I had the privilege of interviewing Austria’s Trade Commissioner to the USA, Michael Friedl, and learned about the agency that he heads in New York City, Advantage Austria, which is part of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.  They have 112 offices all over the world that work to represent Austria and help to establish and facilitate trade relations between countries. 

Being an Austrian American dual citizen myself, I am passionate about finding ways to integrate the countries further,  realizing how this is part of a dual cultural identity that I have.  Furthermore, a pillar for bringing Austria and the US closer together is by trade and economic infrastructure.  Austria provides high quality consumer goods and services and is also an extremely high performing nation across the spectrum.  The benefits for further Austrian economic integration in global trade infrastructure is immense for a small nation.

Bianca: I read that Austria placed 4th in 2018 for the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index which ranked countries on six dimensions on trade.  Since Austria is exemplary in trade performance, were there factors in particular that generated such a great score?  I am not surprised since there are so many other indexes which Austria scores highly on.

Michael: Austria, you know it yourself, is a very small country, maybe the size of Georgia.  Trade plays a very important role in Austria as most larger companies wouldn’t survive only catering to the domestic market so they have to look to foreign markets. Trade, logistics, and investing in infrastructure for trade and trade facilitation has always played an important role for Austria.  This is one of the reasons that I would say Austria scored very highly.

Bianca: What is the background of Advantage Austria?

Michael: Advantage Austria is the official trade and innovation promotion agency of Austria.  We are part of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.  Every Austrian company is a member of that chamber, which makes it different from the US chamber system, where it’s a voluntary membership and you have many smaller chambers, whereas in Austria, you have a membership by law.

Through this membership, you have a lot of benefits for free, which includes access to resources through our 112 offices worldwide which are kind of Embassies of Trade.  It’s the second largest network in the world after the US.  It’s a pretty large network considering that we are a very small country.  What we do includes market research and market intelligence, coaching of new exporters, as well as the organization of various events – from tech and innovation conferences to trade fairs. 

We also have formal partnerships with universities in the US, for instance with Stanford and MIT.  We have agreements through which we bring researchers and professors to Austria or connect Austrian companies to the knowledge system at these institutions.  It’s a system that goes beyond the normal consular work or trade commission work, we take a hands on approach.  99% of Austrian firms are medium sized companies, so they often don’t have the knowledge or capacity to learn about and enter foreign markets.  Sometimes they could not survive without foreign markets, and we try to fulfill that bridge role and support them in their successful internationalization efforts.

Bianca: Successful trade partnerships with the US include well known companies such as Swarovski and Wolford (wow!), but is there a “typical” example of Austrian companies who have established a presence in the US through Advantage Austria?

Michael: If you look at the US, the US is the second most important trading partner for Austria, after Germany, as Germany is a neighboring country, but the US is already number two.  If you look for companies from Austria doing business in the US, you would see companies across the spectrum.  Most of the exports are in the automotive industry, machinery, steel… heavy industry, so we have a lot of companies in these sectors that have established subsidiaries with our help in the Southeast or Midwest. 

Advantage Austria is helping with location scouting, market intelligence, finding possible partners, as well as legal regulations and customs. Beyond industrial equipment, we also have consumer goods and services coming into the US.  Some of these services include engineering services or architectural services, financial services, and consumer goods include energy drinks, wine, furniture and cheese etc.

Bianca: Austria is a high performing country that has a population the size of the San Francisco Bay Area.  Do you think there is a unique position that this country has with its education system, lifestyle, and the stunning environments?  I cannot see any other reason for why you could not succeed with those factors aligned.

Michael: It definitely has to do with education, but I’d also like to highlight again that Austria is a very small country, so often, children start elementary school and learn at least one foreign language or even a second, so we are already trained for the international market.  Secondly, I would say that many Austrians can adapt easily to foreign environments and have a certain flexibility when it comes to understanding of and negotiating in foreign markets.

