For me, painting is something very private, and it is completely my own time. It is very different from the busy and sometimes overwhelming routine of being with my children every day. When I paint, I finally have a moment to slow down and be alone with my thoughts. In that time, I can forget all my social roles and daily pressure and just fully immerse myself in the process.
I’m a mom of two little girls. I’ve loved drawing and painting since I was young. When I was in school, art class was always my favorite, and I especially loved my art teachers. People around me used to say that I had some talent in art. Growing up, I always dreamed of having a career related to art. I wanted to become either a fashion designer or an interior designer. But because of family expectations, I chose a more practical path, finished my studies, and later worked at a health authority in Canada.
Maybe it was fate, but after my husband and I settled in New York, this vibrant city and its incredible art scene awakened my passion for art again. Even when I was in the late stage of pregnancy, I would still go to exhibitions by myself. I always treasured every chance I had to connect with art.
After I had children, I went through a long period when I almost completely lost my own time. I gave myself fully to my family and my kids. At that time, I would comfort myself by saying that life is about making choices, and that my children’s smiles filled up my world. So for a while, I put my pursuit of art aside.
But when my children got a little older, I finally had a bit of time for myself again. By chance, I discovered that Sally Studio, where my daughters were taking art classes, also offered adult classes. To me, it felt like luck had come back into my life one more time. My love for art, and my longing for it, suddenly came alive again.
Sally Feng, the studio owner, has a very special way of teaching us “adult students.” What she gives us is not just technique, but confidence. She never tells us that everything has to be perfectly accurate or realistic. She cares much more about how each person feels and expresses themselves. I still remember in one of our first classes, when we were painting fruit, many of us were worried about whether the shape was correct or whether it looked realistic enough. But she told us that there is no single right answer in art. If you express what you truly see and feel in your own way, that is already meaningful. She notices every little bit of progress we make, and she encourages us in such a genuine and generous way. You can really feel that she loves teaching, loves art, and truly gives us emotional support.
Because of her encouragement, we became braver and braver. One day, a classmate suggested that we try portrait painting, and Sally immediately said yes. Portraits have probably been the most challenging part of my artistic journey so far, but also one of the most rewarding. Instead of forcing us into one traditional method, she helps each of us discover our own style and strengths. She always says that art does not have one standard, and that whether it looks exactly like the subject is not the most important thing.
Over time, all of us developed our own artistic identities. Some are great at backgrounds, some love painting older people, some enjoy painting beautiful women, some are drawn to abstraction. And for me, I love painting my two daughters the most. I feel like I am using my brush to record the people I love most deeply.
One moment that really stayed with me was when my daughter watched me painting at home and said very seriously, “Mommy, how can you be so amazing?” That touched me so much. In that moment, I felt that she was seeing me not only as her mom, but also as a person with my own gifts, passions, and identity. Now sometimes my daughters will happily tell their teachers and classmates, “My mommy is an artist. She has many talents.” And then, very honestly, they might add that I can’t really cook and sometimes I lose my temper. But I think that honesty makes it even more sweet and real.
So for me, painting is not just a hobby. It is a way of finding myself again. It is also healing. It reminds me that beyond being a wife and a mother, I am still myself. And by reconnecting with that part of me, I feel even more able to love my family and embrace my life.
Going forward, I want to continue learning with Sally. My dream is to create a whole series of family-centered portraits, because the love and support of my family are exactly what have given me the strength to keep going on this artistic journey. They love me, and I love them even more. And I hope I can use my paintings to preserve that love in my own way.
Shenjun Xie is a Syosset-based artist who recently had her works displayed in the “Between Us” exhibit at Jericho Public Library.
