Jun Zhou’s path to art began with a special experience in her childhood. From an early age, she instinctively picked up a pencil and started drawing, often without any formal training or structure. Her imagination flowed onto whatever surface was available—newspapers, scrap paper, even the white walls of her home. Fortunately, her family never scolded her for this "destructive" behavior, but instead supported her creativity. This freedom to express herself laid the foundation for her lifelong passion for art, shaping her future as an artist.

1. 

Cindy:   What kind of experience or opportunity led you to choose art as your field? Is there a spe-cial story you could share with us?

Jun Zhou: For me, choosing art as my field was a natural progression, rooted in a special experience from my childhood. I clearly remember starting to draw when I was very young, scribbling aimlessly without any real structure. Before I received any formal training in drawing techniques, I had already picked up a pencil, as if from that moment on, drawing became the outlet for expressing the chaotic, imaginative thoughts in my mind. I used whatever was available including newspaper, scrap paper, and even the white walls of my home became my canvas.

I am incredibly grateful to my family, who never scolded me for my “destructive” behavior or criticized my messy creative world from an adult’s perspective. I believe that it was this freedom to express myself during my growth that helped me sustain a lifelong passion for drawing.

As time went on, with formal training in drawing techniques, studying art, and developing a deep admi-ration for the great artists who created beauty for this world and constantly pushed boundaries, I began to explore various ways of expressing myself through my art. During this process, I came to re-alize that art is not just a skill, it is also a language. It’s a language that transcends cultural and linguis-tic barriers, connecting directly with people’s hearts. Every creation is a journey of self-discovery and self-expression, as well as a way to convey beauty to others. Whether it’s through inner exploration or outward expression, I am filled with enthusiasm and commitment to the world of art, beauty, and cre-ativity.

2. 

Cindy: Is there an artist who served as a mentor for you on your artistic journey?

Jun Zhou: In my definition of “mentor,” it came from those artists and their works that left a profound impact on my mind and body during my chaotic search for meaning through painting. They inspired admiration and reverence in me. A few artists, both from China and abroad, have deeply influenced me: Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Sanyu, Yoshitaka Amano, and Ichiro Tsuruta.

One artist who left a lasting impression on me, both early on and even now, is Gustav Klimt. His works frequently explore themes of life, sexuality, love, and death. I believe his art possesses a divine quality—grand, mysterious, romantic, and full of vitality. His painting "Death and Life” struck me with immense power. The bold composition and the arrival of death reveal the various stages of life, from birth to its end. The vibrant, beautiful skin, the full muscles, and the peaceful expressions in the painting depict life and death in a way that shines with vitality and brilliance. Egon Schiele’s works, on the other hand, reflect intense emotional conflicts, portraying a kind of twisted, pain-ful, and dramatic tension that conveys raw, powerful feelings.

Overall, these artists are all pioneering creators. They bare their exploration of life and the complexities of human nature, whether beautiful, painful, or lonely, through their works, constructing a radiant artistic world. It is precisely this spirit that has guided me, captivating me and driving my unwavering pursuit of exploring and expressing my inner feelings.

3. 

Cindy: Where do you usually find inspiration for your creations? What do you do when you’re stuck?

Jun Zhou: Building on what I mentioned earlier, I believe that beauty and art are closely connect-ed to our everyday lives. In this modern society, where technology is so advanced, people often overlook the beauty and energy that nature holds. Sometimes, just putting down our elec-tronic devices can reveal stunning moments of beauty, such as rainbows after a storm, the sky painted with fiery clouds, or the humid, and misty atmosphere of a rainy day. These pure sensa-tions often serve as the emotional foundation for my work. In addition to nature, films, theater, novels, and classical poetry also help supple-ment and ignite my aesthetic inspiration. The beauty conveyed through words can be incredi-bly powerful. Moreover, I find that cultural experi-ences through travel are another significant source of inspiration. Exploring different countries, regions, and their unique customs and traditions broadens my aesthetic perspective. The diverse cultural backgrounds and reflections on history provide strong emotional resonance, and I hope to weave this richness into my work.

As a creator, moments of creative block happen just as often as those little sparks of inspiration. I sometimes struggle with connecting fragment-ed or fleeting ideas and emotions. That’s why I believe in taking plenty of notes, continuing to learn, and frequently revisiting the methods that inspire me, so I can express my work in a more complete and fluid way.

4. 

Cindy: As a digital illustrator, how do you view the impact of AI on the field of art? Do you feel fear or anticipation because of it?

Jun Zhou: The impact of AI on the art world is a complex and multi-dimensional topic. As a digital illustrator, my initial response to the rapid rise of AI was a mixture of anger and shock, but over time, I reached a state of calm. I realized that technological advancement is inevitable, and the development of AI is akin to ushering in a new in-dustrial revolution. Looking back at history, every industrial revolution has brought both neg-ative and positive effects.

At the heart of art and aesthetics lies the unique emotional and intellectual depth that we, as complex human beings, bring through our experi-ences. For me, digital illustration is just one medium of expression. In the future, I may ex-plore other forms such as paper, wood, leather, and mixed media. However, at the core of all these explorations is my personal emotion, thought, and spirit, which aims to connect direct-ly with the viewer. Therefore, I don’t feel fear.

5. 

Cindy:  In your “Dreamlike Stroll in the Garden” series, each character exhibits an underlying ten-sion within the soft texture of the scenes. How do you balance the relationship between soft-ness and resilience?

