We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yifeng Ma. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yifeng below.
Yifeng , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
As an artist, I want to address this question from two perspectives: developing confidence and self-esteem as a person and within the art industry. I didn’t grow up as a very confident person, and even now, I still have my moments of doubt. However, I have become much more confident than I used to be.
In middle school and high school, I was constantly worried about many things and believed I am not good enough on many aspects. This constant worry made me unhappy. I realized that being unconfident didn’t push me to become a “better” person; instead, it drained my energy and left me feeling exhausted from fighting my insecurities. I realized that life isn’t a stage with an audience judging my every move, so I shouldn’t care too much about how others perceive me. The only thing that truly matters is my own happiness. I started telling myself positive affirmations whenever I felt unconfident, treating myself as I would a friend, focusing on my strengths and positive qualities. Over time, I recognized that I have many positive traits and just needed to embrace being myself.
As an artist, building confidence and self-esteem is also challenging. Within the industry, there’s always a lot of great artists around you and it’s easy to compare your work to others and feel inadequate. What helped me was looking back at my artwork from several years ago, such as my college application portfolio. This showed me how much I have grown and developed. Comparing yourself to others is counterproductive; instead, compare yourself to your past self and celebrate every little improvement. I believe everyone is unique. For me, art is a communication channel to show people the world through my eyes, and there is no right or wrong, good or bad in it.
This is a brief sharing of how I developed my confidence and self-esteem. Everyone has their own journey, but I hope my story can offer some help and inspiration.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
To briefly introduce myself, I am a Chinese illustrator currently based in LA. More specifically, I am a background artist and visual developer aiming to work in the entertainment industry. I create illustrations for stories or ideas and bring them to life visually. The most exciting part of my work is the ability to be super creative and build worlds that don’t exist in real life. It’s incredibly fun to turn a simple idea into reality and allow others to visualize it. What makes me happiest is knowing that my work can inspire others or evoke thoughts and emotions from my audience. I love establishing a special connection with my audience through my artwork.
The next big event in my life is my graduation show. I will be graduating from ArtCenter on August 17th and the graduation show will be held at the convention center in Pasadena. This is a significant milestone for me, and I would love for people to come see my work and talk with me. Please feel free to visit and see all the great works from ArtCenter students.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would summarize the three most helpful qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge in my own life as: connecting with people, self-learning, and always being a nice person.
As an introverted person, I understand it might be hard sometimes to reach out to people. However, many opportunities come from personal connections. I’ve learned so much from others, even when they were just sharing their personal thoughts and experiences. When you face questions in your career that you don’t have answers to, there are always people out there willing to help. One person I connected with, who helped me a lot, told me, “I got a lot of help from people when I just graduated from college and knew nothing about the career field, so now I want to do the same. I hope you will help others once you can.” It’s wonderful to connect with others, and I’ve made many good friends along this journey.
Self-learning is another significant factor that has changed my life. We are fortunate to live in a time where most information is accessible from home with just a laptop, making self-learning a crucial skill. I started learning Photoshop by myself in high school, and it became one of my most frequently used tools in my career. There were moments when learning became complicated, and I couldn’t figure things out on my own, but I gradually learned where to find information and how to solve problems myself. I encourage people to never stop learning; with the skill of self-learning, you can start learning anything you want. It makes achieving goals much easier than you might think.
The last and most important thing is to be a nice person. While abilities are important, I believe nothing is more crucial than a good personality. People always prefer to work with and befriend kind individuals. I believe kindness spreads and creates a positive environment for everyone.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
The biggest challenge I am currently facing is the transition from student to industry professional. As I approach my graduation in August, I find myself navigating a multitude of considerations and plans, such as securing a job, finding housing, and determining my next steps. As a student, my primary goal was to get into a good school and improve my art skills. However, now I must take full responsibility for my life and chart its course.
Securing a job in the current climate is particularly challenging. The job market is highly competitive, and the uncertainty can be daunting. What has helped me immensely during this stressful period is connecting with people. Reaching out to others, listening to their journeys, and seeking their advice has been invaluable. Networking has opened doors and provided insights that I wouldn’t have gained on my own.
Additionally, I’ve learned the importance of planning and time management. As a student, my schedule was structured around classes and assignments. Now, I need to create my own structure and ensure that I stay productive and focused. This involves setting daily goals, maintaining a routine, and continuously working on my skills and portfolio.
I’ve also realized the significance of resilience and adaptability. The transition from student to professional is filled with uncertainties and setbacks. There have been moments of self-doubt and anxiety, but each challenge has taught me to adapt and persevere. I’ve learned to view setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than failures.
While this period is undoubtedly challenging, it has also been a time of profound personal growth. I have gained confidence in my abilities and become more proactive in shaping my future. Embracing uncertainty has transformed it into an opportunity for learning and development. This experience has not only strengthened my resolve but has also prepared me for the professional world with a newfound sense of optimism and resilience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yvonneart233.com/
- Instagram: yvonne_art233
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-ma-14b5401a9/
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