Today we’d like to introduce you to Simin Wu.
Hi Simin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an illustrator from China. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and am pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Illustration Practice at MICA.
Growing up, I was always drawn to the arts. However, it wasn’t until high school, when I picked up a paintbrush, that I discovered the magic of painting. During my teenage years, I often felt overwhelmed by the demands of school, but painting provided a calming influence and a way to express myself creatively. I quickly realized that the arts were my calling.
I was exposed to various art forms throughout my undergraduate studies, including oil painting, sketching, printmaking, bookmaking, and sculpture. The rigorous training I received helped me develop a systematic understanding of the arts and honed my technical skills. However, I knew I wanted to take my art differently.
I began searching for a way to inject humor into my work and develop my style. This led me to pursue illustration, which offers endless possibilities to experiment with different media and techniques. I am excited to explore new forms of expression and push the boundaries of my creativity through the Illustration Practice program at MICA.
As an artist, I am drawn to exploring themes of identity, culture, and the human experience. I strive to create aesthetically pleasing and thought-provoking work, and I am always looking for ways to push the boundaries of traditional art forms.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path of learning art was not as smooth as I had imagined. I didn’t start to really engage in drawing until my undergraduate studies, and I encountered many problems at the beginning. When I entered university, I couldn’t even mix colors or draw sketches, which made me anxious. However, during my four years of traditional skills learning in undergraduate studies, I was constantly exploring my own path. At one point, I even considered abstract art expression. It was a difficult process, and I kept asking myself what kind of art form I really wanted to express. Perhaps illustration gave me a lot of space to relax and allowed me to find a path in storytelling.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Switching from a fine arts major to an illustration major was a big transition. My previous oil painting style was very realistic, and when I entered the MFA Illustration Practice Program at the Maryland Institute College of Art, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to quickly find my own visual language. However, through a whole year of experimentation with different media, I unconsciously developed my own style.
Compared to digital painting, I am more proficient in traditional media. Creating works with wood and sewing is something I really enjoy, and I like to physically handcraft my visual pieces. However, in my illustration work, you can see the benefits that fine arts has brought me, which is an interesting experiment.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I’m not sure if this question is about Atlanta. I have never been to Atlanta. I used to live in San Francisco, and now I’m studying in Baltimore. San Francisco is a big city, but compared to New York, the pace of life there is slow. The weather is similar to my hometown in China, and there are many entertainment activities. Before I started my graduate studies, I knew that Baltimore had some safety issues, but mainly because our program workload is heavy, I sometimes feel that I haven’t really enjoyed this city.
Image Credits
Well-Fed Fish Battle of the Farm On the road of my dream A drunken dream Dream of sky(poster) Insect-Human fusion (three pattern)
