It’s been a long while since I’ve blogged but there are reasons! The studio was moving back in April so there was a good period of packing up, moving, unpacking etc… Then in June, my husband and I found out that we were expecting our first baby but the pregnancy hormones had me on a few months of bedrest. I also got into the habit of using the Studio’s Facebook page as the main place for updating stuff too but I promise I’ll get back into blogging mode asap! Since my last character series blog, a lot of projects have come and gone. Instead of backblogging (which I will do when I get a chance on the Studio’s Facebook page), I thought I’d start getting back into the blogging community with a different topic… something on how I made the career move from attorney to artist/designer.

mint purple studio's recent maternity shoot project

This topic came to mind because I have a younger cousin who was applying for college and currently awaiting for decision letters. She tackled a lot of the same questions and issues that folds at some point in one’s career would repeatedly confront. For my cousin, the question was “what should I study in college and where should I apply (private, public…)?” For others, the question would be “what kind of career do I want and where should I work (corporate, government, not for profit, at home…)?” The latter question is definitely one I’ve asked myself time and time again throughout my entire career.

mint purple studio's photos published in Sanrio's June 2011 issue of Strawberry News

Giving up the safety net. Raised as an overachiever and being OCD as well as a perfectionist, I’ve done a lot in my career that others would consider as being “too much.” You can read in detail about my career story on the About page but briefly here, after I graduated from Barnard, I worked as a management consultant for a Big 5 consulting firm, got my MA from Harvard, became Chief of Staff for an established real estate development business, got my JD from Duke and then lawyered at one of the world’s top 25 law firms getting paid a nice 6 figure salary. That is, until I realized the sacrifice I would have to make on my health and principles. Needless to say, I burned myself out and ended up in the ER with a hyperactive thyroid! I then made the decision that nothing, not all the money in the world, was worth my health and time away from family. I left behind Big Law, the cushy 6 figure salary and vowed to never return. Coming to this decision was tough because it worried my traditional Asian parents and it came at a time when the economy was at an all time low. But I had the support of my husband who was gracious in accepting my decision and taking up my share of financial responsibility for the household.

Rediscovering myself. I had a period of down time. There were times when I questioned my decision and wondered whether I really wanted to be a stay/work at home wife, whether all the money that was spent on my education was being wasted, whether I was being impractical etc… The doubts were there along with many unanswered questions. So I took a few months to do some self-exploration, asking myself what I was passionate about, what I loved and perhaps never had the chance to indulge in or nurture because I was too busy “getting that next degree/moving up.” I reflected on my past, rediscovered my fine arts background and I ran with my gut by applying to the Graphic Intensive summer program at NYU. Originally, I had enrolled and was accepted with scholarship into the Graphics Management and Tech MA degree program but honestly I did not need another degree. I just needed current skills and an opportunity to learn and expand on them. Although not working per se, I still wanted to contribute to society in some way and so volunteered my time at Learning Ally to help the blind & dyslexic. I’ve always had a passion for helping the blind because one of my best friends is legally blind. Volunteering also kept me integrated with society. Through this somewhat long, arduous process, I discovered my problem — I was branding myself with a job description, with degrees, with labels that were more shackles of an older generation. The solution to my problem was to just start creating my art/designs. When people ask me what I do, I just say I’m an artist/designer in its most generous of definitions or however you’d like to call it. Shortly after, I started the foundations of Mint Purple Studio for all my wacky, creative endeavors.

an old charcoal drawing of mine which I dug out

Inspirations and Learning. No one walks alone.  Because design draws its inspiration from different things, I’ve learned that it’s always pertinent to give credit where it’s due — if you’ve used someone else’s design element/idea, credit them!  At certain points in my career, I’ve been inspired by folks for different reasons – whether it be in the area of artistic support or as a creative springboard.  At a critical point in making my decision to leave law, I got the “push” after encountering these folks.

• Scott Robert Lim – I first encountered Scott online via his awesome photography on Xanga (does anyone still use Xanga?). His images were happy, creative and always accurately conveyed what I felt was a great photographer’s vision/story. After exploring more of Scott’s website and reading Scott’s story of how he entered wedding photography, I decided to start an email conversation asking Scott more about his career switch. Not only did I receive a timely reply, it was encouraging, supportive and a transparently down to earth one at that. Scott is known in the wedding photography industry to be a wonderful mentor and nowhere does this ring more true than in my experience. Scott is a blessing to know because he is a perfect role model of someone who has made it yet still remains humble and real, willing to help others looking to follow the same path.

• Junshien Lau – Junshien is an awesome friend whom I initially also met on Xanga (blog whore I was…).  I’ve followed his career change and subsequent growth into becoming an amazing wedding photographer.  In fact, once you take a look at his photography, you can not help but absorb a bit of Junshien’s passion for life, discipline and strong work ethic.  As a personal friend, Junshien is humble, tells it like it is and committed — all the great qualities that has made his photography business so successful.  When Junshien says that he tries his best to inspire his friends into finding their passion, he is not joking.  Folks like him who are selfless in their work are truly a blessing and rare nowadays.

• Marie Wong – Marie is a personal friend whom I’ve met many years ago and through working together on a set of wedding invitations have grown close to.  Marie was the first person to introduce me to working with Adobe Illustrator back in 2007 and teach me new, basic skill sets in paper and print production in 2008.  Her work is cute and happy, specializing in (you guessed it!) wedding invitations and wedding banquet decoration.  Marie’s happiness inspired me who at the time was stuck in an extremely boring, high strung and uninspiring legal industry. From our time together, I created and produced, with borrowed flower design elements, my first set of comprehensive wedding stationary items which included…

customized design and layout of DVD wedding program booklet/program

overview of all the wedding DVD program parts including case, program insert, DVD and booklet

wedding reception menu and favor tags

ceremony petal cones

ceremony reserved seating signage

It was because of this project that I was able to indulge again in my creative side after years of neglect.  And for that opportunity, I have to thank my dear friend Marie for her encouragement.

Looking Ahead.  I hope this blog entry gives you a brief glimpse into my life changing career experience and will help others who may be in the same position.  It’s a bit of a bummer not making the 6 figure lawyer salary but the immense joy, freedom and satisfaction of doing something I love could never be replaced by any amount of money.  I am incredibly happy with what I do now and look forward to taking on challenging design projects — something I wouldn’t have been able to say as a lawyer.  It’s a blessing that I am thankful for every day.  A look towards 2012 projects will include completing the USPTO application (crosses fingers), newborn photography as well as newborn related stationary (announcements, invitations etc).  If I get the chance, I will try my best to throw in a deco design as requested by all you awesome Youtube fans.

Bottom line – it’s not always about the final product/take home salary that counts, but the journey and what you’ve learned in the process about yourself and others that is most useful in stimulating and keeping your passion burning.  Moving ahead, the need to keep honing your craft, improving your skill set and learning about yourself and your industry is inevitable.  This all though will be much easier when you immerse yourself in something you have a true passion for.  Everyone has a unique, natural gift, whether it be artistic, analytic, physical etc — what is yours?  =)