Bianca: You have spent many years working overseas for Advantage Austria, I am sure those experiences have equipped you in terms of diplomacy. What motivates you to help give Austria a strong presence in the US and vice versa?

Michael: For me, I always knew that I wanted to work internationally and abroad, and I was looking for something where I could spend more time in a foreign country working in business.  Our terms range from 3 to 7 years in a particular country, where you are representing Austria and the Austrian business community, but you also can also submerge and integrate in your host country. So for me, this was the ideal job where you can combine business support and consultancy with diplomacy.

I started living abroad as a teenager in the UK, Spain and France and then studied at the age of 21 in Canada. I loved Canada and also visited the US for various occasions during this time.  When I had an opportunity to head our office in Washington D.C. about 15 years ago, it made me understand and like the US even more and I knew that I wanted to come back.  As you might have seen, I’ve also lived in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran.  I liked the variety of cultures and business environments in these countries as well.

Bianca: Do you consider trade to be a bridge between nations that is critical to global infrastructure now?  I look at trade this way. 

Michael: If you look at Austria from a political or a military as well as security perspective, I guess Austria does not feature prominently on the map in the US other than culturally or as the country of the Sound of Music.  We are trying through trade to expand and complement that image.  There are many hidden champions in Austria, who are world market leaders in their field.  If you look at med-tech or pharmaceuticals, infrastructure or green energy solutions, tunnel or underground engineering, a lot of that technology is coming out of this small country of Austria.  That’s something that people might not be aware of, so yes, there is Mozart, yes there is chocolate, but there is also hardcore business and technology that we want to bring to the rest of the world.

Bianca: What motivates you to help give Austria a strong presence in the US and vice versa?

Michael: I have been to other countries where Austria is more well-known, for example, in the Arab countries or in Iran, Austria is an important gateway to Europe.  It’s particularly difficult to raise awareness for a country like Austria. Here in New York, where you can find representatives from the whole world, and where competition is extremely high, you have to know how to do this.  It’s not only done by serving cake or wine, you have to convince people that there is a benefit cost-wise or quality-wise to do business with Austria. 

Also, in the US, it’s not so much where a product comes from (be it from Shanghai, Santiago de Chile or Salzburg), as long as the product is a good product, it helps reduce costs or increase revenue, or promotes a cause, and you know that story about the product as well. You have to be able to sell that extra benefit, and on top of it, you can serve some whipped cream with it, which is the Austrian culture.  Ultimately, the underlying product has to make sense. Nobody will buy it just because it is Austrian.

Bianca: With respect to forecasting trade relations, do you see the future of trade with the US being related to being the more impactful industries versus the typically romanticized images of Austrian exports?

Michael: Well, I think it’s both. I am convinced that the relationship will continue to be expanding as commercial exchanges between the US and Austria, at least in the past five years, have been growing.  Every year, we have trade increases of around 10% year-on-year, and that on top of an already very high absolute volume.

On the other hand, tourism has also been expanding; Americans visiting Austria, and Austrians visiting the US.  And to complete the picture financial cross-border investments have also been growing.  We have around 700 Austrian companies providing 40,000 jobs to Americans.  We have about 28,000 jobs in Austria created by American companies, and maybe another 60,000 jobs in Austria directly depending on trade with the US.  It’s an ever expanding relationship and a win-win situation for both countries.  I think in the future it will be even more so.

Bianca: Do you see a lot of the work that you’re doing is asking Austrians to come this way?  It just makes sense that way given the sheer volume of approaching the American population.

Michael: Our most important clients, of course, are the Austrian companies, but one of our goals is further integration of both economies.  Yes, we also try to bring investment to the US from Austria and vice versa and bring extra benefits to US companies by linking them with their Austrian counterparts.  The best witnesses of Austrian successes are Americans.  If an American in Ohio or Iowa or any state talks highly of Austria, that’s much more valuable than if I am talking highly of Austria.  Obviously, I’m an Austrian, but if the American counterparts say, “Well, with this technology, I can save so much more money,” or “With this green tech, I am not using as much CO2,” or “Now I can employ 10,000 more people with the help of an Austrian partner,” these are the stories that we want to elevate. 

