The Isolation Diaries: Rochelle Oh
Image Rochelle Fish
By Ruby Staley
We know isolation can get a little lonely.
In honour of staying home, we’ve decided to take some time to chat (via the internet) to some of our favourite creatives to find out how they are dealing with this very new and strange state of being.
Rochelle Oh (or The Rochelle Fish) is a young, Melbourne-based illustrator, YouTuber, graphic designer and podcast host making waves in the creative social media scene. Having surpassed 120k subscribers on YouTube, Rochelle is well and truly cementing her presence on the internet as an out-of-the-ordinary creator, in the best way possible.
I stumbled upon Rochelle’s YouTube channel earlier this year, in the midst of the pandemic, at a time when TikTok was still considered kind of weird. Her video of her and her friend, Sally, attempting to learn popular TikTok dances was just the kind of fun and lighthearted content I needed at that point in time and continue to look for.
Although she’s young and relatively new in her industry, Rochelle appears consistently as her unapologetic self. She’s genuine in her passions and creates works which are equal parts informative, visually satisfying and humorous.
I had the chance to chat to Rochelle to dig a little deeper into her artistic endeavours, finding her feet and iso survival methods.
How did you get into illustration and graphic design?
I always wanted to follow a creative career path, and after doing visual arts in high school I wanted to try something a bit different. I figured with design I could bring my existing creative skills, but had a lot of room to grow and learn too.
What's your artistic process like?
It definitely varies! As a designer/illustrator I'm often working to a brief, so I just need to do some research, sketches, communication with the client, then make the final piece! My personal work is usually born from doodling while watching something or wanting to try a new medium.
Tell me a little bit about your experience as a media slashie in Melbourne.
I always thought that being a multi-faceted creative would help me offer something unique. Now I often feel like a 'Jack of all trades, master of none'. I think it would be easier to find work if I had a more focussed craft I was more skilled at. Of course, dabbling in everything does offer flexibility and it's so fun and fulfilling to explore new mediums that I don't see myself sticking in one lane anytime soon!
Walk us through your daily routine and how it’s changed since before the pandemic.
Although a lot has changed for me emotionally this year, not much has changed in terms of my day to day, which is a comfort to be enormously grateful for. I've been figuring out what work looks like for me this year, after coming out of my design degree and craving a stable income I haven't been able to find, worrying I've just been too picky. But at the end of the day, I'm so fortunate to be able to find any work from the comforts of my home. The government's response to the pandemic has exacerbated the severity of their neglect and oppression of so many people already facing multiple marginalisations placed on them right here in Naarm and so-called Australia as a whole. This year has really shown me the importance of staying meaningfully connected to those you care about and forced me to rethink how I'm investing in my communities.
How have you been staying sane during isolation?
Definitely regularly hanging out with my friends and making the most with what I can do through the internet! I try not to dwell on 'pre-pandemic life' and instead treasure what I have and can create right now. I need to also remind myself to be gentle on myself and recognise how intense this year has been.
What does your ideal WFH outfit look like?
A good mix of layers and comfort, preferably accompanied by sunshine !!
Give us your isolation recommendations; what have you been reading, watching, listening to, eating?
Listening to a lot of musical soundtracks, watching a lot of Critical Role (a live streamed show of voice actors playing D&D), reading not enough of anything D:
What’s something you’ve learned during this time? This could be a new skill or simply something you’ve learned about yourself.
I've been getting back into ballet, just following YouTube classes in my room and living room. It's helped me feel very connected and in control of my body, as well as connected to people across the globe. It also brings me a lot of joy and oh boy a lot of sweat!
To check out Rochelle’s work visit her on Instagram or Youtube at The Rochelle Fish.