10 Questions with Yijun Ge

Yijun Ge was born in Xiang Yang, in the province of Hubei, China. She received her Bachelor's from Hubei Institute of Fine Art. During that time, she taught art workshops for oil painting, charcoal drawing, and printmaking and assisted instructors at Hubei Institute of Fine Art University. 

Yijun received her MFA in painting from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California. Her work was included in multiple galleries across the U.S. Also, her works were featured in art magazines in 2021 and won the first place award in numerous art competitions. Currently, she is teaching workshops at the International Art Museum of American in San Francisco.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Yin and Yang are the basis of my visual language, representing passion and calmness. The contrast creates balance and tension, often represented through warm and cool colors. High color contrast is intriguing and is visually more pleasing than low contrast. Dreams are the inspiration for my art. The elements that show up in my dreams, such as spiders, sailboats, cats, and dragons, help create a painting's theme. They are a unique symbolic language representing larger concepts.

I begin by sketching and move on to under-painting, and at that point, I am open to new ideas jumping into my mind. The process always leads to new explorations and discoveries. I explore different substrates, including wood panels and canvas. Oil paint is my medium of choice, allowing flexibility and depth of color. I fill in under-paintings with big brushes and then refine them by adding multiple layers of paint. If I stare at the piece for 20 minutes without wanting to clarify anything, then I know it's done.

INTERVIEW

First of all, tell us a bit about your background and studies. What kind of education or training helped you develop your skillset?

I was born in Xiang Yang, in the province of Hubei, China. My major in college was printmaking and after that, I was a freelancer and received commissions to create portraits. I received an MFA in painting from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California. These experiences have helped me develop my own style of painting that is effective and efficient. Also, teaching in workshops at the International Art Museum of American in San Francisco has helped me to perceive art differently because it enhances my problem-solving skills in art. 

How did you start making art? And are you still following the same aspiration? 

When I started making art (and this is kind of funny), I used to draw all over the walls, chairs, and tables with chalk. My parents would get mad and erase the mess I made, but I used chalk before I began practicing with oil paint. I also mainly worked with paper and charcoal at an earlier age. My father used to be a painter, so he sent me to a private art studio when I was 10. Since then, I've never stopped painting. Art has become such a big part of my heart and soul, and I'm ready to make it my lifelong career.

What is your personal aim as an artist?

My personal aim as an artist is for the viewers of my art to feel love and peace when looking at my pieces. Another goal of mine is to have my art displayed in galleries all around the world. I am a very ambitious person, and I want my art to achieve a higher purpose, to be a window to transcend. What I mean by a "window to transcend" is that my art also has spiritual meaning and delivers the messages of union, harmony, and being present in the moment.

Your art is influenced by Surrealism; for example, you often use elements from your dreams in your paintings. How did you develop this style? 

Early in my creation, I started with abstract paintings, which led to Cubism and Surrealism. One day I read Freud's book, and he mentioned dreams in his book "The interpretation of the dream". That sparked my interest in interpreting my dreams, so I use my brush to record my dreams and connect them with reality. I was mesmerized by surreal art because it keeps me wondering the meaning behind it and connects to my unconscious mind, which is my dreams. I want to paint something meaningful to me, and the dream imagery is mythical and magical. The meaning behind my art is that every element I chose has certain deep connections with me, and there is more to them than meets the eye. For example, I am a big fan of painting the sunset, which repetitively shows up in my dream. For me, a sunset is the most beautiful moment of the day because it is the end of the scene and welcomes tomorrow, a brand new day. 

What are the main themes behind your work?

I am painting my unconscious and subconscious mind with a combination of the reality, which transcends union, harmony, oneness. Through my painting, I express my emotion and thought that everyone shares the same breath and heartbeat and that we are one. That is added with the elements from my unconscious mind. The mysterious nature of dreams sparked my curiosity to create my art. Creating a dream-like wonderland with mixed identities has become my interest. 

Your work is influenced by the concepts of Yin and Yang and the balance between opposing forces. How do you balance the different elements in your paintings?

Yin and yang are visual forces in my design, and maintaining various balanced elements is the key. Playing with different compositions and designs helps to create harmony. I usually draw a few designs before painting on canvas.

Where do you find inspiration for your work, and what is your creative process like?

Apart from dreams, my other hobbies play a role in influencing my art creation, such as music, fiction movies, surreal photography, and meditation. When I have an idea about my painting, I usually write it down and even draw a very simple sketch to represent it. Then I elaborate it by researching similar ideas from photo references online or in art magazines. I begin by sketching and move on to under-painting, and at that point, I am open to new ideas jumping into my mind. The process always leads to new explorations and discoveries. I explore different substrates, including wood panels and canvas. Oil paint is my medium of choice, allowing flexibility and depth of color. I fill in under-paintings with big brushes and refine them by adding multiple layers of paint. If I stare at the piece for 20 minutes without wanting to clarify anything, then I know it's done.

What about the public? Did you experience any change or improvement over the last year? Do you think people are more attentive now than pre-Covid? 

I have experienced change and improvement over the last year. Also, compared to pre-Covid, people are now more actively involved in art, whether it's online or in galleries. And they pay more attention to art since I feel like Covid has helped people gain a deeper appreciation for the beautiful things in life.

How did you keep your followers and collectors engaged over the last year? Did you take part in any online exhibition or event? 

I was very lucky because I needed to finish one of my surrealism collection series last year, and I just kept going and going until I had around 12 pieces of work. I didn't even think about getting my art exhibited in a gallery, as my focus was on creating as much art as possible. During this pandemic, I've had the urge to create more art than ever before. 

Finally, what are your plans for the future? What do you think (and wish) the future holds for us?

My goals are everywhere in the world, whether it is in galleries, museums, or public arts. Things will get better and brighter in the future, without a doubt. Persistence and devotion will make a difference.