Meet Jungmin Lee

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jungmin Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jungmin, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

For me, I think getting away from the repetition and adding something new helps me to make creativity alive. It can start from listening to music or going outside for a walk. I think this healthy interruption guides me to think in a different way, and to allow me to see in a wider way, rather than a narrow lens. If there is time, going to travel, mountain, ocean, getting on a train, or doing facetime with my family in South Korea also shift my position and to charge my energy with warmth.

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?

Hello, my name is Jungmin Lee, and I am an artist and illustrator. I studied Illustration at ArtCenter College of Design, and I graduated in Spring of 2024.

Since I was a child, I have loved to draw. I enjoyed the freedom that drawing give to me, which has no specific answer. Any world or weird thoughts can be born on the paper starting from the surrounding objects, such as the back of calendar paper or textbooks. These found objects guided me to begin making and moving my hands to spend time.

Because I like using my hands to make physical things, I first studied product design in my first term at ArtCenter. At that time, I was able to participate in the Illustration Department’s Studio Visit, where the class hosts different artists and their workshops. From their personal approach and thought process, I was reminded of my young dream and I decided to study deep into storytelling in the Illustration Design track.

These days after graduation, I continue to make images, open online store, write newsletters, and I hope to try different types of how my work can be applied.

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?

I think first could be experimental spirits. This can represent no answer has decided yet and an open area to try everything. I like to connect this freedom of thinking process to my art making and daily life, to use new materials or to allow the plan to be changed. The process to me is to be fluid in the possible shifts and receive open mindsets.

Secondly, the idea of self support comes to me. I feel sometimes we seriously judge and criticize what we did in the past or what to do in the future. It is a difficult challenge to me as well, but I think cheering oneself and believing in what we decided can boost the motivation to take the next brave action. I try to turn on my favorite songs during the day, giving myself a cup of orange juice, or laying down to give myself a pause to organize thought webs.

Lastly, I believe sharing appreciation with others could help to create kinships and also feel warmth in our hearts. It can be saying hello first in the morning, sharing snacks, or helping others with their questions. Even though the action might look small, I think the energy these conversations give can share a little smile or guide one to feel belonging in the community.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, I try to go outside for a walk or listen to music. The feeling of being stuck and down is not washing away at that moment, but I think these small movements can slowly change the mood. Talking to someone about the concerns can be also helpful by getting the thoughts out and expressing, instead of hiding. Eating hot and spicy food can be helpful as well to reduce some stress and get energy with your soul/comfort foods. Sometimes, I like to paint without a plan, which I found a good way to express inner thoughts that are difficult to find and say out loud, and move our body to depict visually.

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Image Credits

A tote bag and a t-shirt are made from Printful.

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