- Alissa Teo began turning rice into art in 2021 after developing a love for art at the age of 7 or 8.
- Since then, the 34-year-old from Flower Mound, Texas, has gone viral on TikTok, picking up more than 3.4 million followers.
- When she first noticed Taylor Swift attending Chiefs games in support of tight end boyfriend Travis Kelce, she was inspired by their blossoming relationship.
- After creating the art of Swift, Teo posted a video of the final project on TikTok. To her surprise, the video went viral, garnering 11 million views and upwards of 1,000 comments.
Alissa Teo can 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.
However, it wasn’t until 2021 that Teo, who goes by the username @friedriceart, created her first rice toss-up art — the word “Hello” — which helped her go viral on her TikTok, earning 3.4 million followers. Her inspiration comes from the three Fs her dad always encouraged her to live by: food, fun and fellowship.
“All my art pieces encompass these three Fs,” Teo tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Food, I love creating art pieces of various foods from different cultures. Fun, things I personally enjoy, such as sports, impactful leaders and beloved cartoon or superhero characters, and fellowship, my art sparks conversations in the comments section and brings people from all walks of life together.”
Alissa Teo
Since going viral, Teo has experimented with dyeing rice different colors to create not just simple words but also intricate pictures. Her first piece to gain viral attention was a representation of the comic book character Hulk from the Avengers, followed by another piece featuring Baby Yoda.
For her art, she starts by brainstorming her concept, then sketches the picture on her board. After that, she colors the rice and strategically lays it down on the board. To color the rice, she puts uncooked rice in a Ziplock bag, adds food coloring and vinegar, seals it, shakes it up, and then sets it out to dry before using it. The final step is tossing the colored rice in the air while recording the process.
“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.”
Along with her art, Teo is also a huge sports fan who loves watching football. When she first noticed Taylor Swift, 34, attending Kansas City Chiefs games in support of tight end boyfriend Travis Kelce, 35, she was inspired by their blossoming relationship. She wanted to create an art piece that embodied the beautiful collision of the worlds of music and sports, which is exactly what she did.
Alissa Teo
After creating the work, Teo posted a video of the final project on TikTok. To her surprise, the video went viral, garnering 11 million views and upwards of 1,000 comments.
“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
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.