Emily Chau
Artist Statement
Emily Chau is a first generation Vietnamese Chinese-American graphic designer, illustrator, and foodie. She recently obtained her degree in Communication Design at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design in 2022 and is studying for her Google certification in Digital Marketing & Ecommerce. Currently Emily is working as a Communication Designer and Social Media Coordinator at the Impact Collective. A start up nonprofit with a mission towards reducing the racial wealth gap in Boston by organizing, educating, and activating people with wealth to leverage their influence and affluence within a diverse and connected community. Being a part of the team has taught her about the commitment, challenges, and the importance of passion towards building and developing an organization.
She also manages an Instagram food blog under @chauwithmee, where she explores and collaborates with restaurants in the (Greater) Boston Area, introducing the community to various eateries, sharing their stories, her experiences, and, more importantly, making people hungry. Coming from immigrant parents, food has always been a source of comfort and connection to her culture, which she wishes to preserve. Emily has built a portfolio of photography, videography content of food that has improved, and clientele that has grown over time. During the pandemic, she has had the opportunity to work remotely with clients out of state and overseas, including Hawaii, Hong Kong, and hopefully more in the future. Emily’s work is eye-catching, detailed, and captures her passion for food, art, and graphic design. She believes that as important as it is to help others build their dreams, it’s also important to remember that her own dreams exist and should be prioritized.
What kind of art do you create?
As a freelance graphic designer, I enjoy creating work that is eye-catching, detailed, and taking on projects that capture my passion for food, art, and design. When I studied as a communication design major, I learned how to design for the user experience. What am I trying to achieve here? Who is the intended audience? What message do I want to share? How do I capture people's attention? Am I designing for accessibility? Are the colors, typeface, illustrations, photos, choice in medium whether digital or print helping me to achieve my goal? When designing, there are so many details you need to consider. Every detail is intentional.
What differentiates art and design, is that art doesn't have to be complex, nor does there need to be a bigger picture or purpose behind it. I make art because it brings me joy. A majority of my illustration work is digital, and I like to believe the reason I'm drawn to bright, vibrant, and warm colors is because I’m a May baby and my favorite season is the Spring, associated with life and reawakening. I also believe that my work should represent the energy I want to bring into the world—joy.
Whenever I'm in Boston for work or on weekends, I explore restaurants and create content for my Instagram food blog @chauwithmee. My username is a play on words with my last name 'Chau', as it has the same pronunciation as the word 'chow' in 'chowing down'. It’s also a huge part of my identity and connects me with my family. The goal of my content is to bring people together, support local businesses, tell their stories, and connect with the foodie community. As an American-born Vietnamese, I want to showcase the rich palette of my homeland's cuisine. There are so many dishes that aren’t as mainstream as phở, which is why I take the opportunity to dive deeper and introduce people in the community to dishes they might not be aware of, my favorites being bò 7 món, bánh bèo, and bánh mì.
I'm constantly experimenting in the process from pre to post-production. This includes lighting, angles, context, action shots, and media (phone camera vs. digital camera vs. DSLR) when it comes to capturing content. For photo and video editing, I rely on accessible apps such as CapCut, Adobe products like Photoshop, and even Instagram's built-in editing features. Creating engaging content requires flexibility, developing sensibility (intention), and drawing inspiration. Being a graphic designer and food blogger has given me the opportunity to connect with so many amazing businesses and people, as well as others in my field, and hopefully, to explore bigger opportunities that will make an impact.
How did you get started in your artistic journey?
Being able to pursue a career in the creative industry is a privilege, coming from a family of immigrants, and how financial stability is always emphasized.When I was younger, my parents and relatives didn't understand how many opportunities there are in the creative industry especially with the addition of technology, the age of the internet, and social media. When I shared with my parents during middle school that I wanted to pursue art as a career, which was vague, they were worried I was going to be a starving artist. The “starving” artist myth, which is a stereotype that suggests artists, particularly those in creative fields like painting, writing, music, or theater, struggle financially and lead deprived lives. Implying that pursuing a career in the creative industry is inherently risky and unlikely to lead to financial instability or success. It overlooks the many successful and financially secure artists and reinforces the idea that art is not a viable or respectable career path. A majority of famous artists, especially painters in the Renaissance era, receive recognition only when they die, but with social media today, it’s easy to share your work and to create a platform for your voice.
