Meet Liana Bee!
Meet Liana Bee (IG: @liana___bee), an innovative artist from New Zealand, and the winner of WAIA's 'Underwater Realms' competition. Her work is characterized by vibrant purple hues, spiritual undertones, and a celebration of female diversity, often incorporating elements of nature. Liana demonstrates a unique ability to translate digital creations into tangible, stitched artworks by blending AI-generated imagery with traditional textile arts. Her cross-disciplinary approach showcases the potential of AI in art and time-honored craftsmanship.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got interested in AI art?
Kia ora! I have had a lifelong appreciation for arts and crafts with family members who encouraged these interests. I took art at school until, with the wisdom of a teenager, I decided I was "bad at art," and took art history instead. Crafting and art studies led me to my first jobs, which were working in art supplies, crafts, and art framing retail, and talking with passionate customers broadened my taste in arts and appreciation of different craft media.
In NZ in the 1990s, art history meant studying from a text book as the art work didn't travel here, and it wasn't until I started travelling to visit galleries overseas that I realised how