Quang Hong is a glassblower, ceramicist, painter, sculptor, and designer who recently moved to Providence and started his own gallery and studio, QzillaBlue. Gallery Night’s Outreach Coordinator Sarina Mitchel had the pleasure to visit Quang at his space, see his art, and ask him a few questions!
Q: You're new to Providence; where were you based before?
A: I’ve lived in Chicago, Japan, San Francisco, and most recently Brooklyn, before moving to Providence. I’m always working in the studio, so I don’t travel much. Instead, I do this thing where I move every 5 to 10 years.
Q: What drew you to come relocate to PVD?
A: I went across the US for 6 months just traveling, looking for where to move. At one point one of my old professors suggested Providence. I was like, “Providence? Where’s that?” The next day, I saw an ad for this space right in Providence on Craigslist. I went to see it and immediately knew I wanted to take the leap and that this space would become my gallery and studio. People here seem happy.
Q: I saw some of your work on Instagram and am interested to learn more about it! Tell me more.
A: Because the world is intense, I try to keep things lighthearted, but there’s also a bit of dark comedy in there. I believe you have to choose to laugh at the absurdity of life. I look for the balance of humor, storytelling, and technical skill of painting, while not being too preachy. I find beauty in the struggle, in the sincerity of people. I hope to bring back positive imagination and levity in my work. My images are open ended and so they ask you questions. These are the tools to develop your story.
Q: What made you want to start a gallery here?
A: My main motivation is getting back to painting in Providence. In Brooklyn a friend and I ran a high end furniture company. It was very successful, but being a boss and running your own company comes with all sorts of stresses. I wanted to get back to the fun part of art, and we wanted to end on a high note, so we closed the company when the pandemic started. Being here and painting, that’s my dream!
I also put in a ceramics studio, complete with a kiln, in the basement of my gallery, where I create mugs, plates, and bowls (including a shallow bowl/plate hybrid that I designed specifically to be able to eat pasta while sitting on the couch!).
Q: Who do you think is the audience who comes to your gallery? Is there a specific audience that comes to your gallery, or who you are aiming to reach?
A: I end up shipping a lot of my art to Chicago, because I have a good base there, and have found the people who like my work there. I’m also involved with galleries in Texas and Louisiana. I’m still exploring the landscape here in Rhode Island to find the folks who find resonance with the work I make. I’m hoping being part of Gallery Night will help make those connections! I believe for every painting there is a person out there who is meant to connect deeply with that work.
Q: Favorite artists / artistic influences?
A: I grew up spending so much time reading art books at the public library. Influences include anime, comics, children’s book illustration, old masters. I’m a big student of art. I value discipline, technique, and craftsmanship when creating art.
Q: I hear that high schoolers are stopping by after school–I’m curious what they think of the art? Any hot takes?
A: They often ask, “Do you teach?” and I say no, because I curse too much. Some of the high schoolers are regulars and like to check in on the paintings they like, saying they’re going to save up to buy their favorites someday. Some show me their art or sketches they’re working on, and are curious about painting techniques, like oils versus acrylics. Others tell me their interpretations of my work.
Q: How did you hear about Gallery Night Providence?
A: I had a lot of people who came through the gallery and mentioned gallery night. Eventually someone had the website and so I checked it out. I attended a tour and love that you get to see so many different places in one night!
Sarina and the rest of the team are looking forward to having QzillaBlue be part of Gallery Night this season. Even before the start of the Gallery Night season, you can visit QzillaBlue, located at 745 Westminster Street, on your own. Gallery hours, free and open to the public, are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 5 pm, or by appointment through direct message on Instagram @Qzillablue.