Iris Liao
By Grace Yao
Current Grade 12 student Iris Liao is a musician and started attending Collingwood in Grade 4. She was born in Vancouver, but moved to China soon after and attended an International School where she was taught primarily English. After 6 years, Iris developed a brain abscess and needed to be hospitalized for 3 months. When recovered, she moved back to Vancouver.
At school, Iris’s favorite subjects are Art and English, as these subjects allow her to express herself to her fullest, in creative ways. When she was younger, Iris danced, swam, and played volleyball. However, as she has grown older, she has turned her focus and dedication to art. As for her hobbies, she enjoys creating art, listening to music, hanging out with her friends, and participating in physical activities.
By Grace Yao
Current Grade 12 student Iris Liao is a musician and started attending Collingwood in Grade 4. She was born in Vancouver, but moved to China soon after and attended an International School where she was taught primarily English. After 6 years, Iris developed a brain abscess and needed to be hospitalized for 3 months. When recovered, she moved back to Vancouver.
At school, Iris’s favorite subjects are Art and English, as these subjects allow her to express herself to her fullest, in creative ways. When she was younger, Iris danced, swam, and played volleyball. However, as she has grown older, she has turned her focus and dedication to art. As for her hobbies, she enjoys creating art, listening to music, hanging out with her friends, and participating in physical activities.
As an artist, Iris enjoys multimedia arts, specifically interactivity. Her favorite year in terms of visual arts was the summer of 2022 when she developed her portfolio for university. Although this time was very stressful for Iris, she realized that she created her most original and authentic artwork, and discovered her passion for interactive media arts. The aspect of art that Iris loves the most is the creative process, and making what she imagines come to life. Iris creates mostly digital art but sometimes creates analog art as well.
Iris has been inspired the most by her parents. They help push her to be the best version of herself, and seeing their hard work has inspired Iris to work harder, push harder, and persevere through challenges to do better for herself, her family, and her community. If she could ask her parents one question, Iris would ask “How did you become successful?”
Iris has been inspired the most by her parents. They help push her to be the best version of herself, and seeing their hard work has inspired Iris to work harder, push harder, and persevere through challenges to do better for herself, her family, and her community. If she could ask her parents one question, Iris would ask “How did you become successful?”
Iris believes that art is an expression of the artist’s feelings and personality, as it has the ability to evoke certain emotions and messages in the viewers. To Iris, visual art is self-expression, perseverance, and a gateway to the future. She has noticed that with time, she has shifted away from painting and drawing to something that helps her express herself better: digital art and sculptural pieces. For any aspiring artists out there, Iris has some advice: “Do not give up and practice foundational skills as long as possible, such as perspective, shading, color theory, composition, and rendering. These foundational skills will allow you to create whatever you want in any space and plane.”
In the future, Iris Liao is going to study Interactive Media Arts at NYU Tisch. After that, she hopes to pursue a job in the arts, such as in a production company or opening up a business in the design field. Iris believes that her art experience will allow her to harness and expand her creativity and technical skills, which will help her find success in the arts and industrial world.
In the future, Iris Liao is going to study Interactive Media Arts at NYU Tisch. After that, she hopes to pursue a job in the arts, such as in a production company or opening up a business in the design field. Iris believes that her art experience will allow her to harness and expand her creativity and technical skills, which will help her find success in the arts and industrial world.