Meet Qing Wen | Artist, illustrator, writer

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

Hi Qing, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
For me, creative practice is more like an instinct to find and create things that are aesthetic, expressing my immediate feelings toward the world through the tools I have at hand. I view myself as a mediator, reflecting what the world has offered me through different forms including painting, writing, photographing, and handcrafting. After the work is done, I enjoy the sense of accomplishment for a while by looking over my work again and again. Then, I have to start a new project for my next dose of accomplishment. By creating more personal art, a strong personality carries my own narrative through my artworks, helping others understand and remember me better. It’s a way to locate myself in the world, to gain the attention of others, and to show the personal value that I can bring to the world. I believe each individual in the world has their own unique life experience worth telling. I’m just the lucky one who got a chance to tell my story through art because of those who support me. To pay back the privileges that I’ve received, my life goal is to create more valuable works with my unique art language, bring a new perspective from the corner of the world where I live, show varieties of aesthetics from angles that are unique to me, and encourage others to express themselves freely and fall in love with art.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For my art, I’ve created my own artistic language as I progress further on my artistic path. This language includes illustration, oil painting, installation, animation, and creative writing. I am still in the process of refining this language to make it a more unique and recognizable voice of mine. All the artwork I produce is based on my experiences, including recurring symbols, stories from my childhood, and the colors and textures I’m addicted to. This forms my unique artistic language, which others can only fully understand by knowing my story more deeply.
Visual balance is one of the most important aspects I care about in my art practice. There’s a balance point that tells me when to stop in my process of creating, and I have to reach that point to call an artwork finished. I especially like abstract forms with geometric shapes combined with lines and textures. Currently, my project involves exploring the collectivist education background in China and creating my own world and characters through illustration. I am writing stories based on my life experiences and illustrating them into graphic novels.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I personally like quiet places hidden in the city. I would take them to a coffee shop for a small talk and sketching, then visit different vintage stores for shopping and drawing inspiration. However, I would definitely take them to a popular place for photos to upload to social media.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The very first recognition is dedicated to my family. They are the reason I can pursue my creative career without worrying about financial conditions. They are the source of my sense of security. They support me unconditionally, even though they don’t quite understand what I’m doing.

Besides my family, there are friends who inspire me, whether by hurting me, loving me, or just appearing in my life. I appreciate all types of encounters and relationships that have shaped who I am today. Without them, I couldn’t have found the artistic path I am currently satisfied with. Some of them have already left me, some are by my side (including my dog), and some I will meet in the future.

Finally, there are the many teachers I’ve met who have supported me with all the skills they have and helped build my confidence. Without them, I would still be an unconfident person who never found the power to create anything and who would struggle to face judgment from others.

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Image Credits
Qing Wen