When was the first time you knew you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I grew up in Hong Kong, a place where creativity wasn’t exactly encouraged. Academic excellence was the norm, and pursuing anything artistic often felt like stepping off the expected path. But even as a child, I was drawn to the creative subjects. There was this spark — an inner excitement that would light up every time I found myself lost in a creative project or idea.
In high school, that spark became something more. I organized and led the very first student-run fashion show at our school. It was completely my initiative — from concept to execution — and it was in that moment, standing behind the scenes, watching it all unfold, that I truly understood: creativity wasn’t just something I liked. It was something I loved.
That passion led me to Parsons School of Design in New York, where I pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design. My time at Parsons was transformative. I interned with some incredible designers and got a front-row seat to the world of fashion — both the art and the business of it.
After graduation, I returned to Hong Kong and began my career as a jewellery designer. That role lasted about six months before I transitioned to work with a local fashion designer for another nine. But soon after, I decided to join my family’s jewellery business, working closely with my mother. We travelled across Asia — to Singapore, Malaysia, Jakarta, Dubai — attending trade shows and meeting clients. I took on the marketing side of the business, diving into social media, building our website, running email campaigns, and learning how to nurture client relationships.
Despite the incredible experiences, I began to feel a void. Something inside me still felt unfulfilled. Searching for that missing piece, I became a part-time Zumba instructor, hoping the energy and movement would ignite that inner fire — but it wasn’t quite it.
Then, at the end of 2018, something unexpected happened. I started creating personalized drawing artworks as gifts and shared them on social media. To my surprise, people began reaching out — asking for commissions. One inquiry came from someone at a co-working space that had a gallery. They invited me to showcase my work. I had never even considered being an artist as a real path, but this was the opening I didn’t know I needed.
I built my first collection, accepted commissions through social media, and launched my very first exhibit — which sold out. That moment was a turning point. I spent the next year focused on commissions and building a creative rhythm.
In 2020, I moved to California. Starting over with no network was daunting. I still remember my first trip to the art store — spending a few hundred dollars on supplies, not knowing what would come of it. But as I began to paint, something shifted. Each brushstroke felt like a reflection — a way to process the winding road that had brought me here. Layer by layer, I created my first official collection, Moments.
From there, I built a website, signed up for local art shows, and found that all the experience from working with my mother had come full circle. I taught art jamming sessions, private art tutoring, and even worked at a high school — all while steadily growing my practice.
And now, after years of searching, pivoting, and creating, I’m finally here: living my dream career as a full-time artist.
- Karriena