We had the good fortune of connecting with Xinxun Liao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xinxun, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In fact, my path to pursuing art is full of unknowns and risks, but I will still believe in myself. I will continue to take risks, explore, and experiment. Encountering many obstacles along the way, I will dig deep inside myself, explore new things, and bring out the most authentic things. To make my art vibrant and thought-provoking. Maybe that’s why I like to take risks, and that’s what makes art so appealing to me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I’ve loved watching cartoons and comic books since I was a kid. At that time, I was particularly envious of children with Fujiko Fujio’s Doraemon comic books， but I didn’t have the money to buy comic books. I stayed in the bookstore all day, reading the latest comic books. One day, my sister got paid for her first job and she bought me the latest Doraemon. I was happy for a long time because it was the first comic book I had ever owned. I announced to the world that I owned it. My classmates also wanted to see the comic, and I shared it with them, but eventually, it was lost. I was upset for a long time. But from then on, I decided to become a cartoonist so that what I loved would not be lost. I started to get into drawing little by little. My sister bought me illustration books, colored pens, and sketchbooks of all kinds. Every time I finished a painting, they would say to me: “You are awesome! The painting is really beautiful.” This way, with the encouragement and support of my family, I was admitted to high school.
In high school, I did not have any drawing foundation at the time, and my classmates were all better than me. Having realized my own inadequacies, I continued to practice the basics of painting. After years of diligent work, I succeeded in getting into a professional art university to study animation. The college has given me the opportunity to learn more about painting techniques and to make many excellent friends. My passion for art never faded as I grew up. I was able to embrace art and systematically study art at Savannah College of Art and Design after graduating from university. Through the SCAD, I met outstanding students from all over the world and gained a deeper understanding of art. Additionally, I gained a deeper understanding of how art affects people. It also made me believe that art can give people more energy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I highly recommend traveling to Miami. The culture is really fascinating.

You can drink mojitos on the street while watching graffiti by talented artists from all over the world. The graffiti walls in Wynwood have a soulful and popping feel to them. You can also browse the design district, where you can buy all kinds of jewelry and artwork that is really interesting. There are also plenty of vintage stores where you can buy some interesting things if you like vintage culture.

The Vizcaya museum and gardens are also worth a visit. The gardens are really beautiful and you can bring your partner along to take pictures. There are also a lot of lizards in the gardens, so be careful.

In Miami, you can’t miss the food. I recommend a very authentic Cuban restaurant. Versailles Restaurant Cuban Cuisine. The paella is really delicious, with prawns, mussels, lobster tails, octopus chunks, rice, and a delicious fried banana inside. There are many more dishes to try and you won’t be disappointed.

After you travel to Miami, you can continue driving south to Key West. This is the closest island to Cuba. As you drive, you can feel the beauty all around you.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family has supported me a lot in my artistic journey and I am very grateful for their support and encouragement. In addition, I would like to thank the people who have guided me along my artistic path. They helped me to go further along the way and discover more interesting and meaningful things.

Website: https://www.xinxunliao.com/

Instagram: xinxunliao_art

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

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