Linya Li (李琳娅) was born in Hubei, China, and is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science from the University of Michigan. Her transition into fine arts has been shaped by continued studies at Root Division, the Bay Area Classical Artist Atelier (BACAA), and the California College of the Arts.

Li's practice is deeply rooted in a history of frequent departures. Having moved away from her parents at a young age and later immigrating to the United States alone, she spent years navigating disparate collectives and environments. This journey of early independence turned her into a keen observer of the friction between the individual and the space they inhabit. Her work functions as a personal statement—an intuitive, often restless hunt for bold gestures that refuse to be quieted.

Originally expressing her tactile sensibilities through abstract sculpture in ceramics and wet felt, Li has since found a primary home in the depth of oil painting. Her poetry moves in a parallel rhythm to her visual work, with both forms seeking to capture a physical search for presence.