Today we’d like to introduce you to Wednesday Tran.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in San Diego to a pair of immigrants and was raised in a predominantly Viet community in City Heights. Brought up by a family of introverts, I naturally discovered that I was quite shy myself. Because of this, I rarely talked and was rarely talked to in school, stunting my English language skills until I was around 8 or 9. Thankfully, I eventually found a way to communicate and connect with my classmates. It was through drawing.
I would often draw Arthur and D.W. from TV, and my classmates always freaked out about it. They would gather around to watch me paint hot air balloons, anime characters, and comics of our homeroom class antics. This really gave me the validation and social connection my 6-year-old self really needed. I continued to draw through elementary and middle school for my friends. I fell in love with storytelling through drawing and was determined to pursue a dream in manga illustration.
However, as I entered high school, academics and a newfound social life (remember how shy I was?) became my main priorities. I neglected my creative side until my last year of college (bad idea) and ended up pursuing a field that didn’t completely love. I suffered from an identity crisis every other day until I met my partner, Koy, who helped me find the confidence I needed to create again.
Realizing that illustrating is the one career path that makes me happy, I’m back here making more work than I had ten years ago. I’ve made a huge jump into the creative world in this past year by practicing more, entering art contests, tabling, and selling prints. All I ever want to do these days is draw and improve so that I can build a strong illustration portfolio. I can’t predict where the wind will blow me tomorrow, but I am happy to finally be doing what I love.
Please tell us about your art.
My work consists mostly of digital illustrations and dinky animations. I used to paint a lot on clothes and thrifted items — I hope to focus on more of that type of work this year! My current tools of trade are watercolor, acrylic, and the Procreate app on my iPad Pro. I usually complete my work on Photoshop, Illustrator, or After Effects depending on what type of project I’m working on.
If you scroll through my Instagram, you would immediately see that my biggest inspirations are cute things and powerful women. I am still figuring out a way to mesh these two concepts together while respectfully preserving my intended message. My work serves as a catalyst for conversations about topics like feminism, mental health, and gentrification. I want my work to convey a sense of hope, especially in a period of time where so many people feel so disconnected and despondent from our political climate. However, at the same time, I share funny drawings of my dog to make people laugh. Spreading positivity is my main mission.
What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I wouldn’t say that artists have it easier or harder in these current conditions. It’s difficult to boil down this answer to black or white as every new innovation brings with it its opportunities and downfalls. For example, we have social media like Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube to share our work and communicate with our audience. There are art challenges like #drawinyourstyle that allow smaller creators to collaborate with more well-known artists. This challenge has given many artists a boost in their following and engagement on social media, potentially giving them more business traffic. However, because this platform runs on an engagement based algorithm, I feel like artists feel an immense pressure to have a certain number of followers. I’ve heard a few people, myself included, express that they feel anxiety when using social media to promote their art. They feel inadequate compared to bigger artist accounts simply because they are not validated with likes and comments. Numbers do not directly correlate to talent nor credibility. Let me repeat: Numbers do not directly correlate to talent nor credibility! When the social experience is centered around engagement analytics, I believe we have neglected our human need for genuine connection. I especially have to remind myself that Instagram serves as a medium to share work, network, and garner inspiration. Once, it deviates from that purpose, I know need a break from my phone.
Cities can absolutely encourage this human connection by providing more face-to-face artist networking events. Getting off our butts and mingling in the real world will help artists feel more connected and welcomed in the creative industry. I can only speak for San Diego since I’ve only lived here my whole life, but I think SD is doing a great job connecting smaller and more well-known artists. Organizations like the Thumbprint Gallery, Sketch Party, Picture Party, and Black Xpression provide wonderful spaces for artists to network in a casual capacity. I’ve met some really great friends who continue to inspire me to create work through this programming.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Geez, I am always running around. I have been doing tons of tabling events this year. I recently tabled at the House of Blues, UCSD AS Graphic Studio’s 10 Year anniversary celebration, and SDSU’s More Than Music Benefit Festival. I love connecting with artists and art lovers at these events; the inclusiveness in the creative community warms my heart.
If you can’t make it out to an event, you can support my work by purchasing my prints on my website (www.wednesdaytran.com). I also have GoFundMe fundraisers throughout the year to support nonprofit organizations. I usually give art to people who donate to my campaigns! You can keep updated on my fundraisers and whereabouts on Instagram (@whaletran). I love meeting new people and relentlessly hyping them up. Let’s chat!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wednesdaytran.com
- Instagram: @whaletran
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009383438578
Image Credit:
Headshot by Koy Suntochotinun
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