Bianca: What do you see for the future of trade with Austria? How can young people support this trade?

Michael: It’s about stories, and of course, I can tell you to “buy more Red Bull” or “buy more Swarovski,” but I think in the end it’s about listening to what people know about Austria and then tell a surprising story that expands their knowledge about Austria.

Sometimes people are surprised when I tell them that when they landed by plane at LaGuardia, their plane probably landed safe because of an Austrian communication system. And when you take a taxi and come via RFK bridge and you don’t have to stop at the toll station, it’s because of an Austrian automatic tolling system and if you then go into the subway, you’re driving on Austrian steel, and maybe even through tunnels created with Austrian engineering finesse.  You may then pass a Swarovski shop or a Wolford shop by foot, so Austria is all around you.  Austria is more well-known for industrial or B2B products, not so much for consumer goods and popular brands as you have in Germany, Italy or Japan. We often say, Austria is more on the inside than seen on the outside, in the sense that you find it as a very important part of a machine or as an engine in famous brands such as BMW. As a consumer you might not see much of the Austrian products, but your favorite brand or the technology you depend on might not be the same or work as well if it were not for the parts from Austria.

Exactly four years ago, I was in my college apartment, worried about a million things that surpassed the classic college graduate experience, and I came across a song by an up and coming DJ duo from Sweden: “On My Way” by Axwell & Ingrosso. Formerly members of the DJ group Swedish House Mafia, it was clear that they would be a force to be reckoned with in the world of house music and I was ready to hear more.

At the time of the song’s release four years ago, the theme of the song could not be more fitting for the current experience I was having. It was a time of monumental change in my life. That song has the spirit of adventure to it, but also a somber note to it as well, which I found unique, especially for the nature that house music has. It’s rather difficult to add multiple layers of sentiment to the standard structure in which house music functions. I’ve linked a video explaining the structure of standard house music. Axwell & Ingrosso definitely are pioneers in “progressive house” music and have taken house music to new levels.

As they are progressive in their music creation, they are also progressive in their strategy to engaging their audiences. As interviewed by Forbes Magazine, Axel (“Axwell”) states that there is no strategy to their music marketing, they are just creating music that they love.

The designs of Tarik Ediz are captivating and surprisingly have not been too widespread on the red carpets, which I hope will change soon. His formal evening wear designs compliment the female figure in a sultry way and also usually have a unique nod to nature, whether it be with a branch stitched into the lace overlay or a satin rose. The design house is based in Istanbul and New York City and has showrooms all over the world. Next time you are searching for an evening gown, go through the website and find the nearest store to you!

Your eye may initially see a bouquet of roses at a first cursory glance. At a second look, you realize those are in fact frosting roses created with stunning talent. These are the cupcake creations of Taylor Made Cakes of Tenderten in Kent, England. Featured in Vogue, these bespoke creations of art are all handcrafted with high quality ingredients.

The most unique product offered by this bakery is referred to as their “Cupcake Bouquets,” which are cupcakes arranged in a way to appear like bouquets of flowers, which I think is a lovely and special gift to your loved one for any occasion! It’s certainly a rosy treat. Make sure to stop by this bakery in England!

It’s straight out of a James Bond movie (literally – this restaurant was featured in 2015’s Spectre with Daniel Craig playing Bond), if you are in Austria and seeking a restaurant experience like no other, head to the ice Q in Sölden.

Not only are the views exceptional, the restaurant is also highly rated. If you are a James Bond fan, there is a cinematic installation on the summit of the mountain in Sölden called “007 Elements,” where you can learn about the scenes shot in Spectre. The digitally immersive experience is one of a kind and takes you into the heart of the Bond brand.

