Today we’d like to introduce you to Edison Mills.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in Hong Kong in 1993. I have been drawing since a young age, but I never really took it seriously. I just drew the things that made me and my friends happy. My mother passed away when I was around nine years old, and my father, brother and I moved to southern California shortly after.
Unfortunately, my father didn’t care much for my art. He wasn’t really an artsy type of person. He would try to get me to stop drawing, and throw away my sketchbooks and drawings, but it didn’t really discourage me. I would try different kinds of art when I was young: painting, sketching, sculpture, costumes and soft toys. Really, just anything I could get my hands on. Art was my form of escapism, and still is to this day.
In 2011 I left my father’s house at 18 years old and cut him out of my life. I joined the military, but I felt like I really couldn’t fit into the culture as a young queer Asian-American, and I was discharged in 2014. After driving across the country from Georgia to return to California, I started to take my craft more seriously, and I made efforts to improve, but I still didn’t really have a direction for my life or art.
I was accepted to the animation program at Laguna College of Art and Design in 2015, and during my time at school, my work became more focused as I honed my technical skills and developed the themes I wanted to express. I started selling my work at local conventions and online in 2016, and I’m about to graduate from art school and make art on my own! I’m very excited.
I honestly don’t know where my future will lead, but I’m having a lot of fun dreaming about the possibilities.
Please tell us about your art.
I do a few things! Mostly I consider myself a character designer, but I also design apparel and animate.
My inspiration comes from my childhood, toys, and dolls I’ve played with and friends I’ve made, and from storybook fairy tales and old illustrations. My favorite colors always come from the sky.
Most people think that since my work is very colorful and cartoony, I must be drawing exclusively for children, but that’s not the case. I’m drawing for the inner child in people who want to reconnect with that side of themselves.
What do you think about 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?
Things are difficult for young people, and especially young artists nowadays. I think there is no shame in having a side job while you work on creative endeavors, and it’s become a necessity for a lot of my classmates.
Even if I don’t have much to spend on art supplies, it’s great that art is still accessible enough that one needs only a pencil and paper to capture a fleeting idea or rehearse technical skills.
I’ve been seeing more local artist popups and boutiques lately, and it gives me a lot of hope for a society that helps support their artists! I hope there’s one in every mall one day.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have an Instagram (@thewrabbithole) and a twitter (@graywrabbit), and last year I set up my own website at http://wrabb.it!
I’m also attending WonderCon in Anaheim and Anime Expo in Los Angeles during the summer.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://wrabb.it
- Email: edisonmills@wrabb.it
- Instagram: thewrabbithole
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/wrabbitart
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/graywrabbit
Image Credit:
Marcus Kong
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