Alissa Teo turns rice into Taylor Swift Chiefs-themed art.Photo:Alissa Teo (2)
Alissa Teo (2)
Alissa Teocan turn rice into art representing just about anything or anyone.
Growing up, the 34-year-old from Flower Mound, Texas, didn’t have much, but she always had paper and pencils around the house, sparking her love for art at the age of 7 or 8, she tells PEOPLE. She realized early on that while she struggled to express her thoughts through words, she could easily make people smile and capture their attention with her sketches and drawings. By age 11, she was successfully selling her sketches to classmates for just 50 cents — and business was booming.
Alissa Teo with Taylor Swift art.Alissa Teo
Alissa Teo
“Each art piece is unique and varies in size and complexity, so I can’t give a specific answer to how much time and rice each piece takes,” Teo tells says. “You’re gonna laugh, but I get my rice from Costco! I love my Costco membership! I store the rice in big food-safe containers to keep it as fresh as possible.”
“Back in 2021, when I first started, I failed many times,” she adds. “There were moments of frustration after spending hours on an art piece, only to find the toss-up failed or that I forgot to record it (it’s happened a few times). But I’ve done it hundreds of times to the point where it’s become muscle memory, kind of like riding a bike. I don’t do multiple attempts; it’s an all-or-nothing toss-up, so just one attempt.”
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Anyone who’s seen Teo’s videos knows that she usually catches the majority of the rice she tosses back onto her board. Afterward, she recollects the colored rice to either redye and reuse it for her next art piece, or donate it to local kids for sensory play.
“I have many friends who are teachers who use the rice I’ve tossed to create fun sensory bins for their students,” she explains. “Sensory bins help young children explore and discover the world through their five senses, promoting cognitive development, attention span, fine motor skills, self-calming skills, sensory development, imaginative play and much more.”
Alissa Teo places rice onto board.Alissa Teo
“Let’s just say the Swifties have definitely embraced me through their positivity and excitement, with all 10-plus-million views and counting on TikTok!” Teo shares. “The Swifties’ enthusiasm makes me feel like a wedding artist who may not personally know the bride and groom but was still able to recreate a beautiful portrait of their blooming love story for the world to see and embrace.”
“You can’t help but smile when you see the ‘You Belong with Me’ singer now as the ‘cheer captain’ rooting for her man on the football field,” she adds. “I love seeing the support she gives to Travis, and I wanted to create an art piece that celebrates this love story. We all just want love and to be loved, regardless of how successful or famous a person may be.”
Alissa Teo tosses Taylor Swift rice art in air.Alissa Teo
Teo hopes her videos encourage others and bring smiles to people’s faces. “Social media can be a brutal world to navigate, so it’s heartening to see people from all walks of life and ages come together in such a positive way. It gives me hope that I and many other artists can make a positive difference through art.”
“I just hope that if Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce ever see this art piece, it puts a smile on their faces,” she adds.
source: people.com