During sophomore year of highschool, I began to take art seriously. Whenever there was an opportunity, whether my teachers were absent or not, I would visit the studio to work on my projects, often spending hours there after school. I developed discipline and patience, training my eyes to notice the shape of an object, the colors, and the lighting - observational skills that I now apply when photographing food content or illustrating. I want to acknowledge my art teachers, Mary Ann Seager and Joe Luongo, for their unwavering dedication has transformed the art department at Malden High into a nurturing haven where creativity flourishes. Their support and guidance have not only honed my artistic abilities but have also instilled in me the confidence to explore and push the boundaries of my craft. I am grateful for their mentorship and the profound effect it has had on shaping my career path, one of the most pivotal decisions in my life.
As senior year approached, I knew I couldn’t see myself doing anything but creating, so I applied to the Massachusetts College of Art & Design.
At the time I still wasn't sure what career path in the creative industry I wanted to pursue, but communication design and my professors (Fish McGill, Lisa Rosowsky, Sofie Hodara, Katherine Hughes, Elyse Bogacz, and Joe Quackenbush) opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. Learning the value of human-centered design to articulate ideas confidently, these skills have given me the tools to make an impact for my clients. Over time, as I gained experience from internships, jobs, and freelance projects, it became evident to my family the value of my skills and the vast opportunities within the industry. One of the major benefits of being in the creative industry is that you know you are there because you are passionate about it. I'm really grateful that I followed my passion, even though I wasn't completely sure in the beginning where it would lead me after college. The past few years have been incredibly fulfilling, being able to forge my own path.
Describe how your art reflects your Asian identity.
My identity as an Asian American undoubtedly influences my perspective, experiences, and the way I express myself. A majority of the projects, themes, and aesthetics I’m drawn to reflect my desire to reconnect with and explore my heritage. Food—a theme that reflects throughout my portfolio—has always been a source of comfort and brought me closer to my family, and my culture. Growing up in America, I’m grateful for my mother's dedication to preserving our Vietnamese and Chinese heritage through her homemade meals. There's nothing more comforting than food; it brings family together and serves as a great conversation starter. I'm also fortunate to live in a state filled with immigrant communities, like Chinatown, Dorchester—known for their vibrant Vietnamese food scene, Allston—for its Korean cuisine, and Porter Square for Japanese fare. My blog is an exploration of different cultures and a documentation of me connecting my roots as a foreigner to my motherland. With the goal of showcasing the diversity of my city and sharing my personal experiences.
How did you develop your creative identity?
My understanding behind creating your own style or voice is that it requires experimentation, self-reflection, and introspection. Our first experience with creative expression being our voice. What do I want to bring to this world and how do I want people to feel when they see my work? For me comfort and joy are two feelings that I want to shine through in my work as I’m creating it. My work is bright, warm, vibrant, because I draw inspiration from parts of my personal identity, one being the month I was born in, May. My favorite season is Spring and I love flowers, metaphors, colors that represent life and are reflected in my illustration work. My Asian identity is also tied to my creative identity. In regards to the process of developing a creative identity, I believe it requires dedication to one's interests and themes in one’s work. For me, it’s graphic design and food. The platforms and mediums I use make a huge difference in how my work is received. My website displays my graphic design and illustration work. My food blog, @chauwithmee on Instagram, allows me to connect with a community who loves food as much as I do, opening doors to opportunities such as collaborations and brand partnerships with businesses.
What is one piece of creative advice you’d like to share?
No matter what stage you are in life, creativity is not exclusive to the talented. When I was in high school, a lot of people who weren't in the field saw my work and believed that I was able to create art because of ‘talent’, which isn’t true. Talent alone is not enough. It doesn’t represent the long hours, days, months, years, decades, to the lifetime of work, nor the lessons that were taught along the way, the challenges, and frustrations one goes through in the process. The quality of work I’m able to produce is a result of my commitment towards developing my skills. Be committed to your craft. Being in the industry, there is so much joy and fulfillment to experience from seeing your progress over time, as well as the satisfaction of overcoming challenges.
Emily Chau
Contact
Photo: Emily Chau.png
Portfolio: chaustudio.space
Food Instagram Account: instagram.com/chauwithmee
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chaustudio