61. hello*today's dreamscapes
A conversation about mitigating art block & burnout, "being the weird version of yourself", and cultivating personal success.
Let me introduce you to Grace aka hello*today, one of my good friends from Toronto. I’ve been messaging and penpalling with her twin Joyce for over 15 years: we were all born in the same year, and together we went through high school, university, and early adulthood. Grace moved to Vancouver a year and a half ago, and I’ve been delighted to get to know her better.
While we both paint primarily in watercolours, Grace has been in the “con game” much longer than me – anime cons, that is, not to mention stationery shows and zine fairs too! Grace is a veteran with over a decade of selling artwork as “eppao,” “eecks,” and now as “hello*today.” She has brought her work to Toronto, Vancouver, LA, Hawaii, Montreal and Germany. And would you believe Grace is an engineer by trade? I was so intrigued by Grace’s left brain/right brain talents and her perspective on art that I had to have her on Spirit.
Here is our interview, lightly edited for concision and clarity. We touch on art as unexpected motivation for school and work; advice for avoiding burnout and art block; and tips for newer artists looking to break through.
Rachel: Hi Grace! How are you doing today?
Grace: Doing good and keeping busy! I hope you’ve been doing well yourself.
R: Thanks, I can’t complain! :)
Let’s start with your early background in art. I know Joyce has mentioned she took art classes when she was young. As her twin, did you do the same?
G: Yep, we both took classes since we were 4 years old. The classes were very exploratory; we started mimicking popular cartoon characters and recreating them using poster paint and oil pastels, eventually moving into oil paints on canvas, and Chinese calligraphy and art with ink and rice paper.
R: Those mediums sound super cool, and so great that your family supported you in exploring all kinds of expression.
You’ve mentioned before that art “got you through university.” Can you elaborate on what you mean by that?
G: Prior to doing engineering, I was in school for sciences (biology and psychology) and didn’t build up a habit of drawing then. I lived closer to campus and traveled every weekend to help my family with their business. It got pretty taxing to continue to bring my box of art supplies back and forth, so one day I decided to start using some limited materials in class; it gave me a good distraction from not doing so well during the first year.
My grades went up from “checking in” on doing my daily drawings since it held me accountable to show up for myself despite the things that weren’t in my control. And while I started in the convention space doing fanwork, I eventually did fall back on sketchbook drawings as a way to improve my creative process and abilities, and to explore ideas that I otherwise wouldn’t have. I think I had around 4-5 finished sketchbooks by the time I finished my first degree.
Going back to your initial question, when I went back to school for engineering, I utilized the skills I developed and the backlog to go through the second degree - drawing was the way I got myself emotionally, socially, and eventually financially through 9 years of post secondary, and a way to stay awake in lecture, 3 hours at a time. Crazy to think it’s been that long.
R: I agree it’s important to show up for yourself and regain a sense of creative control through a life experience that’s as prescribed as school. I think it’s especially interesting that you’re in the STEM field. Some might think STEM represents the opposite of fine arts – or maybe I just think so, because I spend my days at work thinking about university programs, and the fields have such different expectations for student applicants. One seems to be concerned with rigid numbers and measurements, and the other is completely free with no “right” answer.
Do you think your work as an engineer influences your art style, or vice versa?
G: Possibly. I’ve been doing art longer than I’ve been working in the engineering profession (I can’t call myself one without my license), so I feel like the latter is more accurate. Both are essentially a way of problem solving and communicating those results; art mostly optically and emotionally, delivered in a visual medium, while engineering is design in a practical space based on limitations and constraints in the real world, delivered in reports and drawing sets. I think both use similar and different parts of my brain, neither really mutually exclusive.
R: I’m glad to hear your perspective, which helps me understand that engineering and visual art are not as mutually exclusive as I assumed.
Among all of your pieces, are there any subjects to which you find yourself consistently returning? If so, why do you think that is?
G: I like to draw my characters in space generally. I think it’s because it’s comforting to imagine an alternative place to exist in, and to express something freely in an open space despite the constraints and expectations in the real world. Sometimes it’s a visual challenge to see how to fill up the page, and sometimes just an emotional expression.