You can make dinner reservations online to the ice Q, so there’s no reason to miss this incredible destination when in Austria…

High fantasy is a valuable genre and it’s also a multi-channel genre that succeeds across many markets. Originating as stories in books, most notably J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series (first published in 1937 as a sequel to his first book, The Hobbit), high fantasy stories take place in an entirely fictional world with characters who exist in another universe, something that is alternate to the human experience and transcends the boundaries of what is humanly possible – high fantasy is deeply spiritual. It can also teach us a lot about humanity and explores themes typically of good versus evil and dark versus light.

This is tantalizing to consider: what is so wondrous beyond the human experience? A lot, actually. It’s our own mortality that makes us consider what is beyond it, and in that respect, I think high fantasy engages readers in considering a world beyond their own: it’s imagination and our dreams coming to life through media. Now that I have established the premise of how high fantasy goes beyond the realistic and pushes boundaries in how we think, I’d also like to consider how incredibly successful it has been and continues to be.

There are books, television shows, movies, video games… Even Walt Disney World recreated a section of their amusement park and named it “Fantasyland” (pictured above), for amusement park visitors to envision what the lives of characters like Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Belle from Beauty and the Beast would be like if they were to exist. Interestingly, The Little Mermaid is a depiction of high fantasy and Beauty and the Beast is a depiction of low fantasy as the Beast and the characters in the castle are elements of magic, but the setting is the real world. While Princess Ariel is a mermaid who exists under the sea, the plot is set in an alternate universe, thereby making Ariel part of a “high fantasy” tale. Harry Potter is another example of the “low fantasy” genre as it has elements of the real world mixed with a magical world. It’s arguable though that both Harry Potter and Beauty and the Beast are quite rooted in magic.

I think every generation will have a remarkable franchise for high fantasy. My generation’s is Game of Thrones, which just wrapped eight seasons. George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire was first published in 1996, and the book series was adapted by HBO and the first season of the hit television series was released in 2011. The series wrapped this week.

Being an English major entailed my exposure to all genres of literature, and yet, I was never pulled into the high fantasy genre, until now. I think this is mainly because my education in English was centered around studying the Western canon formally, and I had unfortunately not stumbled into the beauty that is high fantasy. I am delighted to say that I understand now why fans are engrossed in the world of high fantasy, as it’s a highly valuable genre to humanity.

“Stop and smell the roses.”

So often that’s said, but do we really? Much of our lives are spent chasing after something – rarely do we take a moment and consider if what we are chasing after is existentially our calling. By calling, I mean, is it inherently what drives us and makes us feel most alive? Isn’t that what life is all about? Or do we pursue archetypes of success that don’t actually satisfy our souls because we want to take the path of least resistance?

Very few people in my life know that nature photography is one of my greatest joys. I think capturing nature on camera is such a pure and deeply spiritual thing to me. It’s very sad that so much of our nature is in danger. Conservation efforts do need to be taken more seriously and this starts at the community level, as well on a broader geopolitical scale. I think fighting for nature is one of our life’s greatest imperatives.

These are the basic facts of climate change and we need to keep them top of mind:

Human beings are causing climate change, largely by burning fossil fuels.

Rising temperatures correlate almost exactly with the release of greenhouse gases.

We know exactly what we have to do — keep fossil fuels in the ground and quickly transition to 100% renewable energy.

(Source: 350.org)

There is a fight to be had for nature. It’s time to take the environment more seriously than it’s been taken and this starts at community levels. Everything starts with awareness, so take a moment to follow the nonprofits linked below to stay abreast of the latest in climate change news.

Try getting involved at the community level and learn about what your city is doing to improve community resilience and see how you can make changes that are in your immediate scope of power – reusable shopping bags and water bottles to start at the least. And remember: stop to smell the roses and all flowers. We have stopped paying attention to nature, so what happens when nature stops paying attention to us?

