Growing up in a small county in mainland China in the 1980s and 1990s, my artistic talent was not valued by anyone, including myself. I just draw many pictures and played my role as a normal good student. After graduating from Sichuan University with a major in advertising, I worked as an advertising copywriter, marketing, reporter, editor, project manager, etc. These experiences have given me diverse perspectives, a keen sense of aesthetics, and unique ways to express myself.

In 2013, when I saw some other people's drawings, I immediately believed that I could do better, so I picked up the pencil again. The next year, I quit my job and became a freelance illustrator. My passion and persistence, along with the support from my husband, slowly changed my whole state and gave me a new life.

The New York state art residency in the summer of 2019 was an eye-opener for me and initiated my dual online life between the outer world and China. After the outbreak of Covid-19, I was stuck at home most of the time. Ironically, this dark episode of humanity gave me a runway to gain momentum. I was imitating classical and modern masters, encountering great artists like Cy Twombly and Rothko... I explore the territory of art according to my inner resonance.

The longing for freedom, thought about life, empathy for my compatriots, complex feelings for my mother who suffering from cancer... All these, together with the accumulation of art techniques, gave birth to the protagonists in my portfolio. I create them by examining myself and the world, finding what I care about most, and then presenting my thoughts and feelings on the canvas. Self-awareness, concern for the world, life, and aesthetic are the four themes I can hardly let go.

The Gold Nugget series deals with diverse and universal dilemmas: questions closely related to the psychological and spiritual fields in which I am very interested. The Wall series fights back against the hindrance to freedom brought about by the Great Firewall of China. That invisible wall stands between me and the world, suppressing the potential for the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The media I use ranges from early digital tools to watercolor, pencil, ink, acrylic, and collage, and I'm very much looking forward to exploring more media and forms.

After ten years of being a self-taught full-time artist, I finally got the opportunity to study MFA in the United States this fall. It’s a nod to my past and a fresh start. My life is going through a huge change. I am anxiously looking forward to and preparing for new challenges ahead.

-- Tia Xia