Rebecca Nguyen – Artist, scientist, and foodie adventurer

Rebecca is a SoCal native who currently resides in the Pacific Northwest in Portland, Oregon. Rebecca grew up in Southern California and was exposed to all types of cuisines and food trends. She describes herself as a life-long food enthusiast. “Travel for food” is not an unfamiliar notion for her, as she had fond memories of her sister and cousins taking hour-long car rides just to try out a restaurant for a specific dish. Moving to Portland, a city known for its exploration and growth of food culture, has been a pivotal milestone for her to channel her love for food through creative methods – documenting the journey through a TRAVELER’S notebook.

“As I’ve gotten older, I want to document my life in a more analog way. No electronic device can replicate the feeling of putting some writing tool on some paper for some creative magic. Drawing was something I wanted to get better at, and I thought my first TRAVELER’S notebook would be the perfect way to document that journey.”

A scientist by day, Rebeccas also has a creative business (@lineandwave) that offers calligraphy and lettering services. Recently, she began venturing into illustrations as part of her creative growth. She describes her creative projects as balancing the technical and logical parts of her brain during her day job. Rebecca began her TRAVELER’S notebook journey to document food, her biggest muse. She also wishes for this notebook to be a platform to capture her progress as an artist.

Flipping through her TRAVELER’S notebook spread, you can imagine yourself going along with her culinary adventures. Her notebook is filled with full-page spreads that break down the autonomy of a dish, as well as personal tasting notes and thoughts about the restaurant. She also documented fun food events such as Pizza Week. It was hard to believe that she had only been doodling food for over a year.

“I don’t just draw any food. I like to draw food that makes me feel things.”

Rebecca acquired her first TRAVELER’S notebook, TRAVELER’S AIRLINE from the Limited Set series, in 2022 and has already taken it with her to various countries in her travels. True to its name, the notebook accompanied her food journey to South Korea, Hawaii, and even on a boat on a crabbing adventure. It had taken on all the marks and scents from the food adventures she’d been on.

Rebecca believes that anyone can pick up a new skill or hobby by diving into it headfirst. Even when she was starting her doodles in her TRAVELER’S notebook, she didn’t refer to any tutorial but instead just started by drawing what was in front of her. Growing up, Rebecca wasn’t afraid to try different things or explore different ventures. She jokes that she was a huge headache for her family, for how much trouble she has gotten into when she decides to “experiment”. Her personality and curiosity for adventure resulted in travels around the world, as well as flourishing relationships. Her eagerness to grow as an artist is backed by her continuous practice, one doodle at a time.

Throughout the pandemic, Rebecca felt that the vibrant food community in Portland had faltered and slowed. Through her “food doods”, Rebecca wanted to support small businesses and inspire people around them. Not only did she draw food drawings of the places she patronized, but she also hosted meetups that brought fellow artists together to celebrate food and art. “Food Dood Meetups” are held every month for artists of all levels and skills at a local restaurant. She invites friends and budding artists together to draw in their notebooks, enjoy good food, and have great conversations.

“And now my TRAVELER’S notebook has evolved to not only as drawing practice, but my food journal. When I look back at those drawings, I’m reliving that amazing food experience. The TRAVELER’S notebook makes me feel like I can create anything.”

“TRAVELER’S notebook is like the jack of all trades. You’re able to do whatever you want with it. There’s nothing about TRAVELER’S notebook that says you have to fit in a box. However your life evolves, your TRAVELER’S notebook can evolve with you too.”

Rebecca described the TRAVELER’S notebook as “limitless”. She also describes living her life as if there are no limits. Just like the notebook, there are all kinds of adventures a person could have, and the notebook can be customized to fit anyone’s journey. Her favorite inserts are 003 Blank Notebooks because the blank pages are the perfect canvas for her artwork.

“I love being able to hold someone else’s notebook and you can get a sense of who they are by just looking through it. My TRAVELER’S notebook is messy and unorganized, and the cover is a bit beat up, but it just goes to show what kind of person I am, kind of fearless. TRAVELER’S notebook is evoking an emotion in me because it allows me to be me.”

Rebecca’s latest TRAVELER’S notebook was from the TRAVELER’S DINER set that was released in early 2023. She is looking forward to documenting more food adventures in this notebook!