Today we’d like to introduce you to Lili Yuan.
Lili, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Life is always full of surprises and you never know what is going to happen in your life. After moving to the U.S. three years ago, I took a painting class where I found myself and started my art journey. To be honest, I had never imagined being an artist but it just happened, like a surprise. But looking back over my art journey, I realized while it was a surprise, it was never a series of coincidences. Although I was born and raised in China, I’ve been away from home since I was 13 years old for a better education—first from south to north China, then to different countries. I think this experience created my independent personality, laying a good foundation for my future life. Meanwhile, I always kept my doors open to new cultures and experiences that helped my positive attitude and gave me the eye to catch all the most beautiful moments along my trip. Most of my works are based on my own life, especially after moving. The difference between Eastern and Western cultures pushed me to reevaluate the value of life. With all these questions in my head, I kept thinking, exploring, and creating to get to where I am today.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Not really smooth, to be honest. I ran into challenges as a foreigner living in the U.S, like facing the gap between Eastern and Western culture, as well as language problems in navigating this new situation. But I have to say that I really appreciate these challenges along my way, as they inspired me to reassess the meaning of my life. Anyway, the biggest challenge for me is the art itself, like what to create and how to promote it. I’m more of a self-taught artist and each piece of my work literally takes me more than 100 hours to finish.
And you know what, I really thought artists sat there and always painted everything with happiness, but since I became an artist, that’s all changed. Even if I was sitting there doing nothing, my brain was hit by storms. It happened all the time–I would come up with all my best ideas as I was trying to sleep, even at midnight. But that excitement made me feel my self-worth.
Also, I always tell myself, “never wait for people to find you; you have to find yourself first or most people can’t see you”. So, I tried to show more work on social media and then I realized it was much harder than I thought. People benefit from social media but some also get addicted to it. It’s pretty hard to find the right balance, but I’m trying my best. However, thanks to these challenges, I find a wiser and stronger version of myself.
Please tell us more about your art.
I’m a painter, as well as a part-time photographer. Most of my paintings have a hyperrealism look based on my photography. I’m captivated by colors so I always use the rich tones that oils provide to give my paintings a strong physical presence. That presence is enhanced by my skill at rendering realistic figures and my sharp eye for manipulating proportion and scale.
A lot of people began to know me for my water series, which was also the starting point of my art journey. I have never dreamed of being an artist, to be honest, but I’m really proud of who I am today–not only because of the honors and recognition but for following my heart. I love both photography and painting, so I’m trying to combine them together in my own style, which includes photographic techniques, international cultures, and fresh content to inspire people to think about the value of life deeply.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
The biggest luck I have in my life is the people who support me all the time. First, I feel so lucky to have my parents being my back. They are very traditional Chinese parents, but they give me much more freedom than others, always supporting me no matter what. People thought I was crazy when I changed my career from Economics to Arts, but my parents trusted me as always.
Then I want to express gratitude for the guidance of my mentor Dustin Harewood, who found me and helped to manage my art career. I was not confident, but he always told me how good I was and tried his best to promote my work. To me, he is not only like a mentor or manager but like family behind me. Lastly, I’m so glad to have my supporters by my side. Whenever my artwork drove me crazy, they gave me the spiritual strength to continue. All the support from them provided me the faith to face every challenge and chase what I want. I have to say luck is not the only role in my life but I can never get to where I am today without it.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@lili.gallery
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