About TCIS

Hi my name is Chan, and I am the Founder of The Coffee Ink Studio. I’m so incredibly happy you’re here!

So a brief background on me; I am a 30 something book nerd from New York currently living in Chicago. I am an artist, and have been my entire life. I have a very wide array of interests and hobbies from pottery and ceramics, to biology (specifically genetics), to fountain pens, to the Harlem Renaissance (by far my favorite time period to learn about), all the way to the history and evolution of Graffiti. But you aren’t here for me so let’s talk about The Coffee Ink Studio.

In a few words, I just want to tell good stories, make bold strokes, and drink great coffee. If that was all you wanted to know it’s been great spending time with you and we hope to see you again soon. If you want to dive a little bit deeper, this next bit is for you.

As far as the company name, I am in fact OBSESSED with coffee (and need it to function most days). As for the ink, that is a favorite medium to work in. Honestly between the tattoos, graffiti, and random splotches of color everywhere we're all inked up over here

A little about the shop. For anyone who wants to know, yes this is a Black Woman owned company. I just wanted to put my art on little things that bring me joy on a daily basis, and it hopefully does the same for you. In short I LOVE US. I’ve also been privileged enough to see there is no specific or “right” way to be a “black” person. Like Carlton Banks said “Black isn’t something I’m trying to be, it’s what I am.” I feel like that is a true sentiment for most people and cultures, there are plenty of things that are widely associated with everyone’s culture that you simply don’t identify with. I find the world around me so inspiring, but it is the almost mundane moments in a person's individual story that really makes my creative spirit soar. There is such beauty in the small moments that make life worth remembering. I am are striving for my work to capture and reflect that. 

To be super honest, I've never really felt that my voice was ever unique, educated, or eloquent enough to really matter, or had the right take up space in those important conversations. While it brings untold joy to see so much more diverse representation in the world now, I still want to see more fully realized complex human beings who happen to be a person of color more often, and maybe have nothing to do with some of the typical stereotypes. So this little space on the internet is me daring to take up space in the world as just my weird and quirky self.

Thank you so much for taking the time to poke around the shop for a bit. Since I am still new it might be a little rough around the edges right now, but hopefully you are willing to grow with me. I am looking forward to having a ton of fun with you. I hope you also unapologetically take up the space you deserve in your own life, and have an amazing day!