Jun Zhou: This balance between softness and resilience is something I gradually understood through my study of Chinese art history and meticulous brush painting. These two seemingly opposing quali-ties are actually intertwined, much like the philosophical concept presented by the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi in “Tao Te Ching”: “Great music has faint sound, and great form is shapeless.” This aesthetic principle suggests that the most profound beauty cannot always be perceived by the senses alone. “Faint sound” refers to sound too subtle to be heard, and “shapeless” refers to form too elusive to be seen. “Great music” represents extraordinary melodies, while “great form” refers to the most profound and beautiful objects. When combined, these phrases suggest that the finest music is inaudible, and the most sublime forms are invisible to the naked eye. This seemingly paradoxical state-ment holds a deep insight: the beauty of music is not just in sound, and the beauty of form is not solely in shape. Rather, it lies in the inner essence—emotion, sentiment, atmosphere, and other core ele-ments that transcend what the ears and eyes can perceive.

In my work, I strive to manifest this relationship of “being” born from “non-being.” Softness and resil-ience do not stand in opposition but rather complement each other. Softness gives strength its mean-ing, while resilience highlights the delicate beauty of softness. It is through these contrasts that I aim to create a sense of balance and depth in my compositions, allowing each character to carry an inter-nal tension that is nonetheless gentle. This reflects a philosophical perspective I seek to convey through my work—a harmonious balance between opposites, found by embracing natural flow and the profound interplay between softness and strength.

6. 

Cindy: I have observed that your work often explores the interaction between re-ality and illusion, inviting viewers into their own narrative worlds. Can you share how your personal experiences have influenced the inspiration for this theme?

Jun Zhou: The inspiration for this series comes from the Kunqu excerpt “Dreamlike Stroll in the Garden” from The Peony Pavilion. It is a mysterious story imbued with a sense of melancholy, conveying profound philosophical meanings about personal fate and the ever-changing nature of the world. Another story that inspires my thoughts is about the philosopher Zhuangzi from China’s Warring States period. One day, Zhuangzi dreamt that he had transformed into a butterfly. Upon waking, he found himself still as Zhuangzi. He could not determine whether he had dreamt of Zhuangzi being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of Zhuangzi. From this, he posed a philosoph-ical question: How do people recognize what is real? Here, he expresses his philo-sophical contemplation on the relationship between reality and dreams, and between the real and the illusory, emphasizing the relativity of subjective perception and ob-jective existence.

The surreal quality in my work, along with the philosophical reflections it evokes, serves as a bridge that I hope to share with viewers. Through my art, I aim to spark their imagination, guiding them to immerse themselves in their own worlds while “seeking dreams.” When they eventually return to reality, they can be “startled awake” and reconnect with my imagery, thus establishing a deeper bond.

7.

Cindy: Your earlier works seem to lean more towards a contemporary Pop Art illustration style, characterized by brighter and heavier colors. It’s only in the past two years that you’ve begun to approach meticulous tech-niques. Could you share what prompted this shift in your style?

Jun Zhou: In the early stages of my artistic cre-ation, I was captivated by the vivid colors and strong visual impact of Pop Art. This style reso-nated with the direct, passionate, and bold mes-sages I wanted to convey at the time. The bright and heavy colors of Pop Art allowed me to create vibrant and engaging works that reflected my observations of consumer culture and every-day trends. However, much of the information was focused on the overwhelming visual impact that could be perceived by the eye.

As time went on, my artistic exploration began to shift towards deeper self-reflection and an interest in traditional art forms. I am pleased to have been able to engage in new learning experi-ences. After studying traditional Chinese paint-ing with a teacher, I found myself deeply attract-ed to the delicate lines of meticulous painting and the profound philosophical meanings inher-ent in traditional art forms within Chinese art his-tory. This led me into a whole new realm of thought, encouraging me to explore deeper themes. The evolution of my style reflects the growth and changes in my personal artistic jour-ney, as well as my ongoing quest for artistic ex-pression.

8.

Cindy: Can you share how you discovered and developed your own artistic style during this exploration? What were some key moments or influences that had a significant impact on you in this process?

Jun Zhou: The experimental phase in artistic cre-ation is a crucial part of discovering one’s per-sonal style. By continuously trying out new ideas and techniques, we gain a clearer under-standing of the direction we truly want to pursue. At the same time, society and different groups respond to various forms of expression in di-verse ways, allowing us to step back and ob-serve. I believe it is essential to maintain an open mindset for learning, whether in terms of thought or technique. Over time, reflecting on one’s own work helps to convey the emotions that have been distilled from it. Key moments and influen-tial factors are merely catalysts in this process. The real core lies in maintaining a passion for art and a dedication to continuously challenging oneself.

Overall, the formation of a personal artistic style is a dynamic, spiraling process that involves mul-tiple aspects, including personal experiences, technical learning, inner exploration, and cultural influences. Through ongoing practice, experi-mentation, and reflection, we gradually develop a unique artistic language that belongs to us.

9.

Cindy: In the upcoming creative phase, are there any new artistic directions or ideas brewing?

Jun Zhou: Yes, recently I have embarked on a new learning journey, which has provided me with a deeper ideological experience and served as an opportunity to conceive new works. I plan to continue using the delicate techniques of tra-ditional Chinese realistic painting while incorpo-rating more cultural elements. At the same time, I hope to explore and push the boundaries of my current self by creating some abstract forms, rather than solely using “human” figures as con-crete carriers. I am also very interested in the topic of art therapy, and I hope that at some point in the future, I can use my work to help alle-viate certain emotional traumas. In summary, I will continue to learn and maintain my reverence and love for beauty and art, encouraging every-one along the way.

Thank you!

As Jun Zhou advances in her artistic journey, one can only anticipate the profound impact her work will continue to have within the contemporary art landscape. Her ability to evoke emotion and provoke thought through her unique visual language is commendable. It is with great expectation that we look forward to her future creations, which promise to enrich our understanding of both the artistic medium and the human experience.

Written by Cindy Ye