PEORIA — Many women have paved the way for others to achieve their dreams. One Valley girl is already making her own mark in the world.
At just 10 years old, Audrina Nguyen-Oerzen already has her future mapped out. Drawing and painting are her escape and passion, and she’s been doing it for years. Her drawings are also not the typical things kids draw, she has meaning behind them.
“It just sets me free, kind of. It’s really peaceful. It’s fun to do,” she said.
One painting in Audrina's art room is a multi-colored heart with specs all over the canvass. Underneath that heart, there's a duck and two people, each holding an umbrella. She told ABC15 the painting is called the caring heart. The person right next to the duck is holding an umbrella for it as she depicts it’s raining, and then the next person to them holds another umbrella.
“It’s just kind of like a cycle of people being nice,” she said.
But artwork isn’t all she does. Her drawings and paintings get printed on different types of clothes and toys. Everything she sells through Audrina’s Amazing Designs is done by her.
“At first, she was telling me it was an idea and then all of a sudden, I received a phone call from one of her friend’s mom saying she wanted to place an order, and I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ The next thing you know, I was like wow she was really serious about this,” said Jillian Nguyen, Audrina’s mom.
That call happened in 2020. In 2021, they started printing her designs on shirts and since then, Audrina’s Amazing Designs grew. The two sell their clothes, plush toys and other little accessories online and at farmers' markets. Now, they’re also looking for a brick-and-mortar store.
“It makes me so happy, you know. It’s like going in an amusement park and going on a ride, it’s fun like that,” Audrina said.
Jillian says the way they print their clothes, it’s meant to last longer, rather than just a picture that’s ironed on a shirt. She said the way they print it, the designs are weaved into the fabric of the clothes. She told ABC15 she’s done a lot of research into helping her daughter thrive and grow in her business.
“Seeing that and investing in her youth, right, these are the future leaders that we have. We definitely have to invest and foster these talents,” Jillian said.
Audrina’s designs also capture her culture, being part Vietnamese. She’s created artwork that showcases her heritage, with the help of her family.
“Sometimes, I see my grandma eating something so I’m like oh that’s so cool, I’m going to make that into a character,” she described.
Those thoughts of hers all transfer on paper then to clothes that fulfill a dream of hers.
“If I told myself one to two years ago, I would not believe myself because it’s just so exciting, and I never thought I’d go this far with my dream job,” Audrina said.
To see some of Audrina’s designs, click here.
