We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Abigail Goh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Abigail below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Abigail with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
From an early age, my mom always impressed upon me to strive for a “spirit of excellence” in all that I do. It took a while for me to truly learn what that meant, but I try my best to express that in my projects daily and I believe that has enabled me to develop a good work ethic.
My choice to pursue Art as a career was a risky move that required a lot of trust from my family. On top of that, I made a decision to move across the globe to pursue my studies far from the comforts of home. With the weight of their expectations and sacrifices on my back, life was put into perspective and I quickly understood the value of this opportunity. Hard work becomes second nature when you feel like you have to succeed.
On a more fundamental level, I think having a humble mindset and the desire to be a respectful person is also one factor that helped hone my work ethic. As a freelancer, every job feels like a privilege. When a client or a team puts their trust in me and brings me onto a project, I feel a sense of duty to do my honest best each and every time. Over the years, it seems being consistent and dependable really helped to build the trust needed to keep clients.
I strongly admire people who take pride in their jobs, regardless of its glamor. When I was a freshman, I often observed this particular older chef as he carefully and meticulously cooked omelettes at the humble egg station in my college cafeteria. I remember feeling deeply inspired by his demeanor, and think back to this moment from time to time.
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?
I am a freelance illustrator and designer and I create thoughtful visual designs for anyone that needs them. Often I am hired to help translate an intangible idea into a compelling visual through ideas and design.
My work ranges from working with a team to develop product tutorials weekly for WhatsApp, to creating editorial pieces to accompany articles about abstract concepts like Loss and Grief. Sometimes I toil over a set of graphic icons for months at a time, searching for the simplest and most efficient way to convey a Blockchain security system. Other times, I am drawing a Beagle surfing on a bacon strip for a dog-toy company.
The sheer variety in projects is truly one of the best perks of being a freelancer and I feel genuinely excited for projects I did not expect to come my way. Whether its something so familiar that I can do it without breaking a sweat, or something thats far from my comfort zone– with a decade of experience under my belt, I feel confident to tackle them all.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In my opinion, one of the most important skills one must develop to really grow as a creative, is to be a critical thinker. The ability to decide whether something appeals to me or not, and in what way really helped shape my tastes and inform my personal style. One way I did this was to process the strengths and flaws of everything I was experiencing (whether a film, an ad, a writing style in a book, plating of a dish) and I slowly built this habit of thoughtful consumption. Critical thinking definitely plays a big part in any type of problem solving, whether it is in a client brief, or navigating life.
Another key piece of advice is to be humble. I make sure to follow designers and studios that produce great work, and to constantly look at it to remind myself what the industry standard is, and to keep my finger on the pulse for new or dying trends. While consuming this much “art that is already out there” might seem like a double edged sword, with some arguing that it might kill your originality, I would say moderation is key! When we maintain curiosity for what the world has to offer, oftentimes we can learn from these resources and understand where we fit in.
The third skill I reckon that is vital to surviving in this industry, is to be chill. Rejection is commonplace in all parts of life, and I think being able to move on quickly is a good skill to master. I’ve always tried my best to not be too precious with any idea, or artwork I create and to not be too lazy or fearful to start over. I think this approach often leads to the best outcome, but sometimes it takes heart-wrenching decisions to let go.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
If you need illustrations, I’m your girl.
Whether you are a big brand or a fellow artist, my inbox is always open to anyone looking for meaningful and unique visuals. I sincerely consider everything that comes through to me, and if I am not available/suitable, I would love to recommend someone else in the creative community who might be!
With all my years of experience as a freelancer, I have the confidence to jump into any sector of Illustration– Advertising & Commercial work, Editorial, Concept Art, Packaging, Pattern Design…
I personally would really like to work on another book project again, so if there are any Art directors at publishing houses reading this, please get in touch!
abigoh.com is my online portfolio website where you can also find all my contact information. I’m open to commissions, long-term partnerships, and everything in between.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://abigoh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigohart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-goh-11a18439/
- Other: https://www.behance.net/AbigailGoh
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
