Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenda Vu.
Hi Brenda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was the kid in class trying hard to make each project as fun to look at as possible, and my classmates and teachers praised me- not because I was a art prodigy (it really did look like what you imagine a child’s drawing to look like) but because they could tell I was putting a lot of heart into my drawings, and doing my best to amuse myself. Nevertheless, the amusement I made for myself and subsequent validation kept me drawing for life. I would sit in front of the TV and draw whatever I found pretty and that was typically magical girl anime like Sailor Moon and Tokyo Mew Mew, but also western cartoons like W.I.T.C.H. and Totally Spies. I made friends with the other quiet kids that had the same interests as me, and I tried to make friends with the not-so-quiet kids by gifting them drawings of their favorite things, or of their own likeness in my silly anime/cartoonish style. People knew me as “the artist” from grades 6-12 but I felt uninspired as I grew older.
It wasn’t until college that I learned what art could look like in a more conceptual and sometimes grotesque sense. It wasn’t about making the “prettiest” thing I could imagine anymore, it was about feeling. The act of making physical marks on paper and canvas was just as big a part of the work as the final product. I had a huge breakthrough in recognizing that the beauty of life is that there’s a lot of diversity to be had, and different views to experience. I made a lot of pieces I was proud of during those four years at UCI.
I don’t need to recount the collective trauma that the lockdown in 2020 caused for many of us, so I’ll just describe the way it served as a catalyst for me making a living off art. Confined to my space, I spent hours and hours seeking connection in online communities, including that of a Twitch streamer called Aceu. He hosted an art competition, to make him a new banner for social media, and my entry, though only earning me fourth place, got so many budding streamers/content creators eyes on my work, that I was able to fully support myself making art for other creators. Today, my clients range from art market hosts to Youtubers- getting to be in communities that are passionate about the things I enjoy (fashion and gaming) and also helping small businesses level up visually is such a dream come true!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I am very privileged to have not worried about money when I was studying at UCI since I applied for so many grants in high school, so I’ve had the chance to broaden my skillset by trying every medium and experiment with supplies, but the beauty of visual art is that it IS accessible (contrary to what tech bros might tell you to defend their AI slop). I’ve taken every gig as a learning opportunity, so even though I get to choose clients who excite me more nowadays, I don’t take the gigs that weren’t as fulfilling to me for granted.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a freelance illustrator mostly doing logos and posters for small businesses as well as social media work for content creators. I believe my clients choose me for my ability to handle adaptability style wise as well as consistency for brands that require it; I have such a wide range of influences that I can channel different styles but people who follow my work are able to recognize it in the wild. This includes when my art has been stolen by someone else (tattoo artist, merch designer, etc.) as I can count on my community to let me know when something like that happens. I can’t lie it’s kind of flattering though. And more ballsy than feeding it through an AI machine first.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beevuu/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://x.com/beevuu
