Listen to your heart

Beh Yong Yee recounts her story of life through whimsical and stunning illustrations

BEH YONG YEE’S illustrations teleport the viewer’s mind into a world of imagination, with fascinating animals and imaginary creatures across stunning backgrounds, reminiscent of childhood days.

Her drawings appear like a scene straight out of a magical dream or fantasy. Bursting with colours, the drawings appear chaotic at first glance, but a closer look reveals a meticulous, intense creativity combined with clever colouring.

Each drawing tells a story through a female character, whether it is a girl in a forest, or a mermaid in a beautiful lake or ocean, with an array of colours, abstracts, mystical or sea creatures, bubbles and magical flowers.

In one of the Penang-born chartered accountant and illustrator’s drawings posted on her Instagram page (@whimsical_story), a tiny girl is facing a dragon, which represents the challenges one faces in life, while in another of her works, a mermaid lovingly hugs a fish, showcasing that love transcends all, even love between creatures.

The captivating drawings earned her a bronze medal at the Japan Illustration Award 2019.

Beh, 31, who is a postgraduate in Data Science and Business Analytics from the University of Texas in the US, won the award for one of her pieces, Walking into the Unknown.

What inspired you to become an artist?

“Love for art and illustration. I work with a vision to use colour in such a way [that it] brings calmness and soothes the mind. I did not study art throughout my working life. I worked as an auditor at one of the ‘big four’ accounting firms, and moved on to become a full-time chartered accountant.

“Becoming an artist while working a full-time job is a choice I made [to follow] my heart.”

How did that bronze medal from the Japan Illustration Award come about?

“It was organised by the Japan Illustrators Association, the most popular organisation of professional illustrators in Japan, [and] has been held annually since 2000. It is the first international competition I participated in.

“I submitted my entry and forgot about it until a friend of mine, who was working in the design industry in China, sent a congratulatory message to me.

“The competition results were published on its official website and also announced on Weibo. It wasn’t the best [result], but I am very grateful considering I taught myself illustration for years.

“Receiving the congratulatory message from an international friend made me realise this was a competition that caught [the attention of people] in other countries. I should be proud of myself despite not coming out on top.”

What is the main subject in your drawings?

“There will always be a little [girl] and at least one big animal or imaginary creature against a backdrop, [with] a theme that makes the fearsome fearless, or a situation more attractive. The girl represents each and every one of us.

“Each of us embarks on our own journey to explore ourselves and things around us.

“Along the way, for those who are bold [like] the little girl in the painting, we could come across opportunities to experience and appreciate all beautiful or even fearful things.

“This is part of the reward or challenges we face for being bold. Although the journey may seem lonely, it will always be worthwhile.

“The big creatures, animals or monsters represent challenges that we are facing in life. They may be scary, but they will teach us [to] tame our fears, befriend them and grow from there.

“The key message is to always be brave enough to face challenges in life.”

What do you want to convey through your art?

“I am working towards creating work that arouses deep meaning for people who can discover it.

“Things may not always be blooming and bright. We should persist, as a little bit of bravery and kindness will always go a long way.”

What makes your art different from other illustrations?

“I would not say my art is special, but I think I have my own style. As I practise more and more over the years, I decided that I am comfortable sticking with my current style, to be recognisable in the market.

“I think having an art style is important to stand out. I started my art journey in 2017, when I set a target of completing 100 paintings featuring at least one girl and a big creature, animal or monsters.

“I completed this target in 2019. Since then, I have let myself draw whatever comes to my mind.”

How do colours influence your illustrations?

“Actually, I think drawing is the more challenging part. Colouring comes quite naturally. I am quite playful with colours.

“I would normally start off by deciding on the main colour that will be the main block of positive space for the illustration.

“I will then decide on the other sections of the illustration that should be rendered with colours that help to make the main object stand out.”

What do you want to portray through the characters?

“To always be brave enough to face challenges in life. Give yourself some time to learn, develop and discover. There is so much more to explore and to offer to the world.”

What is your future plan?

“[I am] working towards my dream to hold a solo exhibition one day, and publish a picture book that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.”