Giveaway and Artist Feature: Mui-Ko

Isn't it cute?? Simon Kwan, founder of the website Mui-Ko, is one of my good friends and was nice enough to fund my next giveaway and grant me a short interview. We often chat about our shared love for Asian art, and its exclusion from the Western sphere.

"I took art all my life and its always about the periods of art influences mostly from Europe, because that where all the Salons were located."

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, he studied Art and Graphic Design and now works for Scholastic Canada as a Graphic Designer. Recently, however, he started running a modest independent graphic design shop. It started with five button designs (which you'll have a chance to win today!) and has escalated in popularity to include tote bags, t-shirts, mugs, and a over 100 followers. His designs remind me of a cross between Sanrio and Ugly dolls, with their baby-sized proportions and harmless vulnerability. His characters have an unexpectedly whimsical, and sometimes inappropriate sense of humor.

In my experience, the arts were never as encouraged compared to the sciences in Chinese families. However, Kwan was lucky enough to have the support of his grandfather from an early age, and even encountered a famous artist that gave him the inspiration to keep moving forward with his passion.

"I went back to China this year and my mothers friend knew a famous artist...he painted me a picture of turtles. He asked me why I love turtles so much, I told him he reminds me of my grandfather. He is the one that encourage me to do my art and to never give up and he wrote a small poem to go with it."

"...creating something that was at one point an idea and see it come to life its something magical."

So, as a big thanks to him and you all for supporting me, please enter my giveaway for your choice of three buttons from Mui-Ko's shop. They go great on backpacks, clothes, corkboards, anything! Wah, they are all so cute, I just can't pick one!



a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway ends August 8th, so don't miss out on your chance to win some freebies! Till next time,

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