Meet Yuan Ge | Artist

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

Hi Yuan, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’m an inborn artist, intuitive and full of imagination. I was influenced by my grandparents who worked enthusiastically with wood sculptures and paintings. During my childhood, my creative thoughts and ideas were sometimes not comprehended by my surrounding family, feeling unnoticed, I spent my leisure time drawing just to relax and enjoy my own paradise. As soon as I started to learn painting academically, I found myself fully immersed in the organic brush strokes painting with ink and wash. Later, I got awards in painting competitions which made me feel a sense of value, and I realized painting could make me stand out and be “seen”. These early experiences established a foundation for my creative career. I’m determined to use my brush to heal my past and render the power of creativity with the hope of encouraging other people who have similar experiences. I believe that the right direction is what you are motivated to do, and your attitude and actions are something that come from the bottom of your heart. Graduate school experiences at Savannah College of Art and Design made me a true artist who learned that art is not only beautiful things that evoke aesthetic response, but also an objectification of feelings that we use to move people.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m an intuitive artist. I came here because some other established woman artists came before me. I am encouraged and determined to use my brush to heal my past and change my audience’s perception toward the strength in women through exploring biological structure. During my art practice, I endeavor to depict ambiguous spaces through abstract and surreal expressions to vent the existence of femininity. Starting with drawings featuring various organic forms of life in nature on a piece of paper, a sense of reproductive blueprint appears on my canvases and later evolves as the subjects. I distort these forms with my imagination to infuse my work with dreamlike, surreal sensibility and narratives and continue to fashion them into something that might evoke the sensuality and seductiveness of procreative nature. My instinctive creative process reveals conscious or unconscious energy through accumulation of pigments and layers of marks that gradually fill the watersheds of time and space.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I currently live in Atlanta, GA. I feel happy and relaxed living in Georgia because of its natural environment, vast area of forest, beautiful lakes, and countless creeks and rivers running across the city. I also feel inspirited by the city’s cultural attractions. I it was a week long trip, I would spend three days for the natural environment, taking my best friend to visit Anna Ruby Falls Trail, Brasstown Bald and Helen Town. Then I would spend the rest 4 days guiding them around the cultural attractions. My friends can make their own choices from the headquarter of Cococola company, the Centennial Olympic Park, the former residence of Margaret Mitchell （the author of novel”Gone with the Wind”), and Georgia Aquarium (the biggest one in North America).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My creative story at ShoutoutLA is dedicated to my entire family, especially Sophia Yuan for being an incredible daughter a mom could ever ask for, you make me feel accomplished being a mom. I would like to thank my parents, Shi Min, and Chun Ling, for have brought me up with love. I would also like to give thanks to my younger brother Lei, who taught me to love and forgive unconditionally. I would like to thank my lovely to-be stepdaughters, Sejal and Serena for accepting me into your lives and allowing me to love you. Finally, I would like to give thanks to my Fiancé, Michael Butler, who has been my rock and biggest support, the one who inspires me to be the better one, and always encourages me to follow my artistic dream.

Website: www.geyuanart.com

Instagram: @irisge66

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuan-ge-32610717b/