United Nations Climate Change

350.org

R20: Austrian World Summit

The Nature Conservancy

Greenpeace

World Wildlife Fund

National Geographic

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

Natalie Glebova is an “Empowerist.” She has found her calling as an agent for empowering others and helping them realize their true potential.  As Miss Universe 2005, Ms. Glebova is perfectly suited for this role: her significant public speaking engagements, establishment as a public figure, and her advocacy work with UN Women have all equipped her to be in a position of empowerment.  

To date, she has used her Miss Universe platform to empower others by writing a bestselling book about empowerment, start her own company to empower youth, advocate for UN Women, and she also started a travel startup with her husband, Dean Kelly, called Travelbook.  It is my great pleasure to have interviewed Natalie and share with you her thoughtful answers here on Rosy BVM. Thank you, Natalie, you are incredibly inspiring!

xx Bianca

Bianca: Your work as Miss Universe certainly set the stage for an incredible career that spans from being a motivational speaker, UN Women advocate, writer, travel blogger, and entrepreneur!  I am so amazed by your work and believe in how you set an incredible example for living an empowered life. You are an “Empowerist,” as you say. What brought you to this realization that this was your calling?

Natalie: There was a point in my life where I didn’t know who I was in a professional sense and struggled with what to say when people asked me what I did for a living. I tried many different paths, always striving to pursue my passion and what I felt set my soul on fire. I did blogging, designing my product line (perfumes), I wanted to create a line of workout clothes, took acting classes, received a diploma in nutrition and wellness, and even learned how to DJ. All of that was interesting for me for a short while until I got bored. Then I came to realize that I was always pursuing my passions and not my purpose. Learning from great self-development gurus such as Robin Sharma, Tony Robbins, Eckhart Tolle, Simon Sinek, and Mel Robbins, I came to understand that the difference between passion and purpose is that the former is self serving and inward facing, while the latter is outward facing and serving others.

Passions come and go, just like romantic passion – it may last up to 2 years or so, and when it’s gone you tend to get bored and move on to something else. But when you find the purpose – something that serves and provides value for other people, it brings more meaning to your own life and fuels your work for a much longer period of time. After some deep introspection and inner work where I sat with my journal over a 3-day period by myself and wrote down all of my accomplishments, achievements, talents and passions, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a great platform and voice as a public figure to bring a message of self-love to people who are suffering from a lack of it.  

I wanted to provide a value to people and having realized my strengths like public speaking and connecting to others on a deeper level, I decided to pursue the work of an empowerment coach (empowerist). My purpose is to help others know themselves fully, assist them in finding their own purpose in life, and motivate them to  set and achieve their biggest goals in life, all while building confidence, positive thinking, and awareness.

Bianca: You wrote a book recently, I Am Winning: A Guide to Personal Empowerment, which made it to the bestseller charts on Amazon. Congratulations! What inspired you to write this book?

Natalie: I’ve always had a lot of great insights that I kept in my mind, whether from my personal experiences or those that I learned to adapt from the teachings of my favorite coaches. I knew that there was a book just waiting to be written in there, somewhere in my mind. One day, as my husband, daughter and I were sitting in a beach club in Koh Samui Thailand (after having finished DJing there) watching the sunset, listening to the waves and beautiful music, drinking fresh coconuts, my husband Dean turned to me with a warm grateful smile and said “Babe, are we winning, or what?” I had to laugh and told him, “Yes!”, feeling super grateful and content in that moment.

This has since become our family inside joke. Whenever we feel great about our lives and where we are, be it at a fancy event all glammed up, or cuddled up on the sofa at home – we feel like we are winning. That line made me think about how the simplest things in life can make us feel alive and happy – if you are aware and mindful enough. Every person in the world has the capacity to feel like that daily. I wanted to share this realization with others to inspire them to feel grateful for their lives, the small things that they can find beautiful and lovely on a daily basis, and thereby make themselves feel like winners.

