Tell us a bit about who you are and what you do.

Hi, I’m Faith. These days I am finding my way back to a more regular music and painting practice + trying to be more intentional in rehabbing my back.

How did your interest in art and music begin?

I owe lots of my interest in art to my dear friend Yixiao, we met on a high school photography field trip and have spent lots of our friendship sharing images + music with one another. 

I started painting about 4 years ago with the encouragement of a friend and watching a Hilma af Klint documentary. Before that I had mainly been making things on my computer, but the slowness + tactileness of painting felt like something I needed at the time. 

I started making music around 2 years ago while staying at an inpatient facility after I was allowed to use my electronics again. I never really thought I could make music, but was listening to lots of DORIS at the time and was inspired by their DIY spirit… how direct and short their songs are. It made singing/recording feel more possible, and I made my first few songs on a gaming headset mic. 

What is the most gratifying part of creating for you? 

I think the most gratifying part of creating has become collaborating on music. Sending an open to someone and receiving back something you didn’t expect is one the best gifts ever. 

Who are some artists/musicians/creatives that you are interested in right now?

toxic, 南部犯罪分子, galloper, 驊66, 毅, Instagram Filter, Lihonabolote, wackoes, a1d, shuvbunga, owls, MASSI, fleafriends, dj poser, egoseed, porkbelly, there’s more, there’s more… but these are the ones that come to mind right now.

What are some main motifs in your work? 

Football players are the main subjects of my paintings. All of the images are screenshots from videos. I’ve been obsessed with sports since I was in middle school in China. There is so much tension and release in football and how players react to a missed shot or conceding a late goal are some of my favorite moments/images.

What are you currently reading or watching?

The World Cup. Bundesliga RefCam Videos.

Tell us about the album paintings. What is your process like for working with musicians and painting their album covers?

I’ve only done two album paintings so far and I am hoping to do more! The first one was a football painting for Glaive’s album Y’all, and the other was a portrait for a Dream, Ivory unreleased album called Lost Dogs. I had taken a long break from painting before these covers, and commissions felt like a sweet spot where there is enough distance from myself that leaves less space for doubt. Both artists were extremely kind + trusting, and emphasized how much they appreciated my ‘style’. Once I had a reference that the artist liked, there wasn’t too much thinking or second-guessing left.

How do you see your art practices (music production/writing and painting) intersect? Do you find yourself working in different ways or addressing different topics?

I paint very slowly, and it can be super dependent on my motivation levels to work through a painting. With music, things are much faster and the feedback feels more instant and visceral. I’ve found it to be a bit of a double-edged sword though, because it makes it a lot easier to just completely scrap a project and restart when I don’t like what I’ve sung; whereas with painting I find myself having to work through things that I’m not satisfied with.  

Who would you want to collaborate with in an ideal world?

I hope I get to meet + collaborate in person with all my internet friends. I appreciate how possible it is to work with people all over the world because of the internet, but I feel like so much can come out of spending time in person with people and getting to witness their process. I’m hoping to go back to China sometime soon so I get to spend time with Yixiao, toxic, and 南部犯罪分子.

How long have you lived in your current city, and what brought you there?

I am currently living in San Francisco with my sister + brother-in-law. It has been about 8 months since I moved here. I was born in San Jose, moved to Shanghai when I was 4, moved back and forth between the Bay Area and Shanghai until the end of high school, Philadelphia for 5 years, and now back in the Bay… It’s felt more and more important to be near family as I get older, and I feel very blessed to have such a supportive, patient, and understanding family during difficult times. 

Are there any recent, current, or upcoming projects that you’re really excited about?

qaher, a very meaningful compilation organized by skii… 

patience, prod tape from abdulnour and a1d, featuring some of my favorite artists right now + I am honored to be featured on one of these tracks.

Interviewed by Seth Nguyen.