By Becky St. Clair

Wendy Liang is the guest artist at PUC’s Rasmussen Art Gallery in November. In 2018, she has won the California Watercolor Association’s 48th National Exhibition, The Artist’s Magazine’s 35th Annual Art Competition, and Southwest Art Magazine’s Artistic Excellence Competition. In 2017 she received the most meaningful recognition yet for her artwork: when she won the competition of Splash 19, The Illusion of Light.

Please join us for Wendy’s opening reception, including an artist talk, on Saturday, Nov. 10, from 7-9 p.m. Her show will remain in the Rasmussen Art Gallery through December 9 (note that the RAG is closed for Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 16-25).

We caught up with Wendy to get to know her as an artist and a person and enjoyed learning more about her inspiration, her passion, and her process.

When did you first feel that spark of desire to create?

I became interested in art as a child when I first noticed colors of objects would change depending on the type of weather and the different time of the day. I’ve taken lots of college-level art courses and private art lessons over the years.

What do you love most about painting?

I enjoy the solitude and the joy of creating something pleasant for others and myself.

Tell us about what inspires you.

My inspiration comes through interesting lighting, water and its reflections, and scenes that feel dreamlike or somehow ethereally familiar.

Once you get inspiration, how do you begin the creation process?

I start by playing with different compositions until I find the ideal. Then, I make a draft. Finally, and most important, I determine the dominant color and mood of the painting.

Okay, we’ve talked about what influences you; now tell us who inspires you.

I’ve been influenced the most by impressionists such as Monet and Degas.

How would you categorize the style of your art?

I usually refer to it as impressionistic realism.

What are some of your typical muses?

I want nothing more than to freeze the moment for eternity whenever I come across a scene that catches my heart, whether it is the first morning rays breaking through the mist or a sunset that turns the sky into a warm color pallet. Any scene that creates otherworldly or mysterious atmosphere remains one of my favorite subjects to paint.

Looking to the future, what kind of goals do you have in your career?

I am a dreamer, and my biggest dream right now is to turn my hobby into a profession—I want to teach college-level art eventually. And, perhaps this will surprise you, but I would be a movie director or a writer if I weren’t an artist.

How about when you’re not in the studio? What are some of your hobbies?

When I’m not painting, I enjoy dancing, reading, and cooking for my family.