About Novi Lim

I believe that abstraction is the ultimate door to a very personal visual language. Hidden symbols, memories, and unique perspectives are woven beneath the art. It could be about innocence, heritage, nostalgia, nature, a sense of beauty, and even darkness. 
Every deliberate mark, tension, pressure, or velocity that I apply to the canvas with the love of paint, a brush, or any weapon of choice and color combination is a simplified, yet concealed visual language that is coded, composed, and expressed into a work of art.

Finding and encapsulating the spirit and subtleties of my inner world and nature is what interests me. In my process, I let the freedom of movement take shape—with soft curves, edges, and swiping brushstrokes, drawing inspiration from forms that resemble aquatic, avian, and botanical forms, the usual muses.

I grew up in a densely populated concrete jungle in Java with little access to fresh air, grass, or open spaces. I love animals and being outside with my dogs. I constantly long to be around greenery, away from the crowd. Only when I moved to North Carolina was I surrounded by an abundance of nature, which sparks my creativity.


The first flow of movement occurs intuitively, followed by the layering of different techniques and detail work to achieve textural contrast, dimension, and depth. Imagining a burst of petals that blooms, seeing something as simple as the calming gradient of the colorful sky at sunset, or the surface of water that glimmers in the nighttime makes me wonder about the mystery of the deepest oceans and has all piqued my state of flow. Creating art is a way for me to embrace my individualistic tendencies and penchant for creativity.

At the core, I am more interested in the sensorial and experiential aspects of feelings and processes. It is a collaborative event of constructing my vision and letting go of inhibition in the pursuit of harmony. Following my curiosity. Embracing the unknown and drawing out what's hidden inside into something physical truly gratifies me.

Working with acrylics, immediacy is an important factor in the process, and it helps to retain a spontaneous quality that I love. I also enjoy dynamic line work, gradation, and a play of light and dark to give each of my works a quiet intensity.

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* Part of sales will go towards helping neglected dogs and stray cats in my hometown. It's an issue that resonates deeply in my heart.