By Cansu Waldron

Xy Arnaldo is a digital artist and designer based in Metro Manila, Philippines. Her work spans digital art, animation, public art, and visual storytelling — often blending personal reflection with emotional resilience and dreamlike narrative flow. Through introspective imagery and layered storytelling, she transforms inner thoughts and memories into poetic visual worlds that resonate with quiet strength. Balancing freelance design work with her fine art practice, Xy is steadily carving her path in the digital art and animation landscape, guided by curiosity, sincerity, and a love of narrative form.

Recently, Xy’s practice has expanded internationally, with her digital works featured in exhibitions in New York and soon England. She collaborates with art events and digital showcases to reimagine urban environments as living canvases — places where technology meets emotion and architecture becomes a vessel for human stories. Merging cinematic rhythm with city life, her art invites viewers to pause, reflect, and rediscover the world around them as a gallery in motion.

We asked Xy about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

You describe your work as deeply connected to inner thoughts and emotional resilience. When did you first realize that digital art could be a language for those inner worlds?

Ever since I can remember, creating any form of art was something I was naturally drawn to. Both writing and art fascinated me from a very young age. If I recall correctly, perhaps around elementary school, I was quite timid and struggled socially. So I suppose it became instinctive for me to rely on creative activities and hobbies to navigate the complexity of my state of being at the time.

I would write down my thoughts on a piece of paper—anything from how I was feeling to what I was daydreaming about—and then reflect on those writings by sketching scenes inspired by the vastness of my imagination. In a way, I was trying to gather and understand my thoughts and emotions, because it was difficult for me to process things without reflecting on them creatively.

From those early writings and sketches, my practice naturally evolved into creating digital art. As I progressed, my passion for it deepened. That same drive and enthusiasm carried over into my college studies, where I pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Design in Advertising Arts. It all just made sense to me.

From there, my interests expanded further into animation, creative direction, and visual storytelling.

Growing up and working in Metro Manila, how has that environment shaped your artistic voice?

That’s an interesting question, actually. I’ve always considered the influence of my surroundings as one of the key inspirations when developing narratives or concepts for personal projects and digital art pieces. To directly answer your question, the urban landscape and vibrant city culture have shaped the way I think—encouraging me to explore diverse narratives from people of all walks of life and to approach creative ideas more boldly. This perspective has allowed me to envision stories through a wide range of lenses.

There’s a strong storytelling element in your art — almost cinematic at times. Do your ideas start with words, images, or emotions?

I think, for me, I put a lot of thought, care, and value into the story behind each and every artwork I create. Emotions and writing play a prominent role in my art—they’re the core elements constantly at play. From there, I naturally gravitate toward reflection, and it fuels my inner passion to express myself creatively.

I feel deeply, and I suppose that means I’m sensitively aware. My sensitivity to moments, sounds, gestures, and many other aspects of life has been a constant source of inspiration. At the same time, these things spark my curiosity and a desire to understand them more fully.

There’s something profoundly beautiful about the rawness of emotion—it often leads me to write with intention and depth. Then, I find myself drawn to the poetic tones that emerge. In the latter parts of my creative process, I take a cinematic approach to direction, aiming to highlight the value and significance of the subject matter I explore in every digital art work I create.

You’ve described your approach as “whimsical flow.” What does that mean to you in practice?

If you look closely at each of my Little Lonesome art pieces, you’ll notice subtle tones that hint at an exploration of lighting and direction. The whimsical flow then begins to emerge, brought to life through the execution of wondrous lighting in my work.

The whimsical flow I describe also stems from my tendency to create from emotional or reflective depictions. Often, these pieces delve deeply into thought—almost like falling into an abyss—so I intentionally draw from whimsical and imaginative directions to balance that depth. With this in mind, I strive to maintain a harmony between fiction and reality, crafting art that highlights the importance of both in life.

You’ve had work placed in New York and soon in England — that’s huge. What has it been like seeing your art become part of the public landscape in cities far from home?

For the most part, it’s been surreal. I can’t fully describe it, but there’s definitely a deep sense of gratitude. Things don’t just happen like that, right? So I see it as a momentous milestone—especially as someone who works independently and quietly pours her heart into her art, hoping to be seen.

Genuinely, I treat every opportunity as an honor—an honor to be recognized for my potential, and I’m taking it all in with immense appreciation. Although I’ve had the privilege of securing international placements, part of my goal is to showcase my culture and my story as a Filipino digital artist to audiences around the world.

There are also what we call OFWs, or Overseas Filipino Workers, and I want them to see a little piece of home through my digital art in public spaces across the globe. If I can make that happen, I remain hopeful!

What excites you most about the intersection of digital art, animation, and public space right now?

Through digital art, animation, and public space, you open a vast world of endless possibilities for creative storytelling and worldbuilding. I’ve always believed in exploring inner thoughts to craft entire worlds—using digital tools to present them in the most creative, emotional, and powerful way possible.

Visual storytelling has so much to offer. It can evoke shared emotions and foster understanding across differences. To relate with one another and reflect on life through art is, I believe, a beautiful experience. Ultimately, it can be a key to many things—especially in light of everything happening in the world today.

The inner worlds I create stem from a deep connection to my thoughts, shaped by self-reflection and genuine curiosity. These worlds continue to seek explorers—those who appreciate narrative and storytelling. By venturing into digital art, a bounty of creations can emerge from artists like myself, as long as creativity and passion guide us toward something beautiful and limitless.

What is a dream project you’d like to make one day?

I’m actually working on that dream project right now—it’s currently in development. I’m creating an animated film that I hope to submit to a few international film festivals and have it screened for a wide audience.

It’s a deeply meaningful project, especially because I’m working on it entirely on my own. Yes, I’m a one-woman team. It’s been in the works for about 5 to 8 years now, so I truly hope everything unfolds as planned. The story is something I’m incredibly passionate about, and in time, I look forward to sharing it with the rest of the world.

Have there been any surprising or memorable responses to your work?

So far, it’s the reactions I receive from people at different stages in their lives that truly move me. The fact that so many can relate to the storytelling in my digital artworks and connect it to their own experiences—it’s still surreal to me. I created these pieces with a clear goal and intention, but once everything fell into place, it was incredible to witness how everyone who saw my art came together, resonating with it as if they were all on the same page. Simply beautiful.

What is a fun fact about you?

I really love watching different genres of films and series—it gives me a deeper sense of various cultures and narratives. Sometimes, I revisit and record certain dialogues or scripts to better grasp the scene, and just for fun, I create storytelling videos and written logs inspired by them. But I never actually release them—instead, I tuck them away in my creative vault. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll decide to share them if people are interested. But for now, I’ll keep them close to my chest.