HI! I'M MELODY!
Hello, my name is Melody Chan and I am currently a third year Pre-Graphic Design student at Sacramento State. I had my first two years of college at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), double majoring in Arts & Communication Studies. "Design for Life" a very inspiring quote and belief that I hold onto. I found it very interesting and "emotional" especially when I am designing for each logo for different start-up companies, how these logo represents and tell the story of the company and its vision and mission. I take every aspect of my life into design, spontaneously creating random pieces of graphics just to express the feeling I had at that moment. It might not turn out to be the kind of artwork that gives people an "aha" moment, but I cherish and am proud of each and every piece of artwork that I created, sketched and erased, sketched and erased, until, it depicts my feelings and emotions at that moment. This portfolio might not be like any other portfolio out there, but rather shaped like a personal blog - recording the growth of a young, inexperienced, spontaneous graphic designer.
Early Years - Connecting Myself with Art
I was born in America, but raised and grew up in Hong Kong. Hence, I am fluent in both Cantonese and English, but I mostly speak Cantonese at home. Growing up, I imagined myself being all sorts of different occupations: an astronaut when I was in first grade, a scientist when I was in second grade, a teacher when I was in sixth grade. Well, I believe a lot of others have the same imaginations as I do when I was young. But when I went to middle school in Hong Kong, I excelled in a subject called "Economics and Public Affairs" which taught the laws of Hong Kong. And because my dad was a high-ranked Government official back then, he taught me a lot of further information about the laws of Hong Kong and I was so determined to become either a lawyer or a Government official like my father. Well, of course, as of today, being a lawyer is no longer my dream career. But, I do still pay attention to Hong Kong's public affairs and the more I watch the news in Hong Kong, the more helpless and absurd I felt. Everything in happening in Hong Kong now is like the exact opposite of what I was taught during my early years. Even though I might not be able to make big changes like lawyers or politicians in Hong Kong, but I would like to raise awareness through arts that I create, and become an activists on social issues even with my current career. Yes, going against an extreme regime like China would probably ruin my career for the rest of my life, especially when it has such a strong economy and market. But I would never regret voicing out for justice, as this is about human rights and conscience.
Life in the United States - Overcoming Obstacles
After middle school, my family and I decided to move to the United States for a better education and in preparation of college here. During my freshman and sophomore year in high school, I remember how I always thought that wow things are so much easier and laid back here in the United States compared to materials learned in Hong Kong (I remember staying up late in Hong Kong, literally reciting every word in the book and how limited time was during the test -- my hand would hurt so bad because of all those paragraph writing). Anyways, the teachers immediately recognised my academic excellence and recruited me to join the Biotech Academy. I was in the Academy for three years and was recognised as an outstanding student twice, became an officer in my senior year, and won the UC Davis Teen Biotech Challenge during my sophomore year. I took microbiology and molecular biotechnology, even got in touch with a lot of professional doctors with a phD then. During the four years of high school with vigorous science courses. I decided that science would be my career, and like all other Asian kids, might as well become a doctor. Fast forward, I successfully got into UCSB with pre-Bio as my major. But then, after my first year as a Bio student, taking all those chem and physics classes are really too much for me. I did not like it at all and practically dragged myself to class - I lost passion in science.
From a Science Nerd to a Graphic Designer
Woah, from a Bio major to an Art and Comm double major is a huge change, are you sure? I got this a lot from my friends around me, asking whether have I thought through this carefully. Well, yes and no. Of course, before making such decisions I have thought about it -- I spent 4 years doing only science and even got a lab assistant job during my first year in college (rare, very rare). But why did I still decide to change majors? Because I am a spontaneous, free, young soul, who is reckless and fearless. I could've continued on doing science, maybe persevere through 4 years of college and another 4 years of med school, so I could earn a lot of money and need not worry about retirement. But you see, first, I know I don't like to study, not to mention burying myself through piles of books for the next 8 years of life. Second, yeah I do earn a lot being a doctor, but the first couple years of being a doctor is probably paying back the debts I owe during med school. Third, yes, I earn a lot, but do I have the time to spend them if I am a doctor? Lol, you see, I'd rather do something with average salary, but something that I like, and still have time to spend the money that I earn. Moreover, it's not always about money, though it is sometimes... LIFE IS CONFLICTING AND I GET IT. But ugh, again, I am a free soul, and I like to live it by the YOLO vibe, maybe my decision today is wrong, or maybe there isn't any right or wrong; maybe I will regret my decision tomorrow, or maybe there isn't even a tomorrow -- there are too much "maybes" and "ifs" to worry about in life, so why don't I just do something that I really want to do today?
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A note to self: You will be the person you envision yourself in tomorrow, "manifest abundance" and connect your current self with your future self through actions you initiate now.
