Thien loves helping students develop the skills and confidence to bring their creative ideas to life. Originally from San Jose, he earned his BFA in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He teaches because he enjoys witnessing the moment when a student learns something new or realizes they can do more than they thought possible. Because art is deeply personal, he often emphasizes one-on-one instruction to help each student develop their own creative voice. Outside of school, he enjoys comics and visual storytelling.