Excerpt: From her sun-soaked Los Angeles studio, Mimi Chao teaches thousands of Skillshare students how to draw, find their style, embrace mindfulness and even build a website. But Mimi’s background isn’t that of someone who knew they wanted to be an artist from a young age—on the contrary, she worked as a lawyer before taking the plunge and becoming a full-time creative, and learned plenty of valuable lessons in the process.

We caught up with Mimi to learn more about her roots and identity, get the story behind her transition from law to art, and discover what mindfulness means to her.

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Excerpt:

Q: What type of stories do you like to create and share?

A: My work inevitably ends up being a reflection of my own personal journey. I like to incorporate themes of exploration, mindfulness, and wonder in my work. I hope to encourage others to take on the adventure of their own lives.

Some of my main influences come from perennial philosophy and picture books. They might seem unrelated, but I find they share a lot in spirit. I think the most powerful truths are often best communicated through simple storytelling, whether through words or images. One of my favorite books is still The Little Prince, which is really a philosophical picture book. This reflects the kind of work I like to create and share.

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Esembly: What advice would you give to someone who’d like to transition to a creative job?

Mimi: You can do it! I’ve found that so many people are waiting for permission to take a chance on themselves. I was in the same boat! So I like to say, “here is your permission!” It’s absolutely something you can make happen for yourself. That said, it’s not a walk in the park to make a big career transition. So on a practical note, make a plan— a financial plan, a learning plan, and a business plan. It most likely won’t turn out the way you expect, but having a map is helpful. Seek out inspiration and hold onto your north stars. Don’t listen to people who discourage you if you do not want the life they have made for themselves. People who have lived a life of fear or living for other people’s approval will project their fears onto you as well. Truly happy people who have followed their dream will encourage you to do the same.

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Excerpt

Procreate: While still being sophisticated, your work has a childlike wonder and whimsy to it. Is this deliberate and does it come easy?

Me: I love how you described it. Yes I would say it’s deliberate in the sense that I want my style to reflect me. I love modern Scandinavian and Japanese design styles, as well as the aesthetic of brands like Aesop and the taste culture of Monocle. At the same time, I love picture books and animated films like Spirited Away. I suppose that’s all reflected in what I create.

However, it’s not deliberate in that I don’t have an exact vision of how I wanted things to look when I set out. It’s more that I have a feeling in mind, and it’s exactly like what you described. I would say my style has evolved a lot but the sentiments of my drawings have always been the same.

I wouldn’t say it comes easily. Even drawings that look very simple take a lot of skill to execute well. I learned that the hard way! There’s a fantastic quote by Ira Glass on it, just google “Ira Glass The Gap” as it’s a little too long to write here. But it’s so true: you have this vision in your mind of what you want your work to look or feel like, but it takes a lot of time and practice before reality meets expectations.

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This is a video profile that lives on Skillshare's company About page (as of June 2025). It shares my story and transition story.

Watch the video on YouTube