Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jing Wei. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jing thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I recently finished a project that, years ago, I never thought I would be capable of doing. I’m sure there have been other pieces or collaborations that have been more emotionally or culturally meaningful, but this one stands out to me as a huge personal accomplishment. I have a habit of moving on very quickly from my projects, but this was a reminder that it’s nice to take the time to celebrate something you’ve created.

At the beginning of 2023, I was asked to potentially paint three facades of an 8-story building in Miami, Fl. The total coverage was roughly 30,000 square feet.  I had never worked at this scale before, so I enlisted help from a painting company to handle most of the installation. After months of negotiating, designing and planning, production was finally set to begin. However, due to a last minute scheduling conflict, the company I had hired was no longer available to help. Which means that I suddenly had to go to a plan B that I did not have. So I ended up putting together a new team of assistants (who were all insanely talented and taught me so much), and together we tackled each wall over the course of seven months. When I first started illustrating, I never thought it would lead to me getting a construction license and hanging off the side of a building to paint these massive murals. But looking back, I’m so glad that things went awry the way that they did. It forced me to go all in and face a physical and mental challenge that ultimately made me feel more connected to my work.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been making illustrations and other forms of art and design for about 16 years. It feels like I have always been on this path, even since doodling Sailor Moon characters in elementary school. When people ask me to describe my work, I never know what to say. I like to compose images digitally, but I also like to draw and collage, and paint on walls, and animate simple frames, and design things to be made in all kinds of materials. I started out making editorial illustrations because I liked the challenge of quick, conceptual visual design. And now that has lead to campaigns, branding, products, and large-scale murals. What I have always loved about my profession is that it feels limitless. I hope that continues for as long as possible.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think the best thing anyone can do to support artists is to value their work. It can be exhausting to constantly have to prove your worth, and it’s important for artists and creatives to be able to make a living, to have access to basic human needs such as healthcare coverage, and to not be perpetually under the threat of being replaced by something faster and cheaper. And as a creative, I think it’s important for us to support one another within our own industries and beyond – sharing resources, having open conversations about uncomfortable topics, and being available with our time and energy to help when needed.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It never fails to surprise me when someone reaches out to say that something I’ve created made them feel inspired or happy. I think that because I often make things in isolation, I sometimes forget that a lot of people often interact with the things I put out into the world.  So for me, those small moments of connection with strangers is definitely one of the most rewarding aspects, a reminder of the positive impact that you can make without even realizing it.

Contact Info:

• Website: jingweistudio.com
• Instagram: @jingnotjane
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jing-wei-933b88a

Image Credits
Alan Tansey (@atanz)
Sebastian Martinez (@doubleoseba)
Bradford R. Devins (@owley.studio)