Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Hsieh.
Hi Angela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I read endlessly as a kid—anything from novels to manga to picture books. When the adults around me asked the “what do you want to be?” question, as they often do, I told them I wanted to be an artist. Then the next year, I wanted to be a marine biologist. Then a doctor. Then a veterinarian. That last one lasted throughout high school and undergrad, even as I was running off to MICA during my free days to take illustration classes.
After getting my biology degree, I decided to give art school a shot. Post-art school, I landed an illustration internship-turned-contract position with NPR. That experience gave me the boost I needed to be a freelance editorial illustrator for a couple of years, but the world of books called me back to it. Now I’m working on my own graphic novel as both writer and illustrator. It seems like my five-year-old self was right about some things!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In many ways, I’ve been fortunate: for the support of my family, for getting the opportunity to work with NPR for a year when I was starting out, and for having friends who’ve stayed by my side throughout the years.
In other ways, it’s been awfully tough. My brother fell terminally ill right as I was graduating. He passed away soon after. It took me years to get back on my feet after that, and I’d be lying if I said there still aren’t days where the grief just shuts me down completely. It’s something that’ll never go away, and it affects every aspect of my life, even if I’m getting better at dealing with it over time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an illustrator and an author. I do everything from books to games to editorial illustration. You may have seen my work in the New York Times, the Washington Post, or NPR.
My focus is mostly on books nowadays. “Antarctica: The Melting Continent” came out last year; I illustrated it, and the esteemed Karen Romano Young wrote it. Right now, I’m working on a fantasy graphic novel for kids, “The Traveler’s Guide to Geozoology.” It’s an intense but rewarding process, and I still have some ways to go before I finish. It’s set to be published at the beginning of 2025.
I’ve got a few others in the works, including two more graphic novels and a picture book, but they’re hush-hush for now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.angela-hsieh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hisiheyah
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hisiheyah
Image Credits
Angela Hsieh
Mithra Krishnan
