We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bingjie Cui a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Bingjie, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

It’s hard to select the most meaningful project as I value my different experiences on various projects. However, I would say the editorial illustrations I created for my thesis project mean a lot to me. It contains nine illustrations completed by the conceptual approach with a concentration on the inclusive life in my hometown- Xinjiang, China. Xinjiang, China is an autonomous region of China, well-known for its ethnic diversity, beautiful natural scenery, and energetic local life. Xinjiang, as a Silk Road gateway to the west, attracts visitors from all over the world with its ethnic aesthetics. As a local resident, I take the inclusive life of Xinjiang as my focus, creating this series to celebrate the diverse life in the region. This ‘In Xinjiang’ series is inspired by the local aesthetics inherent in multi-ethnic culture along with the compositions and bold colors of local diverse life and features.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

So hi everyone, my name is Bingjie. My friends call me BJ as well. I’m from Xinjiang, China, which is a large region in northwestern China, known for its diverse culture. I was a science student in college. While I was in college, I actively participate in various activities and events. I found myself passionate about designing stuff and posters for various events, and that’s where the idea of shifting from science to design was born.

So right after getting my bachelor’s degree in science, I moved to Athens, Georgia for my first master’s degree in environmental planning and design. I spent fantastic two years at UGA. Since I was the only international student in my program, I loved learning and seeing how my professors, classmates, and foreign friends think about the featured architecture and city design in China from a different perspective. I love sharing my experiences and life with them. After graduating from UGA, I stay another half year in Atlanta as an urban designer, then I got an offer from my dream company- Arup, which is a British multinational professional services firm. I worked as a graduate designer on a bridge project in Arup. On our team, there’s another designer who has a background in fine arts. I found it impressive working with an artist. I see how design ideas were developed from an artistic version, and how the ideas can be expressed with so many different versions. At that time I touched on the magic power of art, and how it shapes unique communication among groups of people.

That’s when I started to think, why not start my own creative business with a new version? Then I went to SCAD to study illustration, as I take this as a great way for me- a previous science and design student, to learn the crafts of art along with the exploration of communicating with my creative visual language. After graduating from SCAD, I’m working as a freelance illustrator who is passionate about telling stories and interpreting ideas with visual language. I get inspiration from imagination, reading, and social phenomena. I help clients promote their brands, and interpret their ideas with compelling visual solutions. I’m also addicted to literature, so I’m creating works to catch the moment of life and speak for the community. I enjoy every moment of seeing how groups of people can feel each other through illustrations.

I take my experience in science and design as valuable power that let me make art. The interesting jump between ‘rational’ and ‘emotional’ thinking allows me to create artworks that are corresponding to the literacy and texts. I like creating illustrations as a visual bridge to connect people (my audience) from different backgrounds.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Draw as much as you can, as freely as you can in your early creative journey- most importantly, don’t be afraid to draw your flash of thoughts down. Sometimes you’ll find your old ideas inspiring, though they were not built-up the moment you drew them down on your paper.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Be your unique self and communicate through your work. I love how various artists are creating from different perspectives, and we can communicate through our works.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yeahbingjie.com/
• Instagram: @yeahbj.art