Biography

Y. C. Maverick Cheng is an experienced artist/photographer.  He developed an early interest in art and earned scholarships to attend San Francisco Art Institute and Academy of Art in San Francisco.  He earned a Minor in Fine Art at the University of California, Davis.  While studying painting and drawing at these institutions, he pursued an interest in photography at the City College of San Francisco, mastering Black and White photography and advancing to color photography.  More recently he joined the digital age and began working digitally with his photographs instead of the traditional dark room. 

While working abstractly with drawing and painting, Cheng complements his art style with landscape photography to showcase the glory of Mother Nature.  Cheng is a locally known painter in Highland Park, IL.

Artist's Statement

“A picture is worth a thousand words” is a proverb that I hold true to my heart.

The truth is, everyone has very short-term memory and unreliable long-term memory.  Most people cannot remember their bank account numbers let alone the emotions they experience during certain events in their lives.  I have long been fascinated by the various ways of recording emotions.  Many write journals or diaries.  Some make voice or video recordings.  “A picture is worth a thousand words” is a proverb I hold true to my heart.  Hence I chose to record the emotions I experienced through visual art.

Too many people are suffering needlessly, and I do believe that the world will become a better place if everyone would help just a little. 

Early in my art development, I discovered the limitations of realism in conveying abstract feelings and complicated emotions.  I then studied surrealism and expressionism, and I began exaggerating facial expressions and forms that were humanly impossible to show what could not be described otherwise.  Many of my artworks were inspired by the less fortunate.  Therefore, they contain human figures with large heads, long slender torsos and appendages, similar to the starving children often seen in third world countries.  Too many people are suffering needlessly, and I do believe that the world will become a better place if everyone would help just a little.  Therefore, I have made a commitment to donate 10% of all my art sales to a charitable foundation of my choice.  This is a commitment I intend to keep for myself, my family, my friends, and most importantly, for those who need the help.

Many of us are leading unsatisfying lives due to greed for objects that are completely not necessary. 

Although I acknowledge the limitations of realism, I never undermine the natural beauty of people and of nature.  I use photography to depict natural beauty with little or no modifications to show things the way they truly are.  So many of us have lost our way among the bombardment of external influences such as movies, TV, and commercials.  Many of us are leading unsatisfying lives due to greed for objects that are completely not necessary.  I use my photographic works to remind people of the beauty of simplicity, of what already surrounds them, and of what they already have if they would only slow down, look around them, and appreciate the world and the people who treasure them.