Bianca: You operate a youth empowerment organization called, “Empowered,” along with another woman, Dr. Patama Mokaves Dumas, which offers programs for youth to learn about how to live their “best life” and be in “winning mindset.” I love this idea and the program’s concept since so much about being in a “winning mindset,” in my opinion, is believing in yourself and cultivating confidence. Do the programs focus on ways for youth to self empower themselves?

Natalie: Yes, the program is focused on giving the students the tools to become empowered, self-disciplined, knowing what they want from life, learning how to set goals effectively and follow through the action plan, and knowing how to face life’s obstacles with the right attitude. While my part of the program focuses on personal development with the subjects that I just mentioned, my partner Dr. Paddy teaches them the skills necessary for thriving in the modern working world – writing with logic, public speaking, networking, dressing for success and making a good impression. With these tools the students are able to go into the world, even before they graduate, with the right mindset, knowing how to tackle their biggest challenges and taking on their biggest goals.

Bianca: On top of being a bestselling author and running a program about empowerment, you also started a travel startup with your husband, Travelbook!  What is Travelbook? I love your YouTube videos, your recent Burning Man 2018 video was so well done! Watching it really felt like you’re there (everyone should go follow your YouTube channel!).  

Natalie: Thank you! We love to travel, and that was one of the reasons from which Travelbook was conceived. It’s a one-stop platform for sharing and booking your travel experiences. When your friends ask you for recommendations on where to go, stay, eat and what to see, you don’t need to write them long messages or try to remember the names of places – you simply share your Travelbook for the place you went to with your friends with one click.

This also keeps all your memories safe in one place, so you never forget the hotels and restaurants you visited since you are able to check in and keep it all in one place. You can also book your flights and hotels directly from the platform if you trust your friend’s recommendations, so it takes all the hassle out of planning a trip and it makes it easy to share it with your friends.

Bianca: You seem quite fearless in leading an international life, which I greatly admire (Russia to Canada to New York to Thailand, you embody the ideals of Miss Universe). Since you live in Bangkok, Thailand, what do you love most about it? It is such a gorgeous place, I would love to visit Thailand one day.

Natalie: Thailand has become my home over the last 13 years and I truly love this country. It is very culturally diverse, and the people here are wonderful. They have taught me how to be more patient, self-aware, and compassionate, as well as less judgmental.

The Buddhist religion which is very much part of the culture here gives me a sense of peace and calmness and it is evident in the daily human interactions that make up this type of atmosphere. Of course, the food is incredible – I love spicy foods, seafood, exotic fruits! Ease of life – Thais call it “sabai sabai” which loosely translated means “easy going” is something that I appreciate as well. There are also great and inexpensive massages; the stunning beaches; gorgeous temples – what’s not to love?

I truly believe that immersing yourself into a culture that’s different from your own is the best school of life. You grow, evolve, become richer in a spiritual sense, and learn to be more humble. I would love the opportunity to live on yet another continent someday.

Bianca: How many languages do you speak?

Natalie: I speak English, Russian, and some Thai and Spanish.

Bianca: What has your advocacy work with UN Women included? It’s so critical for women to support other women and for men to also be part of the feminist dialogue.

Natalie: A few years ago I was appointed as one of the advocates for the campaign “He for She” run by UN Women. The main purpose of this campaign was for both men and women to support the rights of other women as well as the LGBT community. Our mission was to give minorities a voice, and show support of others through social media campaigns and daily engagement with our fans online.

Presently, I’m continuing this campaign by getting involved on the local community level to empower young women through talks in high schools, female prisons, and centers for disadvantaged women in Thailand to find the strength and courage within themselves to set goals and move towards them with a positive attitude. We also recently had a fundraiser for two  women-focused organizations for International Women’s Day called “Women Uplift Women” where we talked about the importance of women supporting each other and not competing or bullying.

Each year, the Met Gala dazzles the world with fashion that is freeing. From styles that embody ultra-glamour at its finest, to the more obscure, to the outright beguiling.

