How long have you lived in New York?
I grew up in the States and always moved around. For most of my life, I lived near New York City, but I went to high school in Hong Kong. At the end of 8th grade, my dad switched jobs, and my parents gave me the choice to decide whether or not I wanted to move to Hong Kong. Deciding to move was one of the best decisions of my life because I learned so much. It was culturally really cool. However, I did want to come back to New York, so I went to Columbia for college. My parents really wanted me to study economics or finance, but I ended up studying art history and visual arts and loved it. Studying art in New York was incredible because I could literally go to the Met and see the art I learned about in class. And now, after graduating, I’m working in sales at Yelp.
What are your Favorite Artists?
I really love Van Gogh. I think he is such an interesting person and his uniqueness comes through in his art. I also generally like artists from his time period. Overall, I love looking at art. I love all kinds of mediums because you learn so much about people through art, and everyone has their own way of making art.
What is your favorite art you made?
I really enjoy printmaking and photography. I just signed up to join a print studio in the city because some of my favorite works have been my prints. Photography is fun because it is convenient and gives me the opportunity to explore.
What does it mean to you to be powerful?
Being able to be someone who people look up to is powerful. I think a person’s radiance is the most powerful influence. With that comes confidence, which is something that I gained a lot when I moved to high school in Hong Kong. It was like a fresh start for me, and it was a time to revamp myself and be who I wanted to be. For the first time, I wore what I wanted to wear, did not think about what others would think, and it increased my confidence. When people would come and talk to me about it, it made me realize the importance of being myself because people like who I am.
Do you have a favorite clothing item?
I don’t have one favorite item; I have been trying to add more colors to my wardrobe, but I love a lot of black and white. I don’t wear much makeup, but I love red lipstick. I always buy the Nars lipstick because it lasts forever.
Do you have a favorite place to hang out in New York?
Soho! I spend too much time there, but I love the architecture, and there is always great food. There is so much to do: food, shopping, art, architecture, all in a small radius. I also really like Eataly. I’m always there, whether it be for random wine tastings or groceries or pizza and pasta.