We recently connected with Lulu Jiang and have shared our conversation below.

Lulu, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

We just wrapped our first-ever group exhibition, The Journey, at the beginning of May. We featured 26 artists across a wide variety of mediums and welcomed more than 250 art lovers over the 3-day exhibition. What makes this exhibition unique are two key aspects. First, we give artists the spotlight and the space to talk about their work—because we believe, “Nobody talks about art better than the artists themselves.” Second, we curated an exhibition that’s affordable for most people, offering accessibly priced artwork starting from $200. We sold seven artworks, and most of the collectors were artists themselves.

This is meaningful to us because it’s not just an exhibition—we’re building an art community. A space where art lovers can meet artists, where artists can make artist friends, and where people can form genuine connections at a time when isolation is a real challenge for many in the creative community.

At Hot Water Cool Art, our mission is to make the art world more accessible and foster transparency through engaging artist interviews.

Since our launch in April 2024, we’ve interviewed or featured more than 70 artists, and we’ll continue to do so to provide more exposure and useful insights for artists.

Lulu, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Lulu Jiang—a Beijing-born, New York–based Multimedia Designer and Art Director.
Since moving to NYC in 2014, visiting art exhibitions quickly became a part of my life. I found deep inspiration not just in the art itself, but in the conversations I had with the artists behind the work. After working in the News and Advertising Industry for many year, I understand the power of storytelling. As an artist myself, I also recognize one of the greatest challenges creatives face: isolation and limited exposure.

People often say, “Follow your curiosity.” I’ve always been a curious learner, constantly exploring new ideas. Driven by that curiosity, I began spending my weekends filming artist interviews—asking questions from both a personal and artistic perspective.
That’s how Hot Water Cool Art was born.

Hot Water Cool Art is a community for all art lovers.
It offers a collection of Artist interviews, Inspiring Artist Stories, Behind the Scenes with Artists, Advice for artists and art tips and tricks.
We aim to make the art world more accessible, foster transparency through engaging artist interviews, and build a creative community where artists uplift one another.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

This is a big topic. Of course, policy and government support would be great—but here’s what I can think of:

You mentioned the creative ecosystem. In the art world, I see two main groups: artists (creators) and collectors (consumers).

For Artists:
People don’t know what you need unless you tell them. Social media often glamorizes the art world—so show the world what you really need to make ends meet as a professional artist. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Be Proactive. Reach out to curators, gallerists, and the press.

Be Transparent. Share your prices online. Talk about your successes, but also your challenges.

Be Resilient. It’s hard to keep creating in isolation. Believe in yourself. Make a schedule. Share works-in-progress with trusted friends, and keep showing up for yourself.

For Collectors and Art Lovers:
Support local artists. Instead of buying from well-known websites, try purchasing work directly from emerging or local creators.

Be Transparent. After buying a piece, share it on social media (if you feel like it), tag the artist, and tell your friends and family. If people can leave five-star reviews on Amazon, why not do the same for an amazing artist on your feed?

Show up. Come hang out with fellow art lovers at exhibitions and art events.

Be part of the conversation. We’d love to hear what collectors are looking for!

For Art Lovers (Those Who Are Passionate About Art):
Be kind to artists. Even if you don’t connect with someone’s work, remember that they pour their heart and soul into it. If you have feedback, try to give five kind words before one critical comment.

Help increase visibility. Tag artists on social media. Tell your friends and family how much you love their work.

Join the community. Come hang out with us at art shows and exhibitions—we’d love to see you there!

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

I enjoy listening to their stories, but most importantly, I love learning how their personal stories connect to their art. Before interviewing the artists, I look at their websites, read their bios and artist statements, and explore their unique cultural influences. I’m more interested in their art’s “whys and hows” than how it looks.

People often say, “Follow your curiosity.” To me, every interview is a learning opportunity—a chance to learn about culture, history, or maybe just how to clean your brush. I’ve also gained some precious friendships over the years. Art is a beautiful, boundaryless language. Through art, I can connect with people outside my regular circle and age group, letting our imaginations lead.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hotwatercoolart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotwatercoolart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558742173160
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-jiang/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hotwatercoolart
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotwatercoolart

Image Credits

DSC00189_v2.jpg Credit: Carlos P. Beltran
other images see either watermarks on it or the filename for credit