Creativity Can Take Many Different Forms, No Matter The Platform

Name: Sook Yan Yee
Origin: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Places lived/worked: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Pronouns: She/her

CV:

• Senior digital art director, Kingdom Digital, Petaling Jaya (2015-present)

How did you end up being a creative?

I've always been passionate about expressing my thoughts and feelings through visuals since my school days. Participating in multiple drawing competitions sparked my interest in art and creativity, which led me to study multimedia design at The One Academy. There, I discovered that creativity could take many different forms, no matter the platform. After graduating, I joined Kingdom Digital as a digital designer, and I've been with the company ever since.

What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio?  

One of my recent favourite projects is a campaign for the launch of the Burger King Angus Beef Burger. I led the campaign from brainstorming to final execution, but it was far from a solo effort. It was a true collaboration with my team, and I’m proud to see our work published across the city.
 

What's your favourite piece of work created by someone else?

'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse' by Charlie Mackesy. It’s simple yet meaningful, the kind of art that really hits you in the heart. The visuals and words are so calming and powerful.

What kind of student were you?

I was the quiet one, not really noticeable. I liked figuring things out on my own before asking for help. But my grades in school were pretty solid.

What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

I took a 10+ hour flight from Malaysia to New Zealand alone just to spend time with my boyfriend, who was on a working holiday there.

What's on your bucket list?

To become a travel blogger—travel the world, take nice photos, and share cool stories.

What career did you think you'd have when you were a kid?

I wanted to be a vet. I thought it would be such a meaningful job… until I realised I'm more of an art person than a science one!

Do you work best under pressure, or when things are calm?

Definitely under pressure. When things get tough, it pushes me to dig deeper and come up with better ideas.

What advice would you give to a 10-year-old you, if you could?

Take care of your eyes! Don’t wait until you're nearly blind. I was super short-sighted and had to go for LASIK. Now I treasure my eyesight so much, especially as a creative. Eyes are everything!

What's your guilty pleasure?

I love listening to podcasts or YouTube videos about crime and ghost stories. It’s a bit creepy but super addictive. I can spend hours just tuning in to all the spooky or true crime content.

Cat person or dog person?

A dog person! I have three dogs—one was given to me by a friend (he’s quite old now), and the other two are adopted.

Source: Campaign Asia-Pacific, Creative Minds