iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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sailor mercury @sailorhg.com · 23/08/2026

@shirleywu.studio & i are bringing the ceramics and data visualization art installation we did in tokyo last year to san francisco! luma.com/calendar/cal...

a photo of sakura, maple, and ginkgo shaped ceramics. the text says "amy wibowo & shirley wu present
ephemeral
capturing seven decades of blooms & foliage in ceramics
09/05 - 09/20 sat & sun 1-6pm 78 gough st san francisco

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 27/11/2025

I've been refactoring my blog post styles with @tailwindcss.com the last few days and what took me a bunch of javascript beforehand has now been reduced to 4 lines and it makes me so happy ☺️

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sailor mercury @sailorhg.com · 19/10/2025

today is the last day to see @shirleywu.studio’s and my interactive ceramics & data science art show at such as gallery in shimokitazawa, tokyo!

two walls of an art gallery with the title “ephemeral” and sakura, ginkgo, and maple shaped ceramics hanging with vertical chains of beads attached. the ceramics represent how much earlier or later the flowers bloomed or leaves’ colors changed compared to a 7 decade average

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sailor mercury @sailorhg.com · 16/10/2025

i’m so proud of us!! @shirleywu.studio and i set up our collaboration art show at suchas gallery in 下北沢, tokyo which will run through 10/19! it’s an interactive ceramics installation that shows how sakura bloom dates and maple & ginkgo color change dates have shifted over the past 7 decades

photo of the outside of a gallery space with the name on the awning “suchas gallery”, and a sign in the window that says “ephemeral”

a ceramics installation on a wall with sakura, maple, and ginkgo leaf shaped ceramics, each glazed with a gradient pattern. beads on a chain appear above and below each ceramic.

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Sugimoto Tatsuo @sugimototatsuo.com · 13/10/2025

Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio gave a guest lecture in my course, which was very engaging and inspired students. Her prototyping process for her recent and upcoming shows was particularly interesting.

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sailor mercury @sailorhg.com · 13/10/2025

the ceramics and i made it safely to tokyo! these boxes + ranpak kept the ceramics intact in my luggage! the next few days will be for finishing show prep with @shirleywu.studio!

boxes of ceramics shapes with stickers featuring the ceramic piece plus a photo of the tree it’s inspired by. ceramics shapes include maple leaves, sakura flowers, and gingko leaves.

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CodeTV @codetv.dev · 11/09/2025

There are no losers on Web Dev Challenge, but that won't stop @shirleywu.studio from trying to win. Watch the full episode: codetv.link/wdc/s2e8

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Rahul Bhargava @rahulbot.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Weekend read: @shirleywu.studio stirred up rich discussion with her series on the state of data storytelling. I'm in the "data experiences" camp -- we can use data to bring people together IRL and tell impactful data stories that drive understanding and change. www.shirleywu.studio/notebook/202...

shirleywu.studio

beyond the plateau: the next decade with physical data experiences, a hopeful reimagining - Shirley Wu

After reflecting on what might have caused a creative plateau in data visualization in "what killed innovation", I turn my attention to where we could go from here. I share why I’m especially excited…

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sailor mercury @sailorhg.com · 06/10/2025

tokyo friends, @shirleywu.studio and i have been working on a datavis + ceramics art show that will open next week! ephemeral: capturing seven decades of blooms and foliage in ceramics 📆 2025.10.16(thu)–10.19(sun) 1–7pm 🎊 10.17 (fri) 6–8pm opening party 🗺️ such as gallery, shimokitazawa, tokyo

a photo of a ceramic sakura, maple leaf, and ginkgo, with the text “amy wibowo and shirley wu present: ephemeral 陶器に映し出す、桜と紅葉の70年の季節。(translated in english: capturing seven decades of blooms and foliage in ceramics)

