Boston Born, Philly Based. Jillian Lu.

As part of Avante Garde's mission to create networking opportunities for our community, we want our readers to connect and learn from artists and the work currently being produced in places outside of Colorado.

On our journey to connect local contemporary artists with artists worldwide, our first stop is Jillian Lu.

An Artist that caught my eye with her fun, strong, beautiful, & bold color palette bringing about imaginative & playful imagery, portraits, and storyboards. Without further delay, we introduce to you Jillian Lu.

Meet Jillian Lu

@jillo.beans

I am a Boston-born, Philly-based creative with a semi-academic background in fine arts. I had always loved to draw but didn't really consider it a possible career option until high school. I studied graphic design at university for 2 years but decided I was more suited to growing my skills through hands-on experiences in the design industry.

I went on to several different creative internships and took up 'odd' jobs to keep myself afloat but focused primarily on gaining valuable experiences to prepare myself for a career in art. In 2017, I started my art Instagram to rediscover and rekindle my passion for creating and making art, something I had lost while studying at university. I took night classes at the local art college as a part-time student to practice these skills and learn new perspectives from peers and professors.

I later started posting on Instagram to document my work as I navigated my internalized uncertainty and self-doubt. Eventually, I was able to find a grasp on my creative voice! I am a huge sucker for traditional drawing and sketching and have spent the last couple of years exploring 2d mixed media as a way to make bold statements. Currently, I am working full-time in fashion graphics while still trying to make time for my own explorative work!

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We reached out to Jillian, intrigued by her color palette and subject matter, and asked if she would share with us a little about herself, her artwork, and how she became the artist she is today.

Who is Jillian Lu?

Jillian: I am a huge introvert. I'd even say the art I share online is the complete opposite of what people think of when they meet me or speak to me! My art is bold and loud, but I dress pretty plainly and don't really talk much at all. I wouldn't say I don't like talking to people; it's more so that I have nothing to say unless someone has a specific topic or question they want to talk about.

I often feel disconnected from my thoughts, but I know they are there somewhere, and I specifically have trouble finding words to match my feelings; talking does not come easy. I'm sometimes convinced I don't have any thoughts because I can't put words to them!

On the other hand, the art I share online is quite literal and direct in terms of subject matter. I'll spend an hour or two working on getting all the shading of a face the way I want, and then I'll spend 5 minutes scribbling in a strawberry or something!

Nothing is ever thought out or planned - I am a horrible planner! I think, in that way, my art is a representation of my stream of consciousness that I can't ever really seem to keep up with. Drawing in my sketchbook is the closest I've gotten to being able to express myself, so I always make sure to make it loud.

Can you tell us a little about your artwork?

Jillian: My art doesn't really make sense. It doesn't even make sense to me. In the beginning, when I was first experimenting with reference photos for portrait sketches, I was so happy to see people receiving them well. But as I kept doing it, I started to feel like I didn't really have a style. I was basically doodling faces and using a super limited palette (think lots of neutrals, natural greens, pale pinks). It felt like I was less of an artist and more just a glorified doodler. It started to bug me like crazy, especially because I never really worked outside of my sketchbook.

Everything was confined to those pages, and I never really had 'ideas' for what to draw. I could never imagine a full composition like a landscape or a scene. It was all just ornamental. It made me feel like my art was meaningless.

I took a long break from posting for a while, and when I came back, it was to document my own exploration in color. I was still drawing the same stuff - faces, random things, etc., but this time, I was interested in using color creatively to make the spreads cohesive.

Like I mentioned before, I think of my art as a stream of consciousness. Lots of random things and lots of faces of strangers. But through examining how colors work together and how layering media can add new textures, I found that I was slowly starting to find my 'style'.

I don't think of my 'style' through the lens of how I draw or what techniques I use. I would loosely define my style as to how I apply color. For most people, my art doesn't hold much significance apart from being fun to look at. Someone once mentioned it's like playing an 'I SPY' game, and I loved that. Even for me, I don't really hold any attachment to the finished spreads. I find personal significance in my artwork to be in the process, like I mentioned before, it's kind of a way to represent the way I think without actually having to explain it!

Can you tell us about a pivotal moment in your career?

Jillian: Professionally, it was when I landed my first full-time role as a graphic artist for a small media company.

I had gone through so many interviews, but the best I could get were low-paying part-time internships. It really wasn't that big a deal, but for me, I was ecstatic! I have always been unsure of myself and insecure to a fault, especially around art. I always felt I was 5 steps behind everyone else due to my unconventional academic background.

My personal pivotal moment was a little over a year after getting laid off from that job (lol) due to COVID shutting down the whole company. I had been so wrapped up in that work that I hadn't had time to draw for myself, so, therefore, I hadn't really made anything new to post on Instagram!

Anything I did post during that time, I posted purely out of anxiety for not updating, so it was all work I was not loving and not inspired by. When I got laid off, it was surprisingly a huge sigh of relief. Suddenly, I had time to myself again! And the first thing I did was start a new sketchbook and go crazy with colors. I've been on that color kick ever since!

What has been the best moment in your art career?

Jillian: So far, it's been getting to e-meet some of my favorite creators. It really doesn't get any better than that for me. I love chatting with other creatives the most!!

Who or what influences your work?

Jillian: I find most of my color inspiration from campy-retro-disco-vibes. I'm also a huge fan of Toulouse-Lautrec for his linework and colorwork! I used to be heavily influenced by Matisse, and still see it coming through every now and then.

Another one of my favorite artists is Wayne Thiebaud - his subtle use of bold colors is something I one day can only hope to achieve.

If you could pass on advice to a young artist, what would you say and why?

Jillian: I'd only tell them what I wish I could tell myself years ago which is, to not get wrapped up in trying to find your 'style'.

I've been drawing for nearly my whole life, and professionally only for 4 years! I am nowhere close to finding 'my style', and I truly don't think I ever will. What I think of my style now will most likely be way different in 10 years.

It's all about learning what you like and adapting to what suits you as you grow and your preferences evolve. I think that's one of the greatest things about being an artist - the fact that there is no end goal. There is no amount of school or classes that can get you to the perfect style because even if you go through all of that, there is always more to try.

What are the top three things you need to be an artist?

Jillian: Patience, passion, perseverance!

Follow & check out Jillian on Instagram:

@jillo.beans & @happysad.studio

Support Jillian Lu & shop now!

Shop HappySad Studio

Check out Jillian's Painting video below!