‍Bio

I was born in China and came to Canada in 2013. I received my BFA at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. In 2018, I joined the City of Vancouver utility wrap project. I design the wrap for a public utility at W Broadway st. After that, I moved to New York for graduate school. I finished my MFA at the School of Visual Arts and majored in Illustration as Visual Essay. During school, my work was featured in the Broadway calendar and PRINT Magazine.  

Now I’m an illustrator based in New York City. I have designed murals in World Trade Center and the Empire State Building. Several of my work was exhibit on Link NYC. My past exhibition includes Tragaluz Illustration Exhibition 2018 at Columbia, The East and West show 2019 at Wuhan, Human Tribe Exhibition 2021 at SVA Online Gallery, Mocca Art Festival 2022, Spring of life at the 311 gallery.

Artist Statement

I think of my art as reflection of reality. Each of my work stand on itself and express its own opinion. I compress things into sample shapes. I will study what this plant looks like and then try to turn it into a shape to put in my work. It's like looking at the world in a tube, only see a twisted piece of it. Many people may find the combination of similar color is comfortable. But I always try to combine various colours. Colour has a character, it gives life to the image, and different colour combinations will convey different emotions to the images.  

My inspiration comes from daily life and the words I read. They are like building blocks that I can build on. My work is based on what happened in our daily life.

www.simiaoart.com

What initially compelled you to create your work?

Sometimes events in my everyday life occur, and other times I have a topic. Accordingly, certain ideas or pictures will pop into my head, and I'll consider how to convey this concept best and illustrate the image. Additionally, I find it really enjoyable to watch my ideas for the artwork develop gradually on paper.

What main topic does your artwork address and why?

I've produced pieces based on a wide range of subjects. Recently, I've discovered that I enjoy creating characters and working on natural subjects.

In your artistic journey, what has been the most challenging point thus far?

I find myself being unconsciously influenced by the paintings of my favorite artists. So I struggled to identify my distinctive style, and then I realized that "Art Style" can only come naturally.

Is there an aspect of your life that especially impacts your practice?

Since I enjoyed reading mythology as a child, some of my works feature fantastical elements.

What do you do when you find yourself at a creative block?

Try to create more works; occasionally, something new will appear.