The Costume Institute always hosts the event with a theme. This year’s theme, “camp,” may have caused quite a bit of confusion with the mainstream media and even with attendees (my initial thought was ‘will someone dress as a tent?’) and then the realization quickly set in that “camp” refers to a type of fashion.

Despite the theme, guests do not need to truly adhere to it, and that can even be a responsive way to interact with the theme. For example, Kylie Jenner wore an all-black Alexander Wang gown last year which did not fall into the Catholic theme.

My personal favorite look this year was worn by Kacey Musgraves, who became Barbie in real life wearing Moschino. The idea was Met perfection; she followed the camp theme and took it one step further by embodying a character so perfectly. Moschino has had a long-standing relationship with Mattel and have created lines of Barbie-themed clothing and accessories, as well as a limited-edition Moschino Barbie.

Recently, Barbie has been portrayed by a number of public figures. Most notably, Kylie Jenner dressing as her for a photo shoot. Ms. Musgraves took it to a new level of Barbie perfection.

Sunny Gu, Los Angeles and Chicago based fashion artist and illustrator, has a fierce amount of talent.  Moreover, she has an ability to bring together themes of nature, beauty, and fashion and allows the viewer to enjoy how these coincide together.  I came across her artwork after seeing her recent partnership with Disney x Zales, where she fantastically painted the Disney Princesses in watercolor.  I am so delighted to feature her art on Rosy BVM and an interview with Sunny where she discusses her life as an artist and her artistic inspirations. Some of her clients have included Vogue magazine, ELLE magazine, Conde Nast, Versace, Bloomingdale’s, and Shiseido.  Please be sure to visit her website: www.sunnygu.com and follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/happysunnygu. If you are interested in purchasing her art as high quality canvas prints, please visit the following: https://www.icanvas.com/canvas-art-prints/artist/sunny-gu

Bianca: I saw your recent watercolor series for Zales where the Disney Princess jewelry collection was highlighted.  I was amazed at how steady you are while painting. Was there a Princess that you enjoyed painting the most or were they all fun to paint?

Sunny: So happy you saw the collaboration! It was truly an honor to be part of it! They are all very fun to paint! It’s such a dream to recreate Disney princesses in fashion illustration form!

Bianca: Your artwork is incredible; how did you realize that watercolor is your main medium?

Sunny: Thank you! I love the vibrancy and unpredictable nature of watercolor. I also appreciate the fast drying nature of watercolor, it allows me to focus on precision and trains me to work efficiently.

Bianca: What inspires you artistically?  Are there environments in nature that inspire you more than others?

Sunny: I get most of my inspirations from the smallest things in daily life, I love paying attention to details: roadside wildflowers, clothing textiles of a passerby, a fun color combination on the streets. Yes, I LOVE wandering in parks, conservatories, gardens, I can’t resist being surrounded by flowers and plants.

Bianca: How long have you been painting?

Sunny: I fell in love with doodling since I was two, it’s been a long time. 🙂

Bianca: There are themes of fashion, femininity, flowers throughout your work. I especially enjoy the vivid colors!  Do you have any designers who particularly inspire your work? I could see how Dolce & Gabbana and Versace could have an influence on your work.

Sunny: Yes, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace are absolutely among my favorites, I also love the designs by Marchesa, Valentino, and Elie Saab.

Bianca: Where is your main residence / studio located?  Are you a native of LA or Chicago?

Sunny: Currently I live and work between Chicago and Los Angeles. I was born and raised in China, I moved to Los Angeles when I was 13. I started split half of my year in Chicago ever since I got married two years ago (my husband works in Chicago).

Bianca: I saw that you recently did a partnership with Sugarfina and live painted at the recent opening of a store in LA, that is great!  Were you painting candy themed paintings for that event?

Sunny: We were celebrating the launch of Sugarfina x Barbie limited collection, so all the customers who came are all Barbie + sweets lovers.  They all dressed in candy tones and many of them wore clothing with the Barbie logo. I was creating their custom portraits, they were adorable, like real life Barbies!