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Sarah L., UI/UX Designer |
October 29, 2024
From Pixels to Paint: Discovering My Passion for Art Early On
Looking back, my creative journey started in my childhood years: I spent a lot of time on our family’s computer playing online games and creating mindless and random art on Microsoft Paint. As a result, it affected my eyesight at a young age, and to my dismay, I had to start wearing glasses. My Ma would scold me, “kaka-computer mo ‘yan!” I couldn’t sing or dance, but I discovered my talent for art in kindergarten, and I would just showcase traditional artworks in talent contests because I wasn’t good at anything else but art.
Finding Confidence in Art amid Criticism and Self-Doubt
In high school, we often had to perform traditional dances and write song lyrics based on Filipino culture as school projects for our MAPEH classes. I noticed that some of my classmates were quick to judge anyone who wasn’t good at dancing and singing. However, when it comes to art, there is little to no judgment. Because of this, I thought to myself, “Was I born with this gift?” “Why was I not blessed with the gift of singing and dancing?” “Are people born talented?”
During art classes, my classmates would often approach me for help with their assignments. It felt contradictory because, while art wasn’t as appreciated or recognized as other talents, I still felt proud because it was always my strength. There was a time in high school when I considered Fine Arts as one of my course options in college, but my mother wasn’t supportive because of financial constraints.
Turning Setbacks into Opportunities during the Pandemic
Back in 2020, I was a senior high school graduate, and I was supposed to enroll in college because I had already taken college entrance exams at various universities. Unfortunately, the pandemic happened, and my family encountered financial difficulties. Because of that, I decided to set aside my studies and become a freelance artist and a graphic designer. I took commissions here and there, but I thought it wasn’t enough. Struggling with creative burnout and financial pressure, I asked my Ma for help to look for any potential job opportunities.
Despite initial setbacks and rejections, I was eventually accepted as a user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designer at an IT company. Truthfully speaking, I didn’t know what UI/UX design was back then, and my colleagues weren’t willing to spoon-feed me. Because of this, I studied the fundamentals and learned everything I could.
Growing through Creativity and New Beginnings at Lexcode
I realized design is not art. Design is intentional, focused on user experience and delivering a message, while art is about emotions and self-expression. There was a time when I felt that being a user experience designer wasn’t for me because it felt restrictive and there was no room for creative freedom.
As time went by, I met supportive colleagues who encouraged me to express my creativity within the world of UX design. Then, I realized that creativity is a muscle—you must train and exercise it. No one is born creative or talented. People often like to think I made it look easy, but honestly, it’s the result of a lot of hard work and—maybe—a little talent.
Now that I’m a Lexcodian, I’m excited about what awaits me in my creative journey in Lexcode. Most importantly, I get to work with gifted people in my team. Even if there are uncertainties and challenges, I’m still grateful for the experiences that brought me here. After all, it’s thanks to all that time spent in front of the computer as a kid that I’m here today.
