Meet Gina Bae, an emerging young artist who just won the Best in Show award for NUMU’s ArtNow 2022 Annual High School Juried Exhibition Brave New Worlds. Gina is graduating this year, 2022, from Palo Alto High School and plans to attend Rhode Island School of Design this fall, to pursue fine art and illustration. In this post Gina shares some reflections on her involvement ArtNow and her own art practice. Follow Gina on Instagram @baegullart and check out her website portfolio!
How did you learn about ArtNow and what made you decide to apply?
“It was introduced in a school art course earlier this year, and I decided to apply to it because the theme and its relevance really stood out to me, and I also loved the idea of being able to walk into a real gallery and see my art hanging there. As someone with no connections to the art world, the fine arts market and galleries seem a bit intimidating since I have no idea how they work, but competitions like ArtNow that host galleries for student work have made it much easier to get my art out there and seen by more people. Especially with the Bay Area’s very STEM-centric culture and the general stigma around art careers, I really appreciate these kinds of encouraging opportunities for young artists.”
What was your experience with ArtNow?
“It was amazing! I was able to see a lot of beautiful art from the other exhibiting artists, met quite a few very nice people at the exhibit, and even made a new friend during the closing ceremony. And thanks to the wonderful Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, I’m getting a head start on funding my future in art. I wish I had found out about this and some of New Museum Los Gatos’ other opportunities earlier!”
Gina Bae with her painting in NUMU’s Gallery
Gina Bae, Gwangjang Market, Oil on Canvas, ArtNow 2022 Brave New Worlds, Best in Show
Grade 12
Palo Alto High School
Instructor: Alan Chan
“Visiting Gwangjang Market was a big dose of culture shock for me, from the almost aggressively vocal vendors to the staple long puffer coats and uniform makeup style of the bustling crowd. But I was never treated as an outsider despite my American status and meager Korean vocabulary, which served as a strong contrast when I returned home shortly before the rise of COVID-19 and consequent anti-Asian sentiment. In the future, I hope for a welcoming “brave new world” that brings all types of people to talk and eat delicious food together despite our differences, just like Gwangjang Market.”
How did you come to make/love art?
“I have loved art all my life but only started my real artistic journey in the summer before sophomore year. That’s when I joined Artis Anima Studio and met my instructor, Alan Chan, who was the best mentor I could have asked for. Without his help and the support of my parents, I would have never been able to create this kind of art at all, and I’m forever grateful to them.”
What's your favorite medium/subject matter?
“I’ve always loved classical painting, so oil painting is easily my favorite traditional medium! But digital art opened up a new world of possibilities, and now I merge classical painting and digital art techniques in my process and works by applying the techniques I had learned from studying Old Masters to create digital pieces and using modern art software to plan traditional art pieces.
In terms of subject matter, I love figurative art because art is so closely intertwined with humanity. It’s personal and yet so uniquely universal. It surpasses language barriers and closed minds. It allows both artists and viewers alike to notice the beauty and flaws of the world around us, and sparks conversations and new understandings. With my figurative art, I can capture common human experiences ranging from cultural dissonance to the complexity of living in such a polarized nation. I can highlight issues that I’m passionate about, whether it be the decline of press freedom in Hong Kong or the rampant criticism and over sexualization of teenage girls. I can connect to viewers through common emotions, social themes, and our shared humanity, and that kind of human connection is what keeps me drawing humans.”
Gina Bae, Kung Flu
What are some of your artistic goals?
“As of now, the goal of most of my pieces is to explore my experience growing up in a divided America as an Asian American girl and my resulting developing worldview. A lot of the themes I try to delve into tie into my student journalism, which led me to develop and explore more views on societal issues and current events. Through my school’s newspaper The Campanile, I got to interview so many diverse perspectives and cover issues that I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise. I interviewed university student activists, local veterans, student sexual assault survivors, and countless other members of our community. I tried to amplify disadvantaged voices and different viewpoints and encourage readers to consider these new perspectives in their own worldview. I carry the same mindset into art.
Admittedly, I’m currently a bit more focused on my own experiences in my art, but I believe that being vulnerable about myself still exposes my audience to a new perspective, and how could I ever advocate against the model minority myth or for more Asian voices in the arts if I didn’t join in myself? In terms of goals for my future practices, I hope to better capture the complexities of the messages I aim to send in my work. I want to work on bigger pieces, to sharpen my technical skills and composition, to properly study the human form. There’s so much to learn and improve on, it’s incredibly exciting! I look forward to experimenting with new methods and mediums in college to best utilize this amazing form of communication!”
How would you describe your art practice?
“Evolving. I’m still learning so many new techniques and altering my process with every piece I create. I take inspiration from artists ranging from Rembrandt to Norman Rockwell to James Jean, and I hope to keep gathering more artist influences in the future as I further develop my own unique style.”
Any advice for emerging young artists like yourself?
“Keep going. I myself stopped creating art for years due to countless cautionary tales about starving artists and the widespread cultural pressure to study STEM instead. It took a lot of time for me to challenge the thinking that I grew up with and gain the courage to pursue what I truly loved, but despite my later reentry into art, it’s definitely been worth it. No matter whether you prefer it as a hobby or a profession, there are so many ways to keep art present in your life, and it’s just an amazing outlet for your emotions and thoughts!”
What's next for you in your art journey?
“I plan on attending the Rhode Island School of Design next year, and I hope to pursue fine art and illustration in the future!”
Gina Bae, In Our Family's Shoes
Posted by Michèle Jubilee, NUMU’s Education Programs Manager
