Arlina Cai: The Art of Wholeness: Arlina Cai’s Surrealist Expressionism
Issue I Distortion
Arlina Cai
Writer: Joven Delay
Image Credit: Artist
Arlina Cai is a surrealist abstract painter based in Brooklyn who creates soft, ethereal paintings that delicately traverse the boundary between reality and fantasy. Her art serves as a mirror to the unseen and unspoken realms of the human psyche, manifesting the mysteries and truths that dwell within each individual. With a focus on vulnerability and connection, Cai delves into the theme of seeking wholeness within, offering a sanctuary for introspection and discovery amidst the chaos of existence.
The Art of Wholeness: Arlina Cai’s Surrealist Expressionism
Born and raised in New Jersey, Arlina Cai embarked on her full-time artistic journey less than a year ago. Although art had been her passion since an early age, she Initially pursued an education in business in New York City before landing a corporate marketing position. After all, being a full-time artist wasn’t on her radar, not at first, “I didn’t know any artists growing up or anyone who did creative work,” she tells us, “It didn’t feel like it could be real.” It wasn't until a pivotal moment during her annual review with her boss that she realized the need for change. "When I started thinking about where I wanted to be in a year, I had this strong gut feeling that helped me realize I didn’t want to live this life anymore," she reflected. "I’m just going to see what happens and trust myself to figure it out." Her journey into the world of art began in April of 2023, and today, she is living a life she never dared to dream for herself years ago.
Cai largely attributes the inspiration behind her creations to her surroundings. Reflecting on her past experience working in corporate settings, particularly in the bustling environment of Midtown Manhattan, she recalls the overwhelming noise and its impact on her well-being. "The city was just very different," she explains, especially after enduring the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since relocating to Brooklyn, however, Cai has found a renewed appreciation for New York City, viewing it through a fresh lens and rediscovering joy in its dynamic energy. Despite this, she remains open to new possibilities and often thinks of leaving. For Cai, place holds everything; it profoundly influences her daily experiences and, by extension, her artistic endeavors, "it impacts how I feel day to day, it impacts my work, my art," she explains. Despite it all, New York remains her anchor, a place she calls home, with its supportive community and close-knit family ties, "I'm going to be here for a while," she knows it.
Looking to the future, Cai hopes to someday exhibit her work in a gallery. “I love the experience of seeing people walk in front of my work and be fully absorbed by it”, she expresses. A notable aspect that often surprises viewers is the scale of her pieces, ranging from 8” by 10” to expansive works stretching as large as 40” by 60”. The magnitude of these creations transcends the confines of a single Instagram snapshot, prompting Cai's desire to showcase them on a larger scale, allowing viewers to immerse themselves fully in the intricacies of her artistry, in person.
The canvas of Arlina Cai's future is vast, and with every stroke, she continues to paint her view of the world. With only a year under her belt, everything still feels so new and full of possibility, “I feel like I’m just at the beginning of it,” she reflects, acknowledging the perpetual sense of growth and transformation inherent in her creative journey. As her artistic expression evolves, so too does she, recognizing the impermanence inherent in every facet of existence—moments, feelings, places, and people alike. With a poignant awareness of life's transient beauty, Cai's aspiration remains steadfast: to encapsulate fragments of these fleeting, yet profoundly perfect moments and imbue them into her ethereal compositions.
In an exclusive Q&A interview Arlina delves into the life she left behind in her pursuit of art, her process, and where her work comes from.
Are there any obstacles you have faced in your artistic career? How have you overcome them?
Cai: The biggest obstacle was deciding that I wanted to have an artistic career.
I had to leave a lot behind in pursuit of this dream that I never thought could be real. On the outside, I had everything I was supposed to want - a life in New York City with a stable career, a long term boyfriend, and so many things that I was thankful for, but I was unhappy. I was living for other people and not for myself, and I felt like everything - my job, my relationship, my family - was unraveling. I had to hit a series of lows before I realized I couldn't do it anymore.
