Hi I’m Hyesu!

It’s pronounced like

HeySu.

"I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. And I would be proud to say I’m fresh off the boat—although I'm not as fresh as I used to be anymore! I lived in Seoul until my mid-twenties, and went to study abroad in the UK, where my journey began.

I graduated from the University of Arts London with a BA in Illustration, then moved to New York City where I earned an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. I’ve been based in Brooklyn and going about my life as an illustrator, artist, muralist, comic artist and educator. 

My art has always been driven by a curiosity about how people connect. I was very shy growing up, so I never knew how best to communicate with those around me. But drawing people—observing them, and learning about them—that’s my way of connecting. Art, after all, has no language barrier.

I’ve been collaborating with various clients across many platforms all over the world - creating illustrations for brands, magazines, public murals, and packaging.

My belief is that anything warm and cheerful is contagious.”

SELECTED Clients

AARP / Advertising Age / American Greetings / Anheuser-Busch InBev

Apple / ARAG / Berkeley College / Bluemoon Brewing Co

Boston Globe / Boston Book Festival / Buzzfeed

Cafe Bustelo / Captain Morgan / Cigna / Chobani

Crown Royal / Dr.Jart / FCBCURE

Fema / Frigo / Food52 / GCRTA / Gestalten Publishing

GOOGLE / It’s Nice That / Kraft Foods / LA Times

Microsoft / Mentimeter / Morningstar Magazine

The New Yorker / The New York Times / The Lily

New Mexico Health Exchange / Nissan Japan

Ocean Spray / Paper because / Poetry Foundation

PLANSPONSOR Magazine

Quaker / Random House Kids / Samsung / Skittles

Santander Bank / SVA / Ten Speed Press / Toyota / Topo Chico

USPS / Under Armour

United Airlines / TaskForce / Time Out New York / Washington Post

For commissions or all other inquiries, contact Hyesu:
heyheysu@gmail.com


For book inquiries, contact my literary agent:
Alexander Slater at Greenburger Associates, aslater@sjga.com


SELECTED Awards/Lectures/Exhibitions

SPEAKING and LECTURES

The NCS/Reuben Award Jury / Apple - Creative Studio speaker

Kyoorius Designyatra Conference speaker / AIGA Creative Brew Conference speaker

Society of Illustrators Annual 61 Jury 

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarship Jury

SVA Alumni Scholarship Awards Panelist

Fashion Institute of Technology BFA Exhibition Jury

Buzzfeed - Design Club Speaker

RISD Lecturer / SVA - Thesis Advisor(MFA Illustration) 2020, 2019, 2016

SVA Lecturer in BFA Illustration and Cartooning / SVA Lecture in BFA Business in Illustration

FIT - Thesis Advisor(MFA Illustration) / SVA Lecturer BFA Drawing 2

Abrons Art Center - Lecturer in cartoons/Illustration class

SVA Lecture in Hand-lettering class

Parsons School of Design - CE Career Fair Panelist

SVA - Mentor(MFA Visual Narrative)

SVA - Thesis Advisor(MFA Computer Art) / Berkeley College - Visiting Artist Lecture

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

Red Envelope Show(group show), Spoke Art / Take A Moment(solo show), @OnthefringeNYC

MoCCA Arts Fest / Comic Arts Brooklyn / Street Smart(group show) / SVA Chelsea Gallery

Picture  in  Picture, LunchPad  (group show) /Tooth  &  Claw, The Living Gallery (group show)

Mail  Me  Art, The Framer’s Gallery(group show) / Magic  Show, LunchPad (group show)

Jon  Karen  Fall/Winter, White Studio Show (group  show) 

Imaginary  Friends, Brave  New  Worlds(group  show)

ILLUSTRIOUS, The  Guerilla  Gallery (group  show)

SHO-Meow, The  SHO  Gallery(group  show) / Bad  Luck  Club, My  Plastic  Heart  Gallery(group  show)

Desert  Island(Window  installation) / Intimate  Strangers, SVA  Gallery(group  show)

Kokoro  Summer  Group  Show, Kokoro  Studio(group  show)

Les  Cheveux  Electriques, Primo  Piano  Living  Gallery,  Italy  (group  show)

100%  Angel, Sungbo  Gallery,  Korea (solo  show)