CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS (CCA)
Mao is getting very close to having her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, a goal she set as she transferred to CCA in San Francisco from a Chinese university. She admires good wine packaging and commercial ads made by great illustrators, while also pursuing a minor in Computational Practices so that she won’t be swallowed by the technology that plays a role in shaping her life.
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED?
I take inspiration from social media, and I appreciate posts that make art approachable. I also like to randomly click on tools in design software and mess around.
WHAT AREA OR AREAS OF DESIGN ARE YOU HOPING TO WORK IN OR SPECIALIZE IN?
I’ve always wanted to master ceramics so that I could pursue perfect symmetry even off-screen. And I’d love to work in tailoring someday and revive as many secondhand clothes as possible.
WHAT IS ONE THING THAT DESIGN SCHOOL HAS TAUGHT YOU THAT YOU DID NOT EXPECT?
I didn’t know I could get along with programming until I finished my very first personal website. I was reluctant to take an interactive design class at first, because it appeared to be about all the things that are on the opposite side of what I’m good at. However, I am glad I learned about computational thinking, algorithms, and basic coding skills from the course.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN YOUR FIELD? EITHER TODAY OR HISTORICALLY?
Can Yang, she makes graphic design I’ve never seen before.
WHAT ARE YOU READING, LISTENING TO, WATCHING (BOOKS, MOVIES, TV, SOCIAL MEDIA, MUSIC)?
I’ve been listening to this podcast called “Eat Your Crust” to overcome cultural shock and my anxiety about English small talk.
