The Virtual Reentry Simulation is an interactive narrative experience made to bring awareness to the hardships people face when reentering society post-incarceration. The simulation highlights some of the biggest barriers to reclaiming normalcy, such as getting a stable job, a place to live, and meaningful support networks.
I created this simulation in October 2021 for Checkr. It was the only live component of the 2021 Checkr Forward virtual conference, and attendees were asked to play the simulation and discuss their experiences going through it. In spring 2022, Checkr will present the simulation in their upcoming TED Talks series.
Your name is Charlie. You’re a depressed twenty-something year old just trying to do what all depressed twenty-something year olds are trying to do: stay on top of your work, have a good time with your friends before they graduate, not think about your 'it's-complicated' relationship status, and obsess over the identity of the artist leaving sheep graffiti all over your neighborhood. And hide the fact that it feels like you’re rotting from the inside out. But hey, one step at a time, right?
LITTLE BY LITTLE BY LITTLE is a slice of life video game following a day in the life of an ordinary college student whose hyperfixation on local graffiti keeps them distracted from their rapidly declining mental health. The game touches upon depression and anxiety, drinking culture, self esteem, and complicated relationships — and how those struggles intersect with everyday life. It also explores the healing power of friendships and the importance of being vulnerable.
I worked on this game in the span of five months as a solo project, and it garnered local acclaim within the UCLA art community. It's been written about in the UCLA Daily Bruin newspaper, as well as showcased in three exhibitions: the 2020 Looking In / Looking Out UCLA DMA Senior Show, the 2021 Metamorphosis DMA Undergrad Exhibition, and the 2021 Re-Fest festival run by CULTUREHUB. It's also available to play on the Game Lab's Arcade Backpack.
Click through for in-game screenshots, concept art + art production, and in-game animations:
In-game screenshot, 2019
Penelope (2019-2020)
PENELOPE is a first person horror game about a young woman trying to escape an isolated AirBnb in the woods, after she makes the grisly discovery that it serves as a front for a body harvesting scheme. The game utilizes a claymation aesthetic that affects not only the visuals, but also the gameplay mechanics and ways in which the characters can interact with the world around them.
This project was developed as a part of Creative Labs at UCLA. I was one of the game's two Project Managers, and as the Art Lead I directed the team's art department. I led workshops teaching my department how to use Maya and Unity for 3D modeling, and we all collaborated on creating the assets for the game.
Click through for concept art, asset design, and 3D modeling:
Published panel, 2018
Perilous (2017-2018)
From 2017-2018, I worked for In Hiatus Studios, an independent comic book studio based in San Francisco.
I was the artist for "Perilous," one of the graphic novel titles debuting in the anthology "Shards: Volume II." I led the visual direction and art production for the title, including the development of a logo, character designs, concept art, and a full storyboard based on a script. I also inked and colored the 22-page first issue according to the team's fast-paced production schedule.
Click through for published pages, concept art, and storyboards: