21 Under 31: Young Artists to Watch in 2014

California

Young-Ji Cha, Afternoon Nap, oil, 24 x 24.

Art Education: Bachelor of fine arts degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Style: Realism.

Creative Spark: I get inspiration from daily life and my surroundings. I love the colors that I find in nature, and I find it very interesting how different times of the day or different seasons can create different moods and atmosphere.

Second-Choice Career: I would love to do stop-motion animation and visual development for film.

Other Passions: Coffee. I’m a big-time coffee addict, and I put a lot of time and passion into making a nice cup of joe.

One Thing People Don’t Know About You: I’m a horrible baker.

Best Advice Received: From my teacher, Craig Nelson: “You have to get 1,000 bad paintings out of the way in order to start producing decent paintings.”

Biggest Fear: My biggest fear is seeing crane flies hovering at my face when I open my front door. I am embarrassed to admit it, but crane flies really scare me.

Pet Peeve: When people do not tip their waiters and waitresses.

Quirkiest Trait: I sneeze very loudly.

Mantra or Motto: Stop being lazy.

Favorite Studio Music: I usually just have a movie playing in the background while I’m painting.

Favorite Work by Another Artist: Everything painted by Edgar Payne. His paintings of California landscapes always make my jaw drop.

Future Goals: I want to keep painting and traveling as much as I can.

Price Range: $250 to $2,500.

Representation: Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA.

Featured in the September 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
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