Breathe Life into Diverse Narratives, New York-based Illustrator Zoe Liu

Zoe Liu, a Chinese-born illustrator, holds an MFA in Illustration from Syracuse University. Infusing her creations with vibrant colors and whimsical characters, she has a penchant for storytelling, crafting illustrations that breathe life into diverse narratives. In recent years, Zoe has received awards from the Society of Illustrators, Illustration West, Communication Arts, American Illustration, 3×3 Illustration, Hiii Illustration, Creative Quarterly, China Illustration Biennial, Ijungle, among others. Her work has been showcased in exhibitions spanning New York, Turin, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

Thank you for joining us, Zoe. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I love drawing since I was a child. At that time, I thought I would grow up to be a writer or an artist, but later I realized that when I look back at the words I had written with too much personal emotion, I would have a feeling of shame that I had been overexposed. But drawing doesn’t make me feel that way. On the contrary, drawing makes me feel relaxed. That’s why I chose to be an illustrator.

Besides drawing, I also enjoy hiking, scuba diving, and spending time with my dog and cats.

What brings you to art? What ideas are you exploring in your practice?

Curiosity led me to the world of art. I’m interested in a lot of things: philosophy, movies, literature… After I received a lot of information from the outside world, I needed a form to express and export my ideas, so I picked art.

Sometimes illustration is a tool like language that helps me to express something that words cannot convey. When you stand in front of a great painting, you may be struck by the emotions expressed through the language of the painting and empathize with the author.

Do you have a mentor that influenced your practice?

I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to meet a lot of great mentors who have helped me along the way in learning illustration. I remember when I was in college, there was a professor who gave me a lot of support, and she was so knowledgeable that she could talk to you about anything. I remember when I made a video installation that was related to existentialism, she saw it and gave me a lot of useful advice and lent me a book on phenomenology to read. Another tutor always encouraged me and shared her butter cookies with me. For me, they are all great mentors.

What does “community” mean to you? How do you see yourself in a community?

It means working with more creativity and possibilities. I like to collaborate with people from different backgrounds to create works that may generate unexpected sparks. Everyone’s experience has its own limitations, and accepting new ideas and creativity can help to break those limitations. Imagine what kind of work an installation artist and a biologist could make together.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently collaborating with another artist on a work about cultural differences, which wants to discuss how to find one’s own identity as a female artist living in different countries.

Is there any advice you would like to share with others?

Some people say turn your hobby into your job and you might lose a hobby, but I think turn your hobby into your job and you’ll be happy 24 hours a day.