Life is a moving Landscape
Each of my paintings points to an experience, tells a story and expresses its own life.
I hope one of them will inspire you.
I paint as I live and travel, with an intention to show that life is about realizing possibilities. My work is a dynamic encounter with nature, perception, and challenges that lead us towards a place of insight and learning.
Born and educated in China, my paintings reflect the unique cross-cultural journey I have taken from China to California. I recently built a Tiny House in the deep woods of Sebastopol and enjoy painting in my outdoor studio. I teach expressive art at Juvenile Hall and private classes. I frequently travel to immerse myself in inspiring cultures and landscapes, explore different expressions of the humanity.
My paintings are on display at a range of public collections in the Bay Area, include commission paintings for the UCSF cancer center Mission Bay and 49ers Levi’s Stadium art collection. My paintings have been selling around the world. I am currently available for commissioned paintings, murals, art classes and exhibitions.
BOOKS:
“Deep Sea In The Seed”, 2019, by Jun Jun Li
Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble
“The Beautiful Life” 2019, by Jun Jun Li
“Inner Garden” 2019, by Jun Jun Li
Available at San Francisco local book stores:
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, 261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco
Christopher's Books,1400 18th St, San Francisco
Alley Cat Bookstore and Gallery, 3036 24th St, San Francisco
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 - 2021
“Life is Blossoming”, Lori Austin Gallery. Sebastopol, CA
“A Pandemic Journey - 100 Days of Art Meditation” Exhibition, UCSF, SF Mission Bay
Artist in Residency and exhibition, Covo, SF (http://sf.hellocovo.com/)
“Deep Sea In the Seed”, District wine bar/gallery, San Jose, CA
2019
Abundance, District wine bar/gallery, Oakland, CA
2018
The Seed, Desta gallery, San Anselmo, CA
Black Seed, District, Oakland, CA
Fly, UCSF Helen Diller cancer center, San Francisco, CA
2017
Never Miss a Sunset, District, San Francisco, CA
Mind-scapes, Collage Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Fullest, The Zen Center, San Francisco, CA
Inspire: Teaching Artist Exhibit at YIA Gallery, San Rafael, CA
We Are Our Own Ghost live painting performance, Pier 70, San Francisco, CA
Inner Garden, District, San Francisco, CA
Reconnect to the Nature, Found on Piedmont Gallery, Oakland, CA
The Balance, District, Oakland, CA
See the world - Traveled with art project, Sports Basement, San Francisco, CA
2014
Polyreflective, 49ers Levi’s Stadium Art collections, CA
Space Between, Palace Hotel Art Collections, San Francisco, CA
Interconnection, Starbucks cafe, San Francisco, CA
2013
Social Network – SF Heroes & Hearts 5x5’ Heart installations, San Francisco, CA
Interconnection, District, San Francisco, CA
Spirit of Nature, Design Center, San Francisco, CA
Neighborhood group show, Potrero Hill Library, San Francisco, CA
Space between, Farley’s Cafe, San Francisco, CA
2012
The Unforgotten Road, Wix Lounge Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Time and Space, Otis, San Francisco, CA
Deep Sea, Andalu, San Francisco, CA
City Lights, Cisco System, San Bruno, CA
Sin City, Monarch, San Francisco, CA
Benefit Group Show, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2011
Bring me home, Ligne Roset, San Francisco, CA
Show Love, 323 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Organica, Phil's Cafe, San Francisco, CA
The Light, Roche Bobois, San Francisco, CA
Benefit Group Show, Soma Culture center, San Francisco, CA
2010
City Lights, The Vin Club, San Francisco, CA
Organica, Arterra Condos, San Francisco, CA
Beloved, The Front Porch, San Francisco, CA
Group show, Artist Exchange Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Organica, Arterra Condos, San Francisco, CA
Group show, Barber Lounge, San Francisco, CA
2007
2007 Group show, Petaluma Library, Petaluma, CA
Group show, Petaluma Cafe, Petaluma, CA
2006
BFA Summer Graduation Show, SSU Art Gallery, Cotati, CA
Art by the River Group Show, Petaluma, CA
2009-2015
Spring and Autumn Group shows at Art Explosion, San Francisco, CA
Annual Group shows at Artspan, San Francisco, CA
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Art teacher at San Francisco and Sonoma Juvenile Hall by Success Centers, 2019-2021
Expressive Painting Workshop at Airbnb experience, 2016-2021
Expressive Painting Workshop at Verlocal, 2016-2021
Expressive Painting Workshop @ SoulPlay 2019-2021
Art Mentor at Youth in Art - 2016-2021
MY STORY - THE UNFORGOTTEN ROAD - 20 years of Healing Journey by creating art
“I was born and raised in China and came to America at 1999 through arranged marriage. I spent the past 20 years studying the sources of my insecurity and unhappiness; healing from childhood trauma and abusive marriage by creating art, I transformed myself into a delightful mother, artist and dancer. Volunteered as an art therapist for “Art for recovery” at UCSF cancer center, I have been working with physicians to help heal my son from lymphoma cancer and to help my sister live with Lupus disease. My mission is to share this impactable healing journey of myself to heal many other spirits in needs through creating art.”
