My Second SBS Melbourne Interview: Sharing My Art Journey in Mandarin
Recently I had the incredible opportunity to be interviewed on SBS Mandarin for the second time! It’s always exciting to share my journey as an artist, but this time felt extra special, I got to do it in MANDARIN, yes, Mandarin! (which is NOT my mother tongue!)
I'm blown away by the feedback that I received after the interview was aired!
Being Invited Back: Another Milestone Moment
The first time I was featured on SBS Cantonese in 2024, it was already a surreal experience. I had just started making a name for myself as a fine artist, live wedding and event illustrator, and I was still working full time and doing art at the side. (Yes I left finance soon after, full story here!) Sharing my story on such a big platform felt like a HUGE milestone, and I was so proud to share it with all my family and friends in Hong Kong. Being invited back felt like a full-circle moment, it meant my journey had evolved, and people were interested in hearing more.
Speaking in Mandarin
While I usually share my story in English or in Cantonese as Cantonese is my mother tongue, this interview gave me the chance to speak directly to a Mandarin-speaking audience. It was both exciting and a little nerve-wracking!
Mandarin isn’t a language I use often. I actually learned most of it from watching You Are the One and other TV shows. I hadn’t spoken it in years, but I have a motto: Say Yes before you’re ready. So, I turned on the TV again, watched a few Mandarin shows and hoped for the best before the podcast. 🤷♀️
During the interview, there were some funny moments when I couldn’t find the right words. At one point, I mixed up “shoes” and “snakes” because, to me, they sound so similar! I kept talking about clients asking me to draw “shoes,” but I actually meant “snakes” (since it’s the Year of the Snake!). Mo, the interviewer, looked so confused… 😂 Until I explain to her "This year is the year of Shoes!", then she finally understood me. (*This context was edited in the podcast as we still wanted to sound professional lol so you won't hear this in my podcast)
If you speak Cantonese, you’ll know how similar they sound!
Photo credit: Sole Retriever
What We Talked About
During the interview, we talked about everything from how I became a full-time artist to what it’s like illustrating guests at weddings and luxury events. I shared stories about:
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How my journey began, believe it or not, it all started while planning my own wedding!
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What it’s like drawing and doing calligraphy live
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How the audience reacted when they saw my Chinese calligraphy
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How I come up with designs and drawing ideas so quickly
Photo credit: SBS/Aaron Wan
Behind the Scenes
One of the best parts of this experience? Just being in the SBS Melbourne radio station again. I felt unreal to be there and to be interviewed. I had a great conversation with the host Mo, and despite my initial nerves about speaking in Mandarin, the words just flowed naturally. Now I hope to have another chance to do it all over again!