Meet Jayme Wong

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jayme Wong.

Jayme, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I haven’t always been a creative person — I initially went to college for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, with the intent of becoming a marine biologist. Marine animals and ocean conservation were things I was extremely passionate about, but I slowly realized that while I loved learning about science, working in science would be very different. As an undergrad research assistant, my contributions felt far-removed from the species I was studying, and I was left unfulfilled.

But while I hadn’t always been a creative person, I’d always (subconsciously) been creating. As a kid, my favorite thing to do was “draw” on a computer program akin to Kid Pix or MacPaint, which turned into making cards for my family in Print Shop for every birthday, holiday, etc. I picked up Photoshop during high school photo classes and used it to make t-shirts and flyers for various organizations during undergrad. I danced for three years in high school, then in undergrad, eventually becoming co-director of my collegiate crew, Dia Clones. At the same time, I fell in love with urban styles at The Drop Dance Studio, where I trained and competed on the team for 5 years. None of it felt like work, and perhaps that’s why it took so long for it to become my work.

Fast forward to today — after much soul-searching — where everything has truly come full circle: I went back to the UA and graduated with a B.F.A. in Illustration & Design, am the Creative Assistant at Prickly Pear Paper, and am transitioning from intern to full-time at the Musical Instrument Museum, while also taking on freelance projects. At MIM, I’m designing ads, signage, informational foldouts, educational worksheets, donor program branding and more, while at Prickly Pear Paper, I’m creating social media assets and printing letterpress greeting cards on our 100+ year-old platen press, affectionately named Gladys. Dance is still one of my biggest passions, and I’m thankful to now be training with The Jukebox Fam in Mesa. It’s been a long, roundabout journey, but I’ve discovered that creating in any capacity is what brings me the most joy.

Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not! The time between graduating with my B.S. and jumping back into art school was full of awful mental health days and nihilism. I still feel very new to art and my pursuits of a creative career, and am doing my best to work through impostor syndrome daily. My goals within this career path have also been changing, which presents more challenges since no two creatives have the same trajectory or style, to begin with. I’m still figuring it all out, but I am refueled by continuing to immerse myself in all these things I love. And through it all, I’ve got the most supportive community of family and friends — for them, I’m so grateful.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I wear many different creative hats — primarily I’m a graphic designer and dancer, but I’d also consider myself a letterpress printer and am capable of video, photo, and basic motion graphics work. Creatively, these disciplines seem all over the place, and they kind of are, but I’ve found that physicality is a common theme amongst all my work. With dance and letterpress, I’m moving my body. With the design, I enjoy bringing as many hand-done, organic elements into my process as possible. I’ll turn sharpie doodles into organic vector shapes, use paint or graphite paper to create textures, stamp surfaces of random objects, and hand-letter type when appropriate. I put a lot of thought into concepts, and always try to find a way to incorporate something that is both physical and meta, to make the process more purposeful.

Inclusivity and accessibility are also very important to me, especially working at a museum. I’m still learning how to balance color, contrast, and size without sacrificing hierarchy, but it’s something I am proud to be dedicated to.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Greater Phoenix is an amazing region! I grew up in Tempe, so I’ve gotten to see it expand and develop over my lifetime. It’s a bit hard for me to speak to since I’m just now establishing my adult self here, but I think there’s a lot of opportunity for freelance creative work. With an expanding region, there’s always going to be new opportunities, but Greater Phoenix is also way more affordable than other surrounding large cities. It’s a great place to get established, build a network, and develop your skill set while still having the perks of a big city.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jaymewong.xyz
• Email: jaymewong.designs@gmail.com

Image Credit:
Tiyee La Mar.

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