THE COOPER UNION SCHOOL OF ART
Yun Gao (she/her) is an artist/designer born in China and raised in the U.S. She is currently a senior at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City, where she has taken advantage of many design courses. Her work circles around social and cultural conversations, and she has a special interest in exploring the overlap of design and education. She has taught at The Cooper Union Saturday Program, a tuition-free studio art program for NYC high school students taught by Cooper undergraduates and worked at Block as a junior brand designer. She is currently freelancing with EA Creative Consulting and Engineering, an engineering, urban planning, and design firm that works with large-scale transportation clients, such as JFK.
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED?
Reading and watching other people’s creative processes.
WHAT AREA OR AREAS OF DESIGN ARE YOU HOPING TO WORK IN OR SPECIALIZE IN?
I love design as a problem-solving practice, and thus, I hope to be an “all-rounder” who is able to work in all aspects of design.
WHAT IS ONE THING THAT DESIGN SCHOOL HAS TAUGHT YOU THAT YOU DID NOT EXPECT?
The most important thing that The Cooper Union has taught me is the meaning of design and the power of communication.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN YOUR FIELD? EITHER TODAY OR HISTORICALLY?
Although I have no one particular in the field that I look up to, I respect my sister greatly as she is the most hardworking person I know, and I draw my inspiration from small everyday encounters living with my family.
WHAT ARE YOU READING, LISTENING TO, OR WATCHING?
I have been reading “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art” by Scott McCloud, a great book about understanding comics as an art medium. t