2025.10.16(thu)–10.19(sun) 1–7pm
suchas_gallery shimokitazawa, tokyo

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sailor mercury @sailorhg.com · 06/07/2025

i’ve been working on a puzzle hunt set at the sf conservatory of flowers, and finally got it to a testable state! tysm to @shirleywu.studio, alex, and @indirect.io for helping test it!

a dark green postcard with white script text that says “a flower by any other name, a linguistic and botanical puzzle hunt set at the conservatory of flowers”, held by a hand in front of lots of tropical plants

an envelope and papers on top of an iron garden table, in a conservatory green house

a water garden in a conservatory of flowers, featuring water lilies and lotus leaves

a dark green envelope with a gold flower wax seal, held in front of tropical plants

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Desireé Abbott (she/her) @callmedeeray.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Shirley's newsletters are a true treat to read. If you're into #dataviz, you should absolutely subscribe.

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Dominikus @handle.invalid · 28/03/2025

HN comments for @shirleywu.studio's last blog provide a fascinating glimpse into the minds of definitely non-datavis people: Datavis is done, simplicity should be everything, web as a platform was a bad idea... Is this what potential clients think? Is this where the crisis in datavis comes from?

news.ycombinator.com

What Killed Innovation? | Hacker News

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 28/03/2025

🎊Part 3 of my #dataviz trilogy OUT NOW🎊 What if next wave of innovation comes from what we currently call “Unusual” (ie data sculptures & hyper-local events)? I explore “data experiences” & how deep community connection might drive meaningful cultural impact. 🔗 www.shirleywu.studio/notebook/202...

shirleywu.studio

beyond the plateau: the next decade with physical data experiences, a hopeful reimagining - Shirley Wu

After reflecting on what might have caused a creative plateau in data visualization in

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Adam Fortuna @adamfortuna.com · 13/03/2025

New blog post! Seven People That Inspire Me To Be More Creative adamfortuna.com/inspirations... So many people are doing fun & amazing things. I wanted to celebrate a few of them ♥️ Including @cassidoo.co @jason.energy @excid3.com @maggieappleton.com @shirleywu.studio Chelsea Fagan & Nadia Odunayo

adamfortuna.com

Seven People That Inspire Me To Be More Creative

Here are a few people whose work inspires me to be more open and creative.

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 21/03/2025

two weeks ago I published www.shirleywu.studio/notebook/202... re: plateau in innovation I've felt in #dataviz last few years. I've been furiously working on the follow-up (so many thoughts!) & it'll finally be out next Monday 🎉 if you'd like an email notification: www.shirleywu.studio/notebook

shirleywu.studio

what killed innovation?: the past decade of interactive graphics, a brief recounting - Shirley Wu

Over the past decade, interactive data visualization has gone from bold experimentation to polished, predictable formats. I’ve been reflecting on why—and after speaking with some of the best in the fi...

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 18/03/2025

today's planets progress 🌌 feeling much better about it than before but still not 100% happy, will keep tweaking 👩‍💻

A digital artwork featuring clusters of glowing golden and white speckled circles of varying sizes, arranged in a spiral pattern against a deep blue and purple cosmic-like background. Faint concentric circular lines add a sense of depth and movement, evoking the imagery of celestial bodies or a data-inspired galaxy visualization.

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 13/03/2025

taking a moment to celebrate: i've finally completed the move to @buttondown.com and deleted my substack 🎊 and as an added bonus i learned how to setup my own custom sending domain so now all my newsletters actually come from my own email ✨ if you're interested → shirleywu.studio/notebook

A pop-up confirmation message from Substack on the website shirleywu.substack.com. The message states: "Ok! The publication is being deleted. This may take a minute or two." There is an "OK" button at the bottom of the pop-up.

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Ellen M. @graphxgrrl.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

I love this discussion—I work primarily with civil engineers, so my largest challenge is often talking through balancing how explicit we need to be with context and labeling for a technical audience vs. visual storytelling for general audiences. But it always comes down to common expectations.

