How Neurodivergence Empowered Cherry to Build a Thriving Art Career

Creativity is often shaped by the experiences and perspectives that make us unique, and for Cherry, growing up neurodivergent played a significant role in shaping her artistic journey. From childhood doodles in textbooks to running their own art business, her story is one of passion, authenticity, and unwavering support from family.

In this interview, Cherry shares how neurodivergence has influenced her creativity, the impact of her parents’ encouragement, and the lessons she's learned along the way.

 

You mentioned that growing up neurodivergent shaped you as an artist. In what ways do you think it influenced your creativity and artistic approach? Were there any moments where you felt your neurodivergence gave you a unique perspective or advantage in your work?

Growing up in a city as conservative as Hong Kong, not only did I not realise I was neurodivergent, I didn't even know what neurodivergent was.

In terms of my artistic nature, I think being neurodivergent made me quite fixated on drawing. It was easily one of the only things I cared about, and I would doodle in class in textbooks, get scolded, then do it again the next day.

I only really cared about either playing on my Nintendo DS, which influenced my art and choice of colour or drawing.

I loved drawing so much that I drew every day and eventually got to a point where I didn't need to think when I draw, I just let my hand decide, if that makes sense.

It came with some downsides, such as me neglecting my homework so often that I would get told off in front of the whole class. Still didn't care that much though.

 

Do you think your neurodivergence influences the way you approach creative work, whether it’s through focus, detail, or thinking outside the box?

I think of neurodivergence as a social obstacle, where for me it is difficult to read between the lines, read the room, predict another person's reactions and thoughts.

I think for a long time I tried to be likable in terms of the things I say and the way I dress. Up until a point where I realised, neurodivergent or not, I won't be liked by everyone, so I might as well just be me. 

In terms of art, I have always just drawn whatever I liked, not caring what other people think. Fortunately, somehow by being authentic, I have always had people praising my art, similar to me always having good friendships fall onto my lap.

Cherry's Illustrations stationery featuring her own made-up characters.

 

You’ve shared that your parents’ support was really important to your journey - how did they encourage your artistic growth?

My parents, though both worked full-time jobs and were often not at home, tried their very best to support their children's interests. They were so extremely supportive of my drawings that to this day, they have still kept all of my drawings neatly in a folder, the ones on paper and the digital ones on my dad's iPod Touch. They would treat every one of my drawings as worthy of being in a museum - that's how exaggerated their compliments would be. So, in terms of artistic ability, I was so confident to the point where it was basically delusional.

I was also lucky enough to have people around me, such as primary school classmates and teachers, praise my drawings too. I grew up thinking I was extremely good at drawing. Looking back, that's probably not the case, but this confidence brought me to where I am in life now, and I would say it all worked out nicely thanks to my parents. Big shoutout to Mom and Dad! I love you! ❤️

 

Many artists struggle with external pressure to choose a more traditional career path. Did you ever feel that pressure, and how did your parents help you stay on your path?

I actually didn't really think that much about a career at all - when I was younger, I would blurt out things like, "Oh, I wanna be a tattoo artist!" or fashion designer or optometrist (because I was told that they make a lot). All those thoughts spoken out loud, I never actually imagined myself working that job for the rest of my life.

Additionally, my parents have never pressured me to do or be anything, aside from being happy, so I never felt restricted by the pressure of needing a traditional job.

 

You describe yourself as a one-woman team - what have been some of the biggest challenges of running your own art business?

The biggest challenges would be time management and having to learn skills outside of just drawing. Things such as making physical products, sourcing manufacturers, promoting yourself on social media, how to edit videos, how to take product photos and write listings, how to package your products, etc. Many steep learning curves, but I enjoy them nonetheless.

 

Were there any unexpected opportunities that helped you get to where you are today?

I think just the support I've received thus far is unexpected already. If it weren’t for my followers, I wouldn’t have come across so many fun opportunities, such as collaborating with the local strawberry café Houbi Ichigo, collaborating with Kinder World, a wellness mobile game, publishing colouring books with Penguin, as well as getting to work with retails such as you [see Cherry's collection here!] to help spread my products far across the world.

 

How do you balance creating for yourself versus creating for an audience?

I am not going to lie, I'm pretty self-centred. If there is a Venn diagram of what I want to create and what people want to see, I definitely prioritise what I wanna create, then the overlapping, and then not really regarding what people want to see. This isn't because I don’t care about other people, but because the internet is far too wide, and you never know if someone will like your content or not. My thought process is, why not prioritise what I want to create and focus on attracting an audience that likes me for who I am?

 

If you could go back and reassure your younger self about anything, what would it be?

I would tell my younger self that I'm still pretty anxious, but have become a little more secure in myself over the years. That I actually love my job and get to draw daily for a living and it's really cool. Life is good, and don’t stress too much about the future—focus on the present moment.

 

Key Takeaways

• Embrace what makes you different - your unique way of thinking can fuel creativity and set your work apart
• Stay true to your vision; the right audience will find and appreciate your authenticity
• Surround yourself with supportive people who believe in your passion - it makes all the difference
• Don’t feel pressured to follow a traditional path; success comes in many forms, and fulfilment matters just as much as financial gain
• Be prepared to learn skills beyond your craft - marketing, business management, and production can help turn your passion into a thriving career
• Engage with your community and share your work consistently; you never know what opportunities might come your way
• Trust yourself, enjoy the present and don’t stress too much about the future - your passion can lead to incredible places