Speaking Beyond Words

Recently, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Canadian Art Today. It was an opportunity to look back on my artistic journey—from studying oil painting in China to building a new life and artistic practice in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

One topic that naturally came up during the conversation was my English.

It is still far from fluent. Sometimes I pause for the right word. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to say but cannot say it the way I imagine. There are moments of hesitation, uncertainty, and silence.

Yet I accepted the interview anyway.

Because I realized that learning a language and making art are not so different.

Neither is about perfection.

Both are about the willingness to keep communicating—little by little, every day.

When I first arrived in Canada, I often felt that language was a barrier. Over time, I began to see it differently. Every conversation, every exhibition, every workshop, and every interview became another step forward.

Art has always been my first language.

Now English is slowly becoming another one.

Looking back, I don't think this interview was only about my artwork.

It was also about having the courage to speak before feeling completely ready.

The same courage that allows me to start a new print, experiment with cyanotype, or begin another project without knowing exactly where it will lead.

Art has taught me that waiting until everything is perfect often means never beginning at all.

So I keep making art.

And I keep speaking.

One imperfect sentence at a time.

Liu,Xin (Leo Liu) · Contemporary Artist · PEI, Canada