At that point, I had almost completely lost touch with my art practice, but I knew it was too important for me to lose and I trusted myself to figure it out. I quit my job in April of 2023 (my birthday month) to dedicate myself to my art. It started as a return back to caring for myself. Now, through my work, I also want to help others find space and care for themselves on their own personal journeys. I'm very lucky to even have this opportunity, so now I just want to make the most of it.
:iidrr
What initially drew you to art as a form of expression? Was there a specific artist or moment in your life that brought you to art?
Cai: I think like many children of Asian immigrant parents, I struggled to express myself with words while growing up. I felt judged or shamed when I tried to verbalize my thoughts and feelings. Turning to visual expression gave me an outlet for those emotions that I didn't feel like I could speak. It gave me a space where I could be free.
How does your background influence your artwork? Does your culture or heritage play a role in your creative journey?
Cai: Yes, even more than I consciously realize!
My house was filled with calligraphy. My grandfather kept the practice alive every day on discarded newspapers. The smell or sound of wet ink on an inkstone always reminds me of him. Unknowingly, I borrow a lot of techniques from ink painting over into my acrylic painting practice.
My mother is deeply spiritual, and a lot of the reasons for why I make art now are influenced by her.
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How do you begin a new piece? Where do your ideas come from? What is your process like?
Cai: My process is so fluid - it's rooted more in feeling rather than action. I am constantly trying to cultivate the right mindset and feeling to make work - that is the hardest part about my practice.
Rather than painting a literal subject, I aim to channel a feeling of wholeness and oneness into my work. I'm really not thinking when I'm in this state, I'm just painting whatever comes. I let go.
Every experience I live probably finds its way into my work one way or another. The seasons, my moods, the color palettes of my outfits.
:iidrr
Are there any recurring subjects, themes, or ideas that you explore in your work? What draws you to them?
Cai: I paint about what I believe to be truths about life.
Everything we experience is a reflection of ourselves. I paint about connectedness, how beyond the physicality of our bodies, we're really all the same. I'm trying to capture this idea and feeling of oneness and wholeness within ourselves and with others.
I want the pieces to touch something deep inside of you, unlock an inner awareness and knowing that you might not be aware of. I want my work to open a new world.
Are there any unconventional techniques or tools you use in your art?
Cai: I try to be very open ended and find creativity everywhere. I play the piano, make things from clay, knit, craft – anything to keep my mind fresh with new ideas and ways of thinking and creating! Sometimes I'll write a little poem on the back of work, or a few lines of notes on what I'm thinking in that moment.
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How do you continue to grow as an artist? Is there a boundary in your creative process that you are trying to break through? Where do you feel you have the most to learn?
Cai: I don't believe anything can be fully known, so I have everything to learn, always!
Right now, I'm just letting myself navigate the unknown.
Fear is the biggest barrier. I do my best not to let the fear of what is ahead stop me from accomplishing what I want to do, and I take all of my lessons (read: failures) with gratitude.
:iidrr
How has your art style grown over time? What lessons have you learned about yourself and your art along the way?
Cai: My work has always been a mirror for the internal world. Art making has taught me so much about how I see the world and how I see myself.
In the very beginning, I started painting from a place of pain and darkness. When I look back at old work, I can feel that old state of mind. In the past year, I've grown and changed so much personally. I've shed a lot of internal heaviness, and it's reflected in my style. I can visibly see how mindset impacts reality in my art. That's what I'm trying to show people now with my new work - how your internal world shapes your external world.
:iidrr
Does your audience/viewer play a role in your work? How does their feedback affect your process? What do you hope to elicit in them?
Cai: I want to lead my viewers to a place of calm and inner quiet where they can truly meet themselves.
So many of our desires and fears are stuck in our subconscious mind. I know this because I lived that way for so long. Once you can shed light on those hidden parts of yourself and bring them into awareness, you can do something about it.
I want my work to be a catalyst and a reminder of this inner journey.
:iidrr
What makes a piece of art "successful" to you?
Cai: If it feels good, it's a success :)
Arlina Cai’s work is available for purchase on her website arlinacai.com. You can also find her work and follow her journey on Instagram @arlinacai.