Jocelyn Tsaih's Soft Focus

Glowing With the Flow

- By Kristin Farr. Photographs by Haoran Chen

Jocelyn Tsaih is a self described “art human” who works in animation, design and painting. Her illustration clients include Apple and The New York Times, and the distinction between her commercial and personal work is softly blurred, like the outlines of her signature figures. No matter the platform, her subjects radiate an undeniably personal essence.

Kristin Farr: Tell us about how moving to California affected your work.

Jocelyn Tsaih: On the surface, my work seems to have shifted because I started utilizing more colors and exploring symbols of nature, like flowers, which have been inspired by my surroundings in California. Digging deeper, I think the changes in my work have come about because I forced myself to experience a big move and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. California is pretty different from what I’m used to—the nature, the people, and the slower pace of life. Adapting to a new lifestyle has put me through a lot of identity crises and, inevitably, crises with my work as well. This might sound like a negative thing, but I’m really grateful for having gone through it. I’ve gotten the chance to lead my work into all sorts of directions, and I think this exploration has been crucial for my work to eventually settle into a more authentic place.

Where else have you lived, and how have those places influenced you?