Today we’d like to introduce you to Lilly Lui.
Lilly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I knew that I wanted to pursue art as a career. I enjoyed illustrating my favorite cartoon characters when I was young, so deciding to go to art school made sense for my career path. My dream is to be able to sustain myself through my artwork. I admired those who were able to sell their illustrations and other items they created themselves. So, freelancing and taking commission work was very ideal.
After graduating art school, I moved back to my hometown in St. Louis, Missouri and was able to get work in the creative field. I would work during the day and after work, I slowly developed side projects and taking on commission work to pursue my goals. I moved to Atlanta two years ago to be with my boyfriend who is an Atlanta native. With Atlanta as my new home, I’m still currently pursuing my passion in sustaining myself through my art.
Has it been a smooth road?
For me, I never expected things to be simple. I knew I was going to face with many different challenges. Being a freelancer is a juggling act. You’re always balancing between your day job, freelance/commission work, and of course “me” time and wanting to socialize with friends. It definitely hasn’t been easy for me to manage all of these and it’s caused a lot of anxiety and mental breakdowns. I’ve learned that there are times when you just need to step away from your work and come back when you’re ready. I’ve been lucky enough to have a great support system. My friends and family have always made sure that I’m ok and I don’t ever feel like I’m alone. Working freelance can be a lonely job, especially when you are dedicating so much of your time to a project. Despite the struggles, I found myself staying with freelancing because it does fulfill my dreams and help me pursue other endeavors.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
The hardest part of my job is definitely trying to stay motivated. There are plenty of times where I don’t feel like doing anything. Whether it’s because I’m tired and just want to be lazy, or I go to a dark place in my mind and I start thinking that I’m not getting anywhere with my work and I should be doing more. It’s an awful cycle and it can be hard to break out of it because there’s a lot of guilt and expectations that I usually put on myself. But like the movie Frozen, I had let certain things go and find what really worked for me and let myself enjoy the process. That is something that I learned for myself. When I’m not enjoying my work, then it becomes work. Trying to find the joy within my work is key. With this mindset, I am more positive and it serves a reminder of why I’m sticking with why I’m doing what I’m doing.
How do you define success?
The word success is quite intimidating for me. I guess you can say I’m used to how others define success as someone who’s accomplished, has accolades and is well known. So for me, the word success didn’t suit me. It was something I didn’t think about often because, by other people’s definition, I didn’t fit that mold. But I’ve learned that the word success can have other interpretations. So I sit myself down and write out the things I’ve done, projects I’ve completed, and the events I have gone to. I do this so I have a sense of my accomplishments. Sometimes I get caught up with work and life moments. My mindset is usually me thinking about what needs to get done for the day, how I’m going to take on these tasks and survive until the next day. So writing things down allows me to reflect and take the time to see how far I have progressed. It helps me see if I did better than the months and years before. Keeping track of my progress allows me to feel successful in that sense and that I am moving forward to reaching my goals and dreams.
So, what should we be on the lookout for, what’s next in store for you?
At the moment, I’m currently focused on the projects that I have and building up my Etsy shop.
I also plan on participating in local art/craft fairs as well. Eventually, I would like to start up a Youtube channel where I am creating and showing my art process. Hopefully, that will inspire other artists and creators. I often like to watch artists on Youtube because of the community it creates and I would love to contribute to that as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://lillylui.tumblr.com
- Email: lillui20@gmail.com
- Instagram: themagicalasian
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lillyluiart
- Other: http://lillyluistudio.etsy.com
