April Xu

I use soft and bristle oil brushes or palette knives on canvases and wooden boards to express my feelings about the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Beauty will not come at the call of a legislature, nor will it repeat in England or America its history in Greece. It will come, as always, unannounced, and spring up between the feet of brave and earnest men.” What is the meaning of painting? To me, painting is the best way to express my mood. All the subtle feelings coming from real scenes that happen every day motivate me to use my brushes to express my love of the world. I feel very strongly about the personal element of what I paint. A painter should not only paint their feelings but also honestly record social events. For example, the tragedies of the global pandemic and the 2020 Oregon wildfires make me realize that humans should revere Nature, be modest, and respect it. I record these events by painting them to memorize them. Together, painting allows me to feel about my daily life, gain a deeper understanding of the world, and reflect on it in a unique way.