Yangzi Xu

Evening, Chicago, Oil Painting

2021

Artist Comments
Artist Yangzi Xu depicts a radiant evening view of the city on State Street in downtown Chicago. Warm lights flicker and glow amidst a cool palette of blue and purple structures. Red luminescent taillights dot the road while a dusky sky reflects on wet pavement. "I love painting cities at night," says Yangzi. "The light and dark contrast makes things much more interesting. The lights and cool-toned buildings create a dynamic and exciting feeling for the city."

About the Artist
Artist Yangzi Xu captures a nostalgia for Chicago and its dramatic seasonal changes in her expressionist cityscapes. Having a full-time job and being a wife and mother, Yangzi makes a habit of painting everyday to keep her passion exciting and fresh. She keeps a queue of ideas and reference photos that she takes throughout the year. She looks through her references, tweaks and adds elements to them. Once inspiration strikes, Yangzi draws several sketches and begins to work with oils on canvas on multiple pieces at once - to keep each painting spontaneous and new. "I try to capture the paradox of life in the city, where one can be in a crowd and yet feel alone," Yangzi says. "My main intent is not to capture the physical reality of a scene, but to express my own moods and feelings to my audience." In her free time, Yangzi enjoys reading, with her current favorite genres being biographies and memoirs. Yangzi is an alumnus of DePaul University in Chicago.

Words that describe this painting: Chicago, urban, dusk, city, evening, downtown, street, architecture, night, city life, State Street, road, street light, car, text, signage, buildings, facade, travel, architecture, impressionism, travel, oil painting, grey, black

Evening, Chicago
Yangzi Xu
Oil painting on stretched canvas
Finished white edges
Ready to hang
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front
2021
16 in. h x 20 in. w x 1.5 in. d
3 lbs. 0 oz.