By Selina Xue ’20 News Reporter
I grew up in Shanghai, China, a cosmopolitan center with a population of over 20 million people. It is a city that never lacks novel ideas and creative designs. My father is an interior designer, so I spent a lot of time in his office playing with architectural models while envying the colorful LEGOs my cousins had. Thanks to my father’s busy job and his free-range parenting, I grew an uncontainable curiosity about the world around me.
My father further encouraged my artistic journey when he handed me my first camera in 2014. Later, in my freshman year, I discovered an interest in painting in Mrs. Caretti’s Painting 1 class (which I’d highly recommend to anybody). I enjoy capturing subjects that are accessible in daily life, and I find my greatest inspirations through traveling and meeting people. In my opinion, it is an artist’s responsibility to represent reality in an honest and respectful manner. Although techniques differ, the unfeigned emotion that different art elicits is what makes the audience appreciate the relative beauty. I want my work to represent real people and their stories, to evoke a spirit of joy and sincerity. Therefore, the use of color is a major factor in my art. The following pieces represent that love for color.
The city skyline painting derives inspiration from my slight obsession in symmetrical shapes and the harmonic balance of light and shadow. It reflects the nostalgia and the excitement that characterizes life in the city.
My artwork is usually very representational, as my paintings usually venture out from the foundation of my photographs. This piece depicts the natural beauty in Costa Rica. I played with impressionistic techniques and created layers of textures to render the roughness of the scenery. It is in fact based on one of my photographs.
This last piece is a commission for the Rutherfords. Both of them have influenced me immensely throughout my time in Mercersburg. Art is my way to express my gratitude to the Rutherfords. This piece is currently hanging in the Rutherford Health Center.
