Underwater Ruin, 16”x20”, oil paint. Artist: Yue Zeng
Yue Zeng first recalls falling in love with art during grade school. From China, Zeng says her parents didn’t view being an artist as a realistic career, but she’s always had an eye for art. “Back then, my homework in art class was always the example for my art teacher to show around the class, and I think that was really the beginning point,” Zeng says. “So I always have a positive attitude toward artwork.”
Zeng immigrated to the United States in 2008, spending time in New York, where she earned a master of science degree, and worked in the chemical industry for two years. However, without a creative outlook, she felt stuck. “They didn’t need me to develop anything new,” Zeng says. “They already have developed the method, the method is done, and then I just conducted it, followed step by step. And that can feel boring.”
Frozen Cactus, 16”x20”, oil paint. Yue Zeng was inspired after visiting Arizona’s Desert Botanical Garden.
Then life took a turn—Zeng experienced health complications that led to mandatory bed rest, and she realized that she craved creativity. “I needed something that can actually belong to me in the future,” she says. “It’s not just working for someone; I need to build some legacy for myself and to give me this freedom so in the future, whatever happens, I can always say, ‘OK, at least I have this to myself.’”
In 2017, Zeng began painting more seriously, often depicting cats and dogs. Now, mostly painting in oil, she enjoys creating fantastical, surrealist works inspired by animals, everyday life and mythical creatures. “Oil paint is more friendly, easier to correct,” she says. “You can just put another layer on it if you’re not satisfied [and] keep layering on it until you are satisfied. I don’t have to worry about making mistakes when I do the imaginary stuff because no one has ever seen it before.”
Ramen Noodle Beef, 20”x20”, acrylic and oil paints, plus vintage Japanese paper.
Working out of her Woodbury home, Zeng finds inspiration everywhere. While some might find it hard to stay motivated without an office space or studio, Zeng says working at home in her loft is where she thrives. The time she spends on each work varies—but she often starts with a brainstorming session and then determines how each part of the piece will flow together. “I am just waiting for the moment that everything comes together,” Zeng says. “The subject, the background, the color theme and then some interesting details; they all have to fall in one place at this moment. Then I can keep going from there.”
Even though she no longer works in the chemical industry, Zeng brings a bit of an analytical approach to her art. She often treats her painting process like a science project, especially when she first started, to determine her preferred medium, surface and size of paintings. “I had to settle down all these little variables, and then I started to establish my own standard operating procedure,” she says.