4 stages of life: The ongoing stories as a Chinese American artist’s transformation.
I. The early days of young motherhood and a story of family and love.
In 1999 I moved to Sonoma, CA, from Southern China to marry and follow the path my family had chosen for me. I became a traditional housewife at the age of 21, while other girls the same age were pursuing their own dreams. My son was born a year later. Away from my family, in an unhappy marriage and Isolated in a small town, I lived a life limited to church every weekend; I couldn’t find peace through Jesus. I had a luxurious lifestyle, but my spirit was empty and depressed. My paintings were the sketches of loneliness born of a desire for love. I lived in the past and stuck in my inner world.
II. Transformation from the feminine to the organic beauty of nature.
A few years later, I ventured out of my interior world to explore the beauty of nature. Living in Sonoma and Bodega Bay, inspired by the beautiful vineyards, botanical gardens and undersea creatures, I painted a series of organic forms. I collected branches, flowers, leaves and seashells, which I studied extensively before painting them. I humanized dancing and other poetical expressions of my inner world of fantasy and romanticized perfection. Writing, classical music and modern dance played a large role in my life at the time. These works are shaped by their femininity, grace and passion.
III. Search for individual expression, exploring city life and traveling.
In 2007, after eight years of depression, I decided to leave my marriage and move to my beloved city, San Francisco. I relinquished all my property and ran away with a single bag of belongings and one month’s rent. I lost everything, but felt I owned everything. A few months later, a new job and an art studio in Potrero Hill allowed me to continue painting. Amidst these new surroundings, I found my true self. I explored city life, making new friends, exploring neighborhoods like the Tenderloin, visiting homeless shelters, experiencing the darkest and deepest side of humanity. I painted a series of urban cityscapes. My color palette ranged from warm to colder and from broad to more selective hues.
IV. A new way of living: Expressive Art and Ecstatic Dance.
At a certain point, explicit narrative could no longer satisfy my creativity. I felt that objects, by themselves allowed a very limited expression. What about emotions like joy, fear and grief? I began the search for a new way to express these emotions. After many experiments I found that “less is more”. I translated complex thoughts into simple ones. Abstraction allowed more powerful expression.
In 2016, my 16 years old son found out with lymphoma cancer and went through Stem Cell Transplant in UCSF. As a mother and caregiver, I paint my deepest pain on the canvas and move every inch of my body on the dance floor. Making art and dancing helps me to focus and be present. It helps express my intense pain beyond words, thoughts, and moves me into deeper ways of calming anxieties, allowing my inner guidance to lead me through the pains and challenges of the external world. It inspired my art into another dimension - healing my son, myself and others.
MEDIA EXPLORE AND PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS:
San Francisco 49ers Levi’s Stadium commission paintings, 2014
“Hearts for Heroes” 5’x5’ Heart design, San Francisco General Hospital, 2013
Under SF - Survival of the Artist. Featuring special guest- June Li
"Dance with ink" live painting performance:
Travel the world art exchange project