Illustrator and entrepreneur Christina Chung ’11 Christina’s website describes her thus: “Christina Chung is an illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. Through a line and pattern-based style, she creates illustrations that are sensitive, delicate and infused with symbolism. She spent her childhood blackberry-picking and pirouetting in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, her summers in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and her angst-filled adolescent years in the hot and sweaty melting-pot known as Singapore. Photo credit: Micah Pegues
By Brenda Whately I spoke with Christina through email to find out a little more about her, her ‘pirouetting’ and her work. After coming to Singapore from Seattle Washington with her family, Christina attended UWCSEA for seven years, graduating in 2011. Among the numerous other subjects, service and activities she was involved in, Christina studied Art throughout her years at UWCSEA. When asked if the College has had an influence on her eventual
She likes cats, coffee, Earl Grey tea, making to-do lists, devouring books and the smell of lavender.” choice of career, she says, “Needless to say Art was my favourite subject and IB Art absolutely set me on the path that I’m walking today. It was in IB Art that I first came across illustration both as a concept and as a viable career option. My favourite art teacher from Grade 7 to 11, John Widder was fundamental in my eventual decision to continue my artistic studies through university. I also think the unique and varied education I received at UWCSEA helped me to continue to think out of the box beyond my years spent there.”
After graduation, Christina returned to the US, this time to Brooklyn New York where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Communications Design with a concentration in Illustration, from the Pratt Institute. She has remained in New York City since, working as a freelance illustrator. Starting out in editorial illustration, creating work for newspapers and magazines, both in print and online, Christina has since branched out into creating work for gallery shows as well as illustrating book covers and designing silk scarves featuring some of
Cover photo: Christina Chung’s illustration, ‘The Celestial River’, created for a gallery exhibition entitled ‘Parallel’. Christina’s interpretation of the theme of parallel worlds was to create this piece examining the question, ‘What if what we know as our reality was turned upside down and in a parallel universe we turn our heads upward to see fish swim through a river in the sky?’
7 OneºNorth December 2017
‘Adam and Eve’ an illustration Christina created for TED, about the relationship between Adam and Eve, examining their love for each other beyond the traditional story.