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 12/03/2025

It’s always a joy to chat w/ a longtime friend, but being @ryanburgess.com’s first guest on his new podcast series? What an honor ♥️ We talk #dataviz, art history (ish), my foray into physical data sculptures, & art we’d love to see in a post-genAI world. 🔗 portraitsofanartist.com/episodes/shi...

portraitsofanartist.com

Exploring Data Visualization with Shirley Wu - Portraits of an Artist

Shirley Wu shares her journey from tech to art and how she blends data with creative storytelling.

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

All websites that depend on NOAA data should display something like this. earth.nullschool.net

Weather and climate data shown on this website and countless others are at risk.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the U.S. agency responsible for global weather forecasting, hurricane prediction, ocean observation, and many other services vital to public safety. Its satellites, supercomputers, and research teams provide essential data that help us understand our planet and protect lives.

On February 27, the new U.S. administration initiated mass firings at NOAA. These actions are unethical and deeply disruptive to the talented scientists and engineers who dedicate themselves to the public good. The firings, along with expected budget cuts, have serious implications for the availability and quality of weather forecasts produced by the United States. They must be reversed immediately.

Much of the data on this website is downloaded directly from NOAA's servers. In this environment of uncertainty, access could be disrupted at any time. While I'll strive to keep all features on this website functional and switch to alternative data sources if necessary, some datasets have no substitute if they go offline.

If this concerns you, speak up. Share on social media. And if you're in the U.S., contact your representatives.

- Cameron

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 03/03/2025

today's bug that i'm enjoying

A scatterplot visualization with purple circles of varying sizes representing data points. The x-axis shows percentages, while the y-axis indicates hourly wages, marked at $40/hr and $60/hr. Thin purple lines extend from a single origin point, connecting to individual data points.

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 28/02/2025

this is exactly the kind of content I've missed, a good old nerdy roll-your-own #dataviz/#carto algorithm. also emphasizes how deep domain/topic knowledge is so important in making a good viz 🙌

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 27/02/2025

🎊 New Client Case Study 🎊 Opportunity@Work wanted a way to elevate the insights from their research—so I collaborated with them to create an interactive #dataviz that shows how workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes can move into higher-wage jobs. 🔗 www.shirleywu.studio/projects/cas...

shirleywu.studio

Low Wage Does Not Mean Low Skill - Shirley Wu

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 12/02/2025

last spring, after a 2 year pause in client work, I noticed a significant uptick in clients asking for line+bar+pie charts 📈📊 even tho they come to me (I thought) for bespoke #dataviz. I wrote about it here: www.shirleywu.studio/notebook/202... fellow #dataviz friends have you experienced the same?

shirleywu.studio

Outside a client's comfort zone - Shirley Wu

What happens when your creative work pushes a client’s boundaries? Reflecting on a data visualization project, I share lessons on navigating feedback, balancing bold ideas with clarity, and designing ...

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 04/02/2025

been working around the clock finishing up client deadlines and setting up business things and finally finished 99% last night. I’m off to vacation tomorrow and I woke up with the smoothest brain no thoughts haha and I’ve decided to embrace it ✨ tl;dr today is a no thoughts just vibes sort of day

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 02/02/2025

another ugly work-in-progress this sunday 😆 i'm trying to make it look like a planetary system but haven't had time yet to play with colors and textures (taking care of the interactivity/animations first) what should i do to make it more like stars and planets (if i'm limited to two colors)?

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 29/01/2025

I can't believe it's the end of January aka. the month of reflecting on the past year + goal-setting for the new one 😆 I'm making it just in time with this post about 2025 themes: take it slow, dream small, let the big pieces from 2024 settle firmly into place. www.shirleywu.studio/notebook/202...

shirleywu.studio

note to self: slow down and dream small - Shirley Wu

I reflect on the transition from chasing big dreams to celebrating small moments in 2025. In my 本命年 (zodiac year), I embrace slowing down, self-assurance, and finding fulfillment in the present. A jou...

