Yangzi Xu

Summer Night s Bean, Oil Painting

2025

Artist Comments
After lingering near an outdoor concert in Chicago, artist Yangzi Xu found inspiration in an unexpected view. The city curves across the reflective surface of Cloud Gate, affectionately known as the Bean, beneath a sweeping blue sky. Soft lights and drifting silhouettes evoke a dreamy sense of motion and calm.

About the Artist
Artist Yangzi Xu captures the beauty of seasonal changes in her expressionist cityscapes. Having spent most of her life in Chicago, she began viewing the city in a new light after finding inspiration from her previous watercolor teacher. Using fluid and rough strokes, along with a limited color palette, Yangzi creates dramatic and evocative scenes. "I try to capture the paradox of life in the city, where one can be in a crowd yet feel alone," Yangzi says. Her creative process involves managing a queue of ideas and reference photos, sketching with pencils to plan compositions and value designs, and working on multiple pieces simultaneously. In her well-organized spare bedroom studio, Yangzi listens to music as she paints, finding it a pleasant distraction that allows her to focus on the creative process without fixating on the result. In her free time, Yangzi enjoys reading, with biographies and memoirs currently being her favorite genres.

Words that describe this painting: Chicago, downtown, night, cityscape, city, reflection, sky, skyline, evening, architecture, impressionism, travel, oil painting, blue

Summer Night's Bean
Yangzi Xu
Oil painting on canvas board
Ready to frame
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front
2025
16 in. h x 20 in. w x .12 in. d
2 lbs. 0 oz.