1 Congratulations on your achievements in the MUSE Creative Awards! Could you start by introducing yourself or your agency? Can you also share a bit about your journey into your current industry?

GuessWho Studio is a creative practice co-founded by twin sisters Chenxin Luo and Chenyi Luo. What makes our studio unique is its dual authorship: two minds working in sync, yet each with its own perspective. This dialogue has shaped a visual language rooted in memory, mirrored perception, and narrative imagination. Our journey into the industry began naturally from a lifelong habit of creating together—from sketching side by side as children to building fully realized projects as adults. Over time, this collaboration evolved into a studio practice that blends illustration, graphic design, and storytelling. Projects like Dollhouse Dreams, which has received international recognition, established our tone as dreamlike yet emotionally grounded. Today, we continue to explore how twinship can serve as both a subject and a method of creation, while expanding into exhibitions, collaborations, and original IP development.

2 What inspired you to submit your work for this competition, and what does winning mean to you personally and professionally?

We submitted our work because we wanted to share the imaginative world we’ve been building as twins with a wider audience. Competitions like the MUSE Creative Awards provide a platform where illustration and design can be appreciated across cultures, aligning with our vision of connecting people through storytelling. Winning is incredibly meaningful, both personally and professionally. On a personal level, it affirms the bond and creative dialogue we’ve built as twin artists—a relationship that lies at the heart of our work. Professionally, it brings visibility and recognition that allow us to continue growing our studio, open new doors for collaboration, and expand the worlds we want to create.

3 Can you share the story behind your success? What inspired its creation, and what do you feel it represents in today’s industry?

The Dollhouse Dreams series is inspired by our twinship and the imaginative spaces we built together as children. The dollhouse became a metaphor for memory, intimacy, and the playful worlds we create to understand ourselves. It was born from our shared bond and our longing to revisit the innocence and wonder of childhood, but it grew into a narrative that others could also see themselves in. In today’s industry, we feel Dollhouse Dreams represents the value of slowing down, noticing small details, and creating work that resonates emotionally.

4 What do you believe set your project apart in such a competitive field? Were there specific elements or strategies that made it shine?

We believe what sets our project apart is the combination of our diverse backgrounds and the way we work as a duo. Both of us are trained not only in illustration but also in design, which gives our work a balance of artistic sensitivity and structured clarity. This dual perspective allows us to move fluidly between storytelling and visual systems, making the work both imaginative and well-grounded. Equally important is the nature of our collaboration as twins. Two creative minds working closely together bring constant dialogue, different angles, and a kind of mirrored perception that pushes each idea further.

5 Every project has its challenges. Can you share a significant obstacle you faced during this process and how you overcame it?

When we first began working on Dollhouse Dreams, it was actually the very beginning of our illustration journey. One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to maintain visual consistency across the series, especially achieving the nostalgic, vintage-inspired color palette we had in mind. To overcome this, we experimented with many variations, exchanged constant feedback, and refined our process. We would divide roles between linework and color while always revisiting the overall atmosphere. Through this back-and-forth, we gradually developed a shared visual language that carried through the entire series.

6 Winning an award of this caliber often brings recognition. What do you hope this achievement will mean for your career, your team, or your agency in the long run? Have you already noticed any changes or opportunities arising from this recognition?

We see this award as an exciting beginning. In the long run, we hope it will open more doors, whether that means new collaborations, opportunities to share our work with wider audiences, or chances to grow GuessWho Studio’s presence internationally. More than anything, it gives us confidence to keep building our creative world, knowing that it resonates beyond ourselves.

7 For those aspiring to achieve similar success, what advice would you offer to help them not only thrive in their industries but also craft compelling, award-worthy entries? Are there specific practices, mindsets, or strategies you believe are key?

Our biggest advice is to stay authentic to your own voice. At the same time, patience and persistence are important. Don’t be afraid to experiment, refine, and push ideas further until they feel complete.

8 The creative industry is constantly evolving. How do you view these changes, and where do you hope to position yourself in the future?

As twin illustrators, we hope to position GuessWho Studio as a space where personal narratives and imaginative worlds meet design clarity that bridges illustration, brand, and cultural storytelling. Looking ahead, we want to keep developing our original IP and expanding our collaborative projects. Our goal is to create work that feels both intimate and universal, giving people a glimpse into our twin world while also sparking connections that reach far beyond us.

9 Entering awards can be daunting for many, especially those just starting out. What would you say to individuals who have limited experience, or are hesitant to showcase their work in competitions? How can they build confidence and see the value in participating?

We completely understand that hesitation because we felt the same way. We are still very early in our journey as emerging artists. We often doubt ourselves and worry that our work wouldn’t be recognized. What helps us is shifting perspective: instead of seeing awards only as a measure of success, we treat the process as a way to learn. Each submission teaches us more about the industry, about how to present our work, and about how our practice could grow. Even when results didn’t come right away, the experience itself was valuable. Our advice would be: don’t wait until you feel “ready,” because growth often happens through the act of trying. See competitions as opportunities to refine your practice and share your voice.

10 If you could describe your award-winning entry in one sentence, what would it be and why?

Dollhouse Dreams is a personal series that reimagines domestic space as psychological landscapes and a fantasy drawn from my sister’s and my childhood memories, capturing how our shared imagination turned ordinary moments into magical worlds. Each room acts as a quiet theatre of memory and longing.

11 Finally, what’s next for you? Any exciting projects or upcoming goals that you’d like to share with us and the audience?

Yes—we’re excited to share that our next project will be a series of illustrations centered on the theme of windows. We’ve always loved the idea that anything beyond a window can become a landscape, carrying its own sense of chance and creativity. This series will explore how windows frame everyday scenes into something poetic and unexpected.

WINNING ENTRY

Student Submission
2025
MUSE Winner - Dollhouse Dreams

Entrant Company

PI Art Center

Category

Student Submission - Student Illustration