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 25/01/2025

me friday night: omg I still have so much work to do husband: but do you want to take a break and try this zelda game? me: ok but I'm setting a timer for 30min me 30min later: *ignores timer and plays until 3am*

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Nadieh Bremer @nadiehbremer.com · 25/01/2025

The DVS Readers' Club (written) chat about @shirleywu.studio and my book "Data Sketches" has just started! eventbrite.com/e/dvs-reader... Come join the discussion! ^_^

eventbrite.com

DVS Readers' Club: Data Sketches

This month, we're reading Data Sketches by Nadieh Bremer and Shirley Wu! Join us for a virtual discussion, including a Q&A with the authors!

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 22/01/2025

all I wanted was a quick 5min refresher on svelte transitions and I've gone down an hour+ rabbit hole of svelte 5 updates bc I totally missed that happening last october lol

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 19/01/2025

(like many) I've been thinking a lot about missing or imperfect data in the last few years. I really appreciate this use of blobby/imperfect circles for numbers that we only have estimates on, that we don't have accurate numbers for (which personally I think is a good thing)

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 19/01/2025

i have a working hypothesis that being a software engineer actually gets in the way of being a dataviz dev 😂

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 18/01/2025

spent way too long trying to make a scatterplot look interesting and still not satisfied but have to force myself to stop here before I start playing with the shapes themselves (bc seriously how do I justify bumpy/imperfect circles other than...✨aesthetics✨)

Screenshot of a scatterplot with purple and gray circles, with a multiply blend mode and grain texture applied. Axes and labels are purposefully cut off to for privacy.

Screenshot of a scatterplot with purple and gray circles, with a radial gradient and grain texture applied. Axes and labels are purposefully cut off to for privacy.

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Voilà: Francis Gagnon @chezvoila.com · 17/01/2025

I didn't realize @shirleywu.studio made the interactive visualizations in this article. Very impressive. Beautiful craft. 📊

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 17/01/2025

I was thinking recently about SSR in the context of SEO & wondering how to do this w/ #svelte + #d3js visualizations that are window resize dependent since we can't get window size on server side? Or does it even matter considering alt text would be better practice for summarizing the viz anyways?

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 15/01/2025

i spent my year away from socials building towards a decade-long dream: to live and work (half the year) in tokyo, on my own terms 🎊 the goal is client work in sf, and my own art practice in tokyo. i first wrote about it last april & i just finished an update: www.shirleywu.studio/notebook/202...

shirleywu.studio

on all that is intangible - Shirley Wu

All the intangibles of starting an art company in Tokyo.

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Data Visualization Society @datavizsociety.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

We're reading Data Sketches for this month's DVS Readers' Club. The authors Nadieh Bremer and Shirley Wu will be joining us on Jan 25, so come ready with your questions during the Q&A session. Register: buff.ly/409TLxF

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 08/01/2025

remembered this cute little script I wrote last year that I’m still unreasonably proud of~ I made it to use in our wedding designs and lovingly called it my puddle generator 😂

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Dakota Sexton @tinykitelab.com · 07/01/2025

In my brain everyone else designs flawlessly arranged and polished things from the very beginning, and I'm just the lone chaos muppet with a super messy process. It's inspiring to see someone I admire as much as Shirley share "ugly" work-in-progress that refutes that imposter syndrome narrative.

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Sonja Kuijpers | STUDIO TERP @sonjakuijpers.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Look! Is it a plane? Is it a bird? Noo! It's Shirley, one of the great femme #dataviz designers who will hopefully be sharing more of her whereabouts here with us :-) (Hi Shirley 👋)

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Shirley Wu @shirleywu.studio · 07/01/2025

hello and hny 🥳 after a year away from socials (other then some ig stories here and there) i've realized how much i've missed the "old" days of twitter when i unabashedly shared "ugly" work-in-progress so here's one of my portfolio re-design 8 years in the making 😂 hope you're doing beautifully ♥️

screenshot of work-in-progress portfolio website with images of past projects.

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