10 Questions with Te-Sian Shih

Te-Sian Shih is a New York City-based graphic, packaging, branding designer, and artist.

She has cooperated with many high-end clients such as NYC's fashion brand company, luxury bed company, Package product company, the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and The Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC). She has also worked with one of the world's best musicians, Mr.Cho-Liang Lin's Taipei Music Academy and Festival.

Her design projects have been published in supermarkets and department stores in New York City. Besides, her design works have been published on The Taiwanese American Arts Council's NFT.

Te-Sian was a Final Critique Guest Artist at Pratt Institute's Master of Science in Packaging, Identities, and Systems Design department. Moreover, she was a Jury Member of the 2022 Wei-Chuan Mother's Day Drawing Competition hosted by the World Journal.

Her work has been featured in the 2019 'Fusion' Art Exhibition, which UNICEF supported, 2019 the Oculus World Trade Center's 'Here There' and 'The Blanc' art exhibitions, 2019 Florence Biennale, and 2021 Genova Biennale. In addition, her design projects have been exhibited in the art exhibition "Taiwan: A World of Orchids," supported by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and the Taiwan Ministry of Culture in 2021.

In 2019, she also held a group art exhibition, "Interstice," in Chelsea, New York, with 12 members and invited an excellent artist, Catherine Lan as the curator. Voice of America and World Journal interviewed her at the time.

Te-Sian Shih won Silver and Bronze awards at IDA International Design Awards 2019, Silver at Muse Design Awards 2020 and 2021, Silver at Graphis New Talent 2020, Silver at Graphis Poster Annual competition 2020 and 2021, two DNA Paris Design Awards winners 2021, 2020 GD USA American Packaging Design Awards, 2021 GD USA American Inhouse Design Awards, and 2022 A Design Awards' Iron Awards.

In 2022, Flushing City Hall, for the MuseConnect Gala 2022 annual event, placed Te-Sian, Shih's design works. Te-Sian helped MuseConnect Gala 2022's posters and artbook. In addition, the Brussels Art Exhibition, which the Brussels government supported, showed her design projects.

Te-Sian, Shih also will participate in an art exhibition called Tamara Art Award in Venice, Italy. Besides, her works will be shown in "International Bienal de Arte Barcelona" (International Biennale in Barcelona), which is to be held at MEAM Museum.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Design solves problems and conveys the companies' missions or personal vision. Designers should know what the concept needs to communicate to the consumers or viewers and then start thinking about the visual identity, branding, image, etc.

For example, one of Te-Sian, Shih's design projects, won various International Design Awards, such as A Design Awards and IDA International Design Awards, starting from the mood board and mission. First, She had to define the target audiences, colors, concepts, and mission, then make the logo or logotype for the branding. She also made the structural package for the perfume bottle because it's a package design project. The smell of the box was fresh, so the energy was the critical point concept.

She made the bottle look like an erupt firework and kept the shape of the bottle with the whole branding and graphic design on the bags, ads, test paper, traveling package, and other package designs.
Te-Sian kept everything straightforward and elegant. Besides, supporting the concept of "erupt energy" on the whole branding. Many businesswomen were interested in her branding.

A good designer should help consumers and businesses to develop their scale of enterprises and reputations.

INTERVIEW

First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. Who are you, and how did you start experimenting with design?

My name is Te-Sian Shih, and a New York City-based graphic, packaging, branding designer, and artist; and graduated with an MS in Packaging, Identities, and Systems Design at Pratt Institute and have cooperated with many high-end clients such as NYC's fashion brand company, luxury bed company, package product company, the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and the Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC). I have also worked with one of the world's best musicians, Mr.Cho-Liang Lin's Taipei Music Academy and Festival. 
After graduating from undergraduate school, I started to do graphic, branding, and package design. I studied Marketing and Logistics management at my university and have joined a competition called "MICE Destination MarketingContest," which cooperated with the graphic design team. I found out design is related to marketing and started to think about transferring my major. The designer aims to help communicate the business's idea to consumers.

Why did you choose design as your career over other forms of art?

Graphic, Branding, and Package Design relate to the business and marketing industry. Design communicates consumers, businesses, and branding concepts. In the commercialization society, everything has something to do with business practices, and artists can't just do everything they want without any business ideas. The design conveys the spirit of the individual, branding, studios, businesses, and even societies, and has more fun with the typography. 
In the graphic design area, we are not just creating an image, digital art, or installation art; we also have to consider choosing or creating suitable typefaces that show the whole work's personality and concept. We have to get attention immediately from viewers and customers. It's a big challenge that designers can't do anything they want to do without communicating with clients, colleagues, and bosses. Design is to solve problems without doing abstract works.
How to keep designers' personal artistic beauty and concept of the clients, individuals, and businesses in balance way is the designers' job. 

What are your influences and source of inspiration?

Websites, department stores, stores, and life, I always find inspiration from my life experience.
A good designer can use their life experience such as family, friendship, love, difficulty, happy times, and observed social issues in design projects to convey their emotions and thoughts and figure out the problem and solve it.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? How do you start and work on a new design project?

I will research the company and brand's concept and mission first and then start to make a mood board and decide on colors.
After that, I started to make logos or logotypes and keep the concept in them. Moreover, I began to think about the function and shape of the package design and then kept the graphic of the package shape or a created image related to the branding concept. 
Knowing the mission and concept of the brand is essential.

What are, in your opinion, the key aspects of a good design project? 

To solve the problem and communicate the core value of the subject.

You work on different types of design, from packaging and products to visuals and websites. What is your favorite project as a designer so far? 

I love all different types of design. Each design has other challenges, and I like to do various designs. So any projects that can make me challenge myself are my favorite projects.

Do you find that the shift to digital exhibitions and art fairs has helped you promote your work?

Yes, I have more chances to promote my design works through the press, social media, and TV.

What do you think about the art community and market?

I think designers and artists should put 3D into 2D projects and do some motion graphic works. Even though in poster design and social media design, viewers more easily get attention from motion graphic posters or art pieces than just 2D projects.
Besides, NFT is a new trend for artists and markets to join. It has risks, but it more easily helps artists promote their careers.

Finally, any projects or exhibitions you are looking forward to for this year?

I will participate in an art exhibition called Tamara Art Award in Venice, Italy. Besides, my works will be shown in "International Bienal de Arte Barcelona" (International Biennale in Barcelona), which is to be held at MEAM Museum. Moreover, I am considering founding a design studio.