We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Xiaojin Zhu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Xiaojin below.

Xiaojin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is my oil painting series, Growth Conditions. It started as a personal exploration of the question, “Who am I?” and became a way for me to delve into this idea through my art. Inspired by nature, particularly plants, I personified growth to show how free will plays a role in shaping personal development. The series reflects on the relationship between fate and free will—how external influences like love, space, and challenges affect our growth, but ultimately, it is our mindset and how we respond to adversity that determines our transformation.

This project is particularly meaningful to me because it aligns with my belief that growth isn’t a passive process—it’s an ongoing journey that’s shaped by both external circumstances and personal choices. It’s about learning to face challenges, overcoming fear, and embracing change.

Growth Conditions was my senior thesis, which makes it an important milestone in my personal growth. It symbolizes not only the completion of my academic journey but also the beginning of my transition from school to the real world. This project marks a significant achievement in my growth so far, but I know the journey is far from over. After all, growth is a lifelong process.

Xiaojin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

About me:
My name is Xiaojin Zhu, and I graduated in 2024 with a degree in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. I am currently a freelance artist based in Beijing. The two cities I am most familiar with are Beijing and New York. Growing up in Beijing, I was exposed to traditional Chinese culture from an early age, studying calligraphy and Chinese painting, and these influences often appear in my work.

From the age of 18 to 23, I spent most of my time in New York, a period marked by a deep curiosity about the world. During this time, I received an education in modern Western art, which has greatly shaped my creative approach. As a result, my work merges Eastern and Western aesthetics, blending cultural influences from both sides, which gives my art a unique perspective.

Creative Inspiration & Mission:
I find great inspiration in the imaginative space that words create. Often, a single word or sentence can spark my creativity, which is one of the reasons I chose illustration as my major. Words hold immense power to evoke emotion and imagination, yet they also limit the interpretation of an image. For this reason, I prefer not to provide too much textual explanation for my work (especially exhibition descriptions, not captions). Words and images each have their own charm, and their blank spaces often resonate deeply with the viewer.

I maintain a habit of reading, particularly drawn to poetic descriptions, and I also regularly attend art exhibitions to find new sources of inspiration.

In my personal works, I approach art from a deeply emotional place, focusing primarily on reflecting on life and exploring personal growth. Commercial illustration, however, requires a more targeted approach with a clearer visual communication goal and a defined audience. While maintaining artistic integrity, I focus on conveying the narrative’s message with clarity.
Whether in personal or commercial projects, my mission remains the same: I hope my work can transmit positive energy and provide the audience with a beautiful and uplifting emotional experience.

Creative Process & Client Work:
My creative process is driven by understanding the unique needs of each project and my desire for creative freedom. Aside from my senior thesis, most of my work, whether school assignments or commercial illustration collaborations, is closely tied to client requirements (at school, I viewed my professors as clients). This is a distinct feature of illustration work: each project has specific expressive needs, with the only difference being the degree of creative freedom granted by the client.

I’m lucky that most of the clients I have worked with have given me a high degree of creative freedom, which allows me to apply my imagination within the scope of their needs. The inspiration I draw from often comes in different forms and from various angles. For example, when I designed the poster for the Chinese-language play “Femme 9 19,” which was performed in New York, I was inspired by the “Three Rabbits Sharing an Ear” concept from the Dunhuang murals after conducting research and understanding the play’s content.

Currently, my illustration collaborations are mostly in the publishing, education, and public welfare fields, as well as some creative projects within the theater and internet industries. As for my oil paintings, such as my senior thesis “Growth Conditions,” they are primarily for gallery exhibitions, with future considerations for printmaking.
I do not limit my illustration collaborations to any specific industry and am open to seeing my work applied across various fields.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to communicate complex emotions and ideas without needing to use words. It’s the moments when I see someone connect with my work and feel something that resonates with them—it could be a sense of peace, inspiration, or a deeper reflection on their own life. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about creating something that stirs emotions in others and makes them pause and think.

Art, in itself, has infinite power. It soothes the soul, ignites creativity, and unites society. Most importantly, it makes the world a better place.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The most significant driving force behind my creative journey is the meaning I seek to express through my work. I want my art to be meaningful—something that inspires and spreads positive energy. Art creation, for me, is not just about technique; it’s a process of self-reflection and self-exploration. It gives me the opportunity to engage in deep thought, and I truly believe that philosophy and art are interconnected. Creating art requires life experience and accumulation of knowledge, which in turn shapes and enriches my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://zxjart.com/
• Instagram: @zxjart
• Other: Email: [email protected]