Isla Jiang
I am a painter and writer living in south Florida with my husband, Jack. My studio is bright, peaceful, and filled with blue and indigo.
I became an artist when I was living on a sailboat in the Caribbean. We lived on Moonsong for three beautiful years. I was six years old, an only child, and had nothing but time. I spent hours drawing, writing, and looking over the side of the boat, watching the waves lick and foam against the hull.
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I remember thinking: I have to memorize this. I have to remember exactly how this looks. Because I knew one day the ocean wouldn't be my home anymore.
I experienced all the highs and lows of traveling on the water - the tropical heat with no AC, running from hurricanes, storms, and waterspouts, the fear in the middle of the night that we were dragging anchor. But the good times were just as important, if not more. We dove on flourishing coral reefs, explored untouched islands, and made friends from all over the world. When the rain would come, we weren't afraid. We would put our buckets and tarps all over the deck to collect the fresh rainwater. That cold water was the sweetest I'd ever tasted.
It instilled a sense in me that there is beauty in the things that scare us. There is beauty in fear and uncertainty if you only take the time to stop and see it. And there is beauty in the cycles of nature, the ebb and flow of life. Now I paint the things that are not usually considered beautiful - soft thunderstorms and deep oceans, because they remind me of that time when I was filled with awe at everything in my life.
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My goal is to stop time for a moment so you can breathe in the present.
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I paint because I want to bring people peace and comfort. My art asks you to look again, to look closer, to see what I see. Behind the layers of darkness, the layers of fear, there is such perfect beauty.
Fun facts
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Favorite musician: Enya
Disney Princess: Elsa + Moana
Drink of Choice: Dark & Stormy
Favorite Movie: Captain Ron
Number one travel spot: Thailand
Hi!
I’d love to hear from you.
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