Natalie Jeng is currently pursuing a BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In addition to having a solo art show at the Inkblot Gallery in Alameda, her work was also featured in the DeYoung Museum and on the cover of Monthly Magazine. When she is not making art, she enjoys baking, taking walks, and hanging out with her friends.

Artist Statement: I make paintings that capture playful, funny, emotional, banal, and absurd moments I’ve experienced as a Chicago-based student artist. Realistic and figurative, my paintings of memories have soft brushstrokes, creating a dreamy, sentimental haziness. My still lifes feature everyday items which nevertheless bring me so much joy: french macaron cookies, donuts, Sunday morning dim sum, Croc shoes, my stuffed animals, Instagram, and even the last rolls of toilet paper during 2020 pandemic shortages. Painted on small wood panels, these paintings become precious objects themselves. I love using bright, jewel-tone colors reminiscent of childhood crafts, which continue to inspire me in both aesthetics and process. Though oil and acrylic painting is my main practice, I also work with color pencils, watercolors, digital art, and animation. Imbuing the ordinary with whimsy, magic, and charm, making art helps me process life and realize all the potential magic, hilarity, and entertainment along the way.