Aloha and welcome to B.Wan Studio! I'm Billy Wan, an illustrator from Hong Kong and now based in Honolulu, Hawaii. I focus on creating original character illustrations and animation to spread messages of love, positivity, and good vibes.
It is my sincere hope that my art will bring light to your day and spread love and positivity to the world.
When I was a little boy still living in Hong Kong (perhaps three or four years old), my dad often took me to the neighborhood arcade to play games. On one such day, a stranger came up to me, and from what I remember, he was probably around high school or college age. He had won a teddy bear from one of the games. He didn't want it and gave it to me. Granted, you could say that he simply didn't want the bear and was getting rid of it. But from my perspective, I felt special that he chose to give it to me. I realized later on that such a small gesture had made a big impact in my life — big enough for me to still remember it clearly. And yes, I do still have the bear and treasure it dearly.
It's because of this encounter that inspired me to create Bili and the Bear. I hope that through my art and characters, I can "carry it on" and make others feel special as well.
Bili and the Bear are my original characters. Their creation was sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Seeing and experiencing all the negativity during that time made me want to bring more love and positivity to the world.
The bear is inspired by my childhood story. Unlike others, I don't name my stuffed toys. So Bear has always been just "Bear." The girl is named Bili and the reason she's a girl pays homage to the person who gave me the bear. He had mistaken me for a girl. While Bili is not based on me, I did insert some of my own personality into her character and I hope it shows through my illustrations and animated shorts.
I believe that our mood affects everyone else around us. Have you noticed sometimes that when certain people enter a room, they become the "life of the party?" Everyone tends to gravitate towards that person's energy or their energy infects you in a positive way. That is what I mean! In this way, I feel that we can definitely change the world into a happier and more loving place.
This is the message that I want to share through Bili and the Bear. We just need to spread the love.