Art Imitating Life

As the familiar saying goes, “Eyes are the window to the soul.” For artist Benay Cheng, they also help reflect the emotions underneath the surface, ones that cannot always be spoken. One of Cheng’s favorite illustrations features hands and eyes against a red background.

“The eyes represent how we can judge ourselves at times, while the hands offer comfort in reassuring ourselves that we are good enough,” she says.

Drawing and self-expression have been creative outlets for Cheng since childhood. Her love of visual arts began in the fourth grade, when she would spend time drawing with her friends. While she tried other art forms, such as fashion design and ceramics, drawing and illustration were what truly resonated with her.

“I just really enjoy drawing, and I can use drawing to show my emotions and my thinking,” she shares. “I can show my feelings through my drawings when I don’t know how to say them through words.”

During her years at Ridgewood High School, Cheng’s artistic style began to evolve as she discovered that painting was her favorite class. She would often spend her free periods drawing, while her teachers offered encouragement and guidance, helping her shape her work and prepare for life beyond graduation.

Cheng’s process is simple: She focuses on one project at a time, sketching out her ideas before putting them together to create something new.

Looking Ahead

As she planned for college, Cheng looked for scholarships and was pleased to discover one specifically supporting visual arts students. In fact, this past June, Cheng was honored as the first-ever recipient of the Visual Arts Scholarship Award from the Ridgewood Arts Foundation (RAF). The New Jersey-based nonprofit funds and celebrates the visual and performing arts through grants, scholarships, initiatives, and events that enrich and educate the local community. RAF recognized her accomplishments at Ridgewood High School’s Senior Awards Night.

“I felt very surprised to receive the scholarship, and it has helped to support my preparation for art school,” she says.

Cheng is now majoring in illustration at The School of Visual Arts (SVA) in Manhattan. There, she looks forward to meeting fellow artists from a wide range of backgrounds while continuing to develop her individual style. The transition will give her a fresh canvas to find inspiration, learn from the world around her, connect with like-minded artists, and discover new creative possibilities.

“I feel like New York is more artistic and busy, but I will always love the feeling of Ridgewood,” she says. “It is comfortable for me, and my friends are still there.”

While Cheng is enthusiastic and eager about what’s next, she also carries with her the people, places, and memories that have inspired her work along the way. One of the projects she is most proud of is a personal picture book called “The Quiet Years,” which she made for her little brother and dedicated to the family’s first pet, a dog named Sprite.

She remembers when Sprite came home more than 11 years ago and how he quickly became an important part of the family and household.

“Sprite is a really quiet dog,” she says. “He likes sleeping under the couch most of the time but will come out when I have treats or want to take him out for a walk.”

The printed book serves as a tribute to a loyal companion who has been part of the family for more than a decade, while giving Cheng a keepsake of the memories they have shared together.

For Cheng, art is also a way to stay connected to the people and memories that mean so much to her.

“Every time I go to a new place or meet new people, I love to tell them all about my pets first,” she says. “I draw my pets and my friends the most.”

In addition to her dogs, Cheng has five cats and enjoys incorporating elements of her pets into her artwork, using materials such as charcoal, watercolor, colored pencils, and pens.

Looking ahead, Cheng aspires to create picture books for children. One of her favorite books growing up was “Millions of Cats,” and she hopes to write and illustrate her own stories that offer positive lessons while making reading fun and engaging for young readers.

Art has been a constant in Cheng’s life, giving her a way to authentically share parts of herself, preserve memories, and find beauty in the ordinary. Now, as she begins her studies at SVA, she is excited to see where her creative journey takes her.

For a closer look at Cheng’s artwork and projects, readers can find her on YouTube: youtube.com/@star-BBK or visit ridgewoodartsfoundation.org/.