Meet Maxine Yuling Zhou

We were lucky to catch up with Maxine Yuling Zhou recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Maxine Yuling, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Honestly… I think I found my purpose when I was three years old. I know, that sounds suspiciously early—like, “Girl, you probably couldn’t even spell ‘purpose’ at that age.” But I have evidence. There’s an old photo of me holding a paintbrush with such an intense, focused expression you’d think I was restoring the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. My mom still says she sees that same face when I’m deep in a project now—eyebrows scrunched, probably forgetting to blink.

As I got older, the signs just kept stacking up. My family loves to tell this story: I once shot up in the middle of the night—half asleep—and said, “Wait! I just got inspired!” Then I waddled over in my pajamas to my tiny desk and started drawing like my life depended on it. There’s a Chinese saying, “喜欢画画，拦都拦不住的,” which basically means, “If someone really loves drawing, not even a brick wall can stop them.” That was me.

I realized my purpose is to create. And not just for myself—it’s the joy I feel when other people react to it. When I see someone smile because of something I made? My heart literally beats so fast it feels like it’s in my throat. That feeling? That’s the hormone hit. The good kind.

Eight years in art school—from high school to my master’s—only confirmed it. Every time I made a teacher proud, every time I drew someone’s pet and they got emotional, every time my parents saw me walk across a stage to get an award—they weren’t just proud. I was buzzing. That hormone again.

So yeah, my purpose? It’s not just to make things. It’s to keep chasing that feeling—those joyful, beat-thumping, late-night-drawing, hormone-fueled moments that tell me: yep, this is exactly what I’m meant to do.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My creative journey started with freelance illustration, which eventually led me to pursue a master’s degree in 3D animation and motion design. That opened the door to the world of advertising and branding, where I now work as a 2D/3D motion designer—bringing all kinds of visual stories to life, from energetic ad spots to sleek brand animations.

But my creative life doesn’t stop at the office. In my free time, I run a little passion project that’s very close to my heart (and paw). I create custom pet portraits and sometimes even set up a booth at weekend art markets to draw people’s beloved fur babies on the spot. There’s something so magical about capturing someone’s four-legged best friend—it always brings the biggest smiles.

You can find my pet portrait work on Instagram at @i_love_drawing_dogs, which pretty much sums me up: I really, really love drawing dogs. I also really love my own dog—Picasso, a fluffy little Maltese with main-character energy. He’s my muse, my co-worker, and my daily reminder to take creative play (and snack breaks) seriously.

Whether it’s animating sleek motion graphics or sketching wiggly tails at a market booth, I just love making people happy through art. Stay tuned—more wagging tails and motion design magic are always on the way!

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?

Looking back, the three biggest things that helped me on my journey were:

Being brave enough to start,
Knowing what I actually wanted, and
Staying open to change—even the scary kind.
My biggest advice for anyone just starting out? Be bold. Take that first step, even if you’re not 100% ready (spoiler: no one ever is). But also take time to figure out what really lights you up. The earlier you know what kind of creative work you want to pursue, the easier it is to filter out distractions and focus on building toward it.

And lastly—this one’s big—don’t ignore technology. Especially now, with AI evolving faster than a toddler with an espresso. I used to be totally anti-AI. I hated it. But AI’s development outran my hate, and I realized… it’s not going away. So instead of pretending it’s not there, I’ve learned to stay curious, adapt, and find creative ways to work with it instead of against it. If you can stay one step ahead of the wave, you’ll surf it instead of getting crushed by it.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Two key words: nature and pets.

My dad always told me, “Water can wash away your worries, and mountains can give you back your energy.” And honestly, he’s right. Add a dog into the mix? Even better.

I have a pretty simple (and slightly ridiculous) system for dealing with overwhelm, based on levels:

Level 1–2 stress? I talk to my dog. He’s a great listener. Very judgment-free.
Level 3–4? I pet him like he’s my emotional support plushie.
Level 5–6? We go for a walk by the water. Just us and some calming waves.
Level 7–8? Time to hike a mountain together. Fresh air + elevation = instant mood reset.
Level 9–10? That’s an emergency combo pack: hiking in the mountains and walking by the lake, all with my dog, of course.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter if your companion is a dog, cat, or even a fish—just having a living creature around that gives you unconditional love and pulls you out of your own head can be so healing.

So my advice? Find your “reset ritual,” especially one that reconnects you with nature, and bring a fuzzy friend if possible. Works every time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maxineyulingzhou.com
• Instagram: maxineyulingzhou
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuling-zhou-471473182
• Other: https://www.letmedrawitforyou.com

Image Credits

All images credits go to Maxine Yuling Zhou