We're back for 2025, continuing our mission to spotlight creative talent all over the UK each month and finding about their wonderful inspirations and creative process. To kick the year off with a roaring start, we are highlighting Luna Xue, an artist that works in vibrant colours to create fantastic floral paintings among other works. Read on to hear about how Georgia O'Keeffe has played a part in her art, as well as her earliest memory of art in where she does battle with her teacher!
Where have you found inspiration lately?
I love gardening and most of my drawings are plants from my own garden and home. Lately, it has been cold and dark in Edinburgh. Hence, most of my inspiration comes from my house plants.
Is there a piece of art or a project that you are particularly excited about right now?
I am really intrigued again by Van Gogh’s Sunflowers recently. When I was an art student, I had such different takes on how to appreciate colors in different masterpieces than I do now. After being a full time botanic illustrator for 2 year, I have become really impressed by artists who are able to use strong colors well while still maintaining the classic look of a painting.
What kinds of tools or references do you like to use when creating artwork?
Before I became an illustrator and started draw on iPad, I only used oil paint. Hence, up to now, I still use traditional media such as oil paint and watercolor paint often to collect inspirations. When it comes to abstract illustrations, I love using paper cutting and collage to find a sense of touch before I put my idea together on screen.
Most of my references are my plants but I do enjoy looking at different posters from 1920s to get ideas too.
What artists or artworks (from your life or art history) do you admire or consider influential to your work & why?
The artist that affects my work the most is definitely Georgia O’Keeffe.
I used to live in her hometown in Wisconsin for 3 years and love visiting her spiritual hometown in New Mexico too. The landscape of both states taught me more about her work and my life in the Midwest gave me more angles to understand her choices.
I had a similar journey as a girl from emotionally reserved families who look for ways to express and find peace with her own trauma as O’Keeffe. It is safe to say that her work and her story not only has a huge influence on my work, but also on my life.
What advice do you have for other new or aspiring artists?
We are lucky to be creative and talented. Please protect it and enjoy it. Please don’t put yourself in the standard of other people and be too harsh on yourself for being different. Keep feeling, keep loving, keep making. Be the biggest fan of your work and you will be surprised how many people you find have similar minds as you.
Professionally, what has been your biggest achievement so far?
I got to share my work and ideas on a tv show Discover Britain on Sky TV in January 2024.
What is your first memory of creating art?
When I was 5, I drew a purple moon at preschool and got into an argument with my art teacher who insisted on the moon being yellow.
How do you spend your time when you’re not creating artwork?
I love reading and have been reading a lot since I was a child. Up until now, it is still my favourite thing to do when I’m not drawing.
What work do you most enjoy doing?
Teaching workshops.
I used to be a full time teacher so I really like teaching. But I prefer to teach creative things where I get to be part of different people’s interesting process without having to tell people exactly what to do.
What is your dream project?
My dream project is to have a small farm where I can grow more different and bigger plants and host visitors to see my work process or participate in my workshops.
Thank you Luna for all those valuable insights into your creative life. Be sure to check out her Instagram as well as her beautiful work which is available to purchase on her website. We hope everyone stays warm this January, and we'll be back with another talented artist next month!