Jieru Zhang

"I begin a drawing or painting by imagining a scene in my mind, much like setting up a stage act. I purposefully use light touches creating a close value system to achieve a dreamlike impression that creates a barrier between the viewer's world and the world behind the picture plane. My creative works are based on films, video games, novels, myths, and legends, and to lend a depth of realism, my daily life. I place a high priority on the narratives in my drawings, and am drawn to the mystery and unpredictability of people. As a result, as I begin envisioning the story behind a model or a person in a photograph based on their appearances and behaviors, what I could perceive are merely assumptions based on my experiences, which adds mystery to the drawing process."