Meet Lida Xu | Digital Artist, Storyteller & Game Developer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lida Xu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lida, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I started SpicyTea LLC, my thought process wasn’t just about “starting a business” — it was about designing a sustainable ecosystem for creative independence.

As a digital artist and storyteller, I’ve always wanted to build something that allows art to sustain itself, rather than depending on unstable freelance cycles. I realized that if I could systemize my creativity — turn it into a structure that could generate both emotional and financial value — I could create long-term freedom for myself and for the stories I care about.

That’s why I founded SpicyTea LLC. It became the platform for my first indie otome game, Petting Lover, which combines art, writing, and interactive design. Starting a business wasn’t just a financial decision; it was a statement that independent artists can own their narratives, manage their production pipelines, and grow global audiences on their own terms.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Art, for me, has always been a conversation between logic and emotion. I started out as a visual artist and animator — someone who loved to make feelings visible through light, color, and motion. But over time, I realized I didn’t just want people to look at my art; I wanted them to feel responsible for it. That’s what drew me toward interactive storytelling — it lets the audience shape the emotional experience with me.

Today, my work lives at the intersection of art, psychology, and design. I’m currently developing Petting Lover, an indie otome game that explores love, autonomy, and power through choice-based interaction. It might look soft and romantic, but underneath it questions what it means to connect — and how much of ourselves we give away when we do.

Getting here wasn’t easy. I had to learn how to be my own team: artist, writer, designer, marketer, accountant — sometimes all in the same day. There were moments when I wondered if it was worth it, but every obstacle taught me how to protect my creative energy and turn structure into freedom.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that creativity is a long game. You can’t rush meaning, but you can design the space for it to grow. I want people to know that art can be intelligent and emotional — that independence doesn’t mean isolation, and that every story we build has the power to change how we see ourselves.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting Atlanta for a week, I’d want them to experience both sides of the city — the “tourist Atlanta” and the “artist Atlanta.”

We’d probably start with the classics — the Coca-Cola Museum, the Georgia Aquarium, and maybe a quick photo stop at Centennial Olympic Park. You can’t skip those, it’s part of the full ATL tourist initiation.

Then I’d take them to Ponce City Market and the BeltLine area — great food, local art, and the kind of open-space vibe that makes you want to stay all afternoon. We’d grab coffee there, walk around the murals, and maybe wander into Atlantic Station for some shopping or just people-watching.

Since I graduated from SCAD, I’d definitely bring them to campus — it’s such a visually inspiring place, filled with creative energy. I think anyone visiting Atlanta should see that side of the city, too, where art and design really shape the culture.

For nature and quiet, we’d escape the city a bit — Gibbs Garden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, or even a weekend cabin trip up in Blue Ridge during the fall, when the leaves turn into this surreal sea of red and gold. It’s beautiful, peaceful, and very Southern in the best way.

Food-wise, I’d skip the Chinese spots since they’re rarely authentic, but the Korean and Japanese restaurants around Duluth are great — that’s the real hidden gem of living outside the city. And of course, we’d have at least one super-American breakfast at IHOP, just for the full experience.

In short, it’d be a mix of good art, good views, and good food — the three essentials for a perfect week in Atlanta.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to all independent creators who believe in building worlds from scratch.
Every artist who chooses to create rather than conform — you remind me that storytelling is a form of resistance, and also a form of love.

Website: https://lidaxu.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xlllida/

Image Credits
Personal Photo Photographer: Wanxin Zhou