Art Director by day, illustrator/letterer by night, Jocelyn Wong (IDEA Grad 2015) wants us to Love ALL Our Neighbours

October 5, 2020 James Neufeld

Jocelyn Wong (IDEA Grad 2015) paints under Something Yellow Studio, a passion project. An Art Director by day, illustrator/letterer by night, Jocelyn overcame a bumpy start to bring a message of love and community to Marpole with her mural ‘Love ALL Your Neighbours’ located on Granville Street at West 66th Avenue in Vancouver, BC.

The mural was part of the 5th Annual Vancouver Mural Festival held August 18 - September 7 showcasing 60+ murals in nine neighborhoods over three weeks.

The Lead Curator this year was Drew Young, also an IDEA School of Design graduate.

Jocelyn Wong

I had applied to be a muralist for VMF in the past, and was selected this year by curator (and fellow IDEA grad) Drew Young to be paired with this building in Marpole. The owners are a Catholic organisation, and included an ask in the brief to incorporate a faith-based message (though by no means did it have to be overtly religious). I chose to focus on a message of love, especially in this time of global turmoil and all around craziness. Yes, the origin of the quote is from the Bible, but I felt that the message was applicable to everyone. Through unrest, injustice and a pandemic, focusing on loving others can only make the world a better place. The mural involved tons of learning and personal growth for me. It was the biggest piece I have ever done and my first time operating an aerial lift among other firsts. I also felt major imposter syndrome. In school, I actively chose to pursue art direction and design and have since primarily identified as an art director/designer. Lettering and illustration were always just a secondary way to keep creating. So when the time came to sit amongst full-time artists with insane talent and think about my wall, I had to push that doubt aside to make something I was proud of. To make matters worse, on the first day, filled with first day jitters, logistical stress, and imposter syndrome, I was verbally harassed by residents of the neighbouring condo. It was a lot to handle on a first day, but ultimately made me more sure of the work I was doing as I continued to paint. It helped that the words I chose to paint felt like a perfect clap back. Love ALL your neighbours.

Jocelyn Wong, IDEA Grad 2015

Located along West 66th Avenue, artist Jocelyn Wong is prepping the wall for a colourful mural with a message we all need to hear right now.

Mural in progress

About the Vancouver Mural Festival

Vancouver Mural Festival is organized by Create Vancouver Society, a Registered Non-Profit dedicated to artistic and cultural development in the Lower Mainland. Through the creation of permanent large-scale public murals, we provide a platform for Vancouver's diverse art scene to contribute to the city’s cultural legacy for years to come. Our annual festival takes place for a week in August in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, and we work throughout the year with neighbourhoods around the Lower Mainland to highlight the local culture and vibrance of their area.

Our events and public art installations serve as catalysts for addressing many of the socio-cultural issues facing our city and artistic communities. These include, but are not limited to: public art policy, community building, environmental policy, reconciliation with First Nations, artistic censorship, diversity, cost of living, and the need for culturally sustainable development practices.

We recognize that our event and murals are produced on the traditional unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓wətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. We strive to incorporate the visual culture of these nations in our festival. We see our murals as an effective way to celebrate our diverse local cultures and their histories, with special focus on providing a platform for the local Nations' contemporary and traditional cultural expressions and histories.

We are an inclusive event intended for all classes, cultures, genders, ages, abilities, and beyond. We believe that it is crucial to the cultural health of the City of Vancouver to create tangible and lasting visual evidence of the rich diversity of voices living and working here. Our artist roster is an effort to reflect the varied histories present in our city, country, and our world.

Close up

Find Jocelyn’s advertising alter-ego at jocelynwong.ca or follow her on Insta @jocelynisyellow.