Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercedes Ng.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up in Hong Kong, I loved to doodle as a kid. Whether at church or restaurants, I would ask my mom for a pen and draw on an old relief society agenda or on the blank side of a paper menu. I wasn’t the brightest kid at school. But I was good at drawing. If you could have seen all the doodles in my textbooks, you’d understand how “attentive” I was in class.
Throughout most of my life, people have believed and told me that there’s no money in art. I remember seeing a stack of professionally drawn comics my Dad created and asking him why he didn’t become a cartoonist. He said, “You can’t make money being a cartoonist. And your grandpa died when I was young. I needed to make money to provide for my family.” Though my father did not pursue comics as his career, he did instill a love of art in me from the time I was young. My parents encouraged me to take art classes outside of school and to apply for local art competitions.
I came to Utah as an international student in my junior year in High School. I was terrified of being away from my friends and family and was absolutely intimidated by the new environment around me. The language was a barrier, of course. Despite all my studies and preparation, at first, I thought people weren’t actually speaking English because of how fast and slurred they spoke. Without the help of compassionate friends, I wouldn’t have made it through high school. Afterward, I started college at the University of Utah and later finished my Bachelor of Arts at Brigham Young University in 2020. I know my parents still prefer a degree in animation or architecture – any field that would lead me to a high-paying career. Regardless, I am grateful that my parents supported my decision to study abroad and still get a degree in Art.
As for who I am now, I’d say I’m someone with many hats. I work at a nearby college and a hotel while still creating my art. There is nothing wrong with making art while trying to support yourself through other means. I would like others to know that I love what I do, and I am proud of it. My works have been part of multiple group exhibitions and solo shows. They have also been published in All She Makes; an all-women magazine that promotes women in the Art World. I have an online shop where people can purchase my work for an affordable price. Occasionally, I volunteer and give one-on-one classes to elderly people and children. So yeah, I’m kind of all over the place. But whenever I’m at my studio (which is also our dining room), wearing my muumuu or pj’s with a paintbrush in my hand, I know that’s where I belong.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. Especially after I graduated from college, I waited for several months for my work authorization to come in the mail. During that time, I couldn’t drive or look for a job. Go figure. And yes, I was depressed. But the bright side was, in those months, I made twice the number of paintings that I’d produced in any single semester up to that point.
Now that I work in fields that have nothing to do with art, sometimes I blame myself for not doing art full-time and feel insecure about my artistic abilities. I have to remind myself over and over again that I love what I do, and I am proud of it. There is nothing wrong with making art while trying to support myself through other means.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I paint about things and places that matter to me. For example, the past few years have been difficult for many people in Hong Kong due to Covid-19 and political unrest. I made pieces of empty wet markets, streets, and shopping malls to juxtapose the chaotic reality. I’m known for these Hong Kong-themed paintings, and I am proud of my identity as a person of color, specifically a native Hong Konger. Sometimes, I paint whatever attracts my attention; I have painted buildings, cans of spam, balloons, and a lot of food-related subjects. It’s quite random. The idea is to make art out of everyday sites, whether that’s cityscapes or food – most of my paintings are in oil. This background and my method of showcasing the beauty in everyday experiences is what sets me apart.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I am an introvert, so I’m still working on networking in general. But going through social media has worked best for me so far. I have participated in a few food paint challenges on Instagram, where I find a community of people who are interested in painting and drawing. I also follow artists on social media and comment on their posts to ask questions. Recently, I was part of an art fair and through that, I had the chance to connect with numerous other artists and vendors via Facebook.
Pricing:
- My pricing for original works and prints are pretty simple. For original works, it’s usually dimension times $1.5 to $2 and plus material costs.
- With prints, I multiply the production by $2.8 to $3. It’s pretty straightforward. Come check out my online store at https://www.mercedesng.com/shop
Contact Info:
- Website: mercedesng.com
- Instagram: mercedesng_art
- Tiktok: mercedesng_art