I think rain and snowy environments are really fun. It’s like the world is also expressing something alongside the character; something different from the expected sunshine environments that we have come to expect for a “good” day. Snowflakes are also scientifically fascinating.. Hexagonal in shape yet for the ideal 120 degree angles, with so many mutations from particulates in the air for a unique one-of-a-lifetime snowflake.
R: You’re right, snowflakes are an awesome feat of nature! I’m also delighted to hear your inspiration of creating an alternative place to exist freely, which sounds so lovely and which you depict so beautifully.
What is your favourite medium, and why?
G: I really like drawing with pen and ink. Pen because of the textures you can achieve, and how easy it is to control; ink because there are a lot of happy accidents with the medium. The properties of the ink can determine its usage; how big the particulates are and what solvent the pigments are submerged in. It makes it easy to hide mistakes if you know what I mean haha.
R: Yes, you are so good at making the best of your materials - I would never think any of your pieces were hiding a mistake!
While working full-time and having art as your side hustle, do you ever encounter burnout or art block? What have you done/do you do to overcome that?
G: Definitely. I think burnout and art block are two separate things though.
Burnout, in my head, is constantly working/solving something, with achievements that don't match the perceived goal. So be it working two jobs without having any change in your financial situation or pursuing emotional fulfillment, with no reward at the end of the year. It comes from persistence without result. I feel like art blocks are moreso directly related to the relationship between creation and consumption, both respectively giving and taking from the world. I think while artists see art blocks as a bad thing, I personally see it as a natural way of knowing that maybe rather than trying to lean on the side of creation, it’s time to go the other way and consume a bit more and to get inspired by your peers, or other creators online.
For the prior, I feel like since art has become integrated into the lifestyle I like to live (a means to be experimental in my personal life) so while I haven’t been directly burned out from drawing, I do get burned out by the things surrounding building a “career” on the side - designing merchandise, administrative activities, social media, con signups, etc. It’s the side that makes you show up in the real world haha.
The latter, I find I have an arsenal of themes and ideas that I tend to gravitate back to when I’m out of ideas. And at the same time as I tend to draw/hibernate in a creation mindset, I do let in some external inputs like podcasts, music videos - ones that won’t require nor fight for the same visual active attention space.
R: I appreciate your healthy attitude towards both kinds of roadblocks.
Now, how do you view the role of art in your life? Is this any different compared to the time when you first started selling at conventions?
G: I responded to this briefly with the previous question. In terms of conventions, I started selling in 2012 and took a brief break between 2020 to the top half of 2023. I wanted to actually retire from conventions and events by 30, and pursue other creative projects more, but.. This economy maaann.
R: Right, I agree :’) well, we’re still lucky to see your work at events!
What is your advice to newer artists who want to build confidence and perhaps sell their art?
G: I think to focus on selling your art from the get-go is kinda rough. That’s like doing the same amount of work as a cafe owner to make a successful cafe the start - unless you rely on things that are pre-determined and understood by the general public (assumed price point for a coffee, expected menu in a cafe, seating and wifi, location), you won’t really be that successful. I feel like this is the “cast wide” approach for business - appeal to the most number of people for the moderate returns by producing consistently moderate-to-decent quality products.
Personally, I don’t think people pursue a creative career to follow the general stereotypes that are already understood by others. If this isn’t the path you want, then do yourself a service and let yourself be the weird version of yourself, and then spend the time to educate others as to why you are worth investing it. Not everything needs to be a win or something to be printed, but the process is something to be enjoyed; and over time, the quality of your work will go up. Prices and all these other smaller details will come after you establish yourself as someone worth following, someone who enjoys their craft. If people resonate with your story (and not everyone will), they will invest in you.
R: That’s really good advice. What’s next for hello*today? Where can people find your work?
G: I’m currently in the midst of putting together a website to fully showcase all the work I’ve done experimentally through the years. It’s a lot of projects and experimental mediums which I sometimes forget about how much fun it was. I’m also doing a couple events in the spring, and 1-2 collaborations this season.
Thanks for putting this together Rachel!
R: Thanks again for sharing, Grace!
Have you ever drawn for fun, to stay awake, or with sales in mind? Do you feel the medium, or the purpose, alters your creative expression? Grace and I welcome your thoughts!
If you enjoyed the conversational format of this post, check out this one with my friend Savindi, about a concert we both attended in different cities. Subscribe for more interviews and posts about art, coming soon!