I have always loved watching every advertisement that pops up on my screen, and I would be the person who refuses to skip one. I enjoy how advertising is incorporated into my daily life, whether it is appreciating a package design while standing in the middle of a grocery aisle, or not being able to forget that I can “Just do it” every time I put on that pair of shoes. More important than anything else, I cannot see myself doing anything else. I have been told by many people that they can see my eyes sparkle whenever someone asks me about a project. I think when others take notice, it is proof that I chose a profession that I truly enjoy.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say the struggle along the way is getting back up over and over again after falling. Honestly, I think it’s one of the biggest challenges that everyone has to face in life. As positive as I seem today, I was often bullied for being who I am. As much as I love art and design, I had to obtain a Bachelor in Business Administration before pursuing an art degree. As hard as I tried to make the most out of everything, I couldn’t dodge the bitterness that life and illness threw at me. But as many times as I fell, giving up was never an option because I couldn’t bear to let down myself and the people who have always had faith in me. Getting into the details of hardship is not important, nothing in life is ever easy, the only thing that matters is NEVER GIVE UP!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I have one foot in the world of print, one foot in the world of pixels, and a love for both. As a creative designer, I specialize in graphic design and web design.
What I do isn’t a business, it’s a passion project. I love creating sticker collections for my best friends; I draw comics of the funny daily quotes I collected from my friends and family; I turn memories of my cross-country road trips into illustration t-shirts using my dog as the main character; I am the photographer at my friends’ weddings so I can capture their happiest moment and tear of joy; I design a restaurant’s menu if I love their food; I will accept a pro-bono project because I think designs are supposed to make an impact. There are too many lovable things to count when your profession is your hobby. No matter what project I take on, I do it because I love it.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think everyone has a unique definition of success. The ideal meaning of success for me is always doing what I love and insert my passion in my life every day, every minute, every second. In another word, it simply means happiness.
Contact Info:
- Website: gracyliu.com
- Email: Gracy.H.L@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracylartndesign/
Image Credit:
Hsuan Chung, Gracy Liu
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