"Painting photographic images of the formations of the Gobi Desert feels like creating art from art."
- Astrid Krehan

What is your earliest art memory? Throughout my whole life, I have been surrounded by art. The first time I started to recognize and appreciate art was when I saw the early works of German artist Georg Baier. His works spoke to me and opened the door to the contemporary art world for me.

Which is the best advice you were given as an artist? The most important advice I received from my husband. To keep doing what I am doing, especially when I start doubting myself. Recently I met the Dutch painter Cathalijn Wouters, who works with the same art gallery in Shanghai as I do. She told me: "The most important thing is to be confident about your work and yourself." Having confidence is a struggle for many artists, and we all have to work on that.

How do you know when your artwork is completed?Composing a photograph is a very intense and intuitive process. The creative part is searching for objects that emphasize expressions, emotions, and feelings I would like to convey. Post-processing is a continuation of the creative process when I work out the colors initiated by the camera movement, hidden in the material, or both. I look at the image for several days. Once I feel satisfied with the result, I call it competed.