Check Out Megan Lui’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Lui

Hi Megan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
From a young age, I was curious about finding new ways to use art supplies. I remember making home made paste and seeing how it would interact with my watercolors on paper (not well). From middle school on, I took as many art electives as allowed and planned to go to college for art. But art school didn’t really work out for me. The recession was hitting, and I decided to go the stable financial route of switching to nursing school.
I decided to keep art as something for myself. And that was enough for awhile.
The pandemic in 2020 sparked a desire to want to share my art. I had things I wanted to say, much of which was inspired by the people I had cared for as a nurse. I had come to see that connection is so important to what makes us human, and I knew that was a message that needed to be heard.
I started showing my art locally and doing small art events in 2023, after a few years of trying to get my bearings and establish my style. That has grown to me exhibiting regularly, participating in art fairs, and even painting murals.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Most of the struggles I have faced revolve around balancing my art career with raising my family. I simply have less time to work on things and to get out into the art world. However, it makes my studio time precious and it makes me select the events that I do with intent. I can’t do everything, so what I do has to have meaning.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create surreal abstract mixed media paintings that explore the interconnectedness of humanity and offer a sense of calm. My work draws from personal experiences and is informed by my time as a nurse, where I witnessed moments of vulnerability and resilience. These encounters shaped my understanding of humanity’s interdependence.
A central motif in my work is the paper crane. When my daughter was ill, I began folding paper cranes as a way to hope and move forward. Inspired by the Japanese belief that folding 1,000 paper cranes earns a wish, I found comfort in this repetitive, meditative practice. It gave me a sense of purpose when I felt powerless. Over time, my process evolved to painting the image of paper cranes into abstract landscapes built of layers of origami paper on canvas, texture, and color.
Paper symbolizes life—delicate and fragile, yet strong when layered or folded together. My process begins with collaging origami paper onto canvas. I build texture and depth through layered materials, integrating the patterns of the paper into abstract compositions. The narrative emerges as I paint cranes and natural forms into these landscapes. The resulting structured yet serene abstract landscape represents a world where safety and connection coincide.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Success is determined by what you believe it is.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://meganlui.art
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/meganlui.art
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/meganlui.art
• Other: https://bsky.app/profile/meganlui.art