“All sorts of different artists, like very traditional artists from history or modern artists nowadays, all have their own sense of beauty to guide [them]. So for me, what is beauty? It’s the divine [that] drives beauty,” said Lucy Cui, an educator and artist with a focus on realism. She says that while the divine drives beauty, beauty drives principles, and principles drive technique.
After attending the most prestigious arts academy in China and one of the top art schools in the United States, Cui developed a method and appreciation for learning and teaching art, blending the best of both systems.
“I would rather treat [students] like we are walking the same path. I’m just a little bit ahead of them. I maybe walk a little few steps ahead than them, but we are on the same level,” Cui said.
In today’s episode, we talk to Cui about realism, how she helps the younger generation develop a passion for the arts, and why this art form brings positivity and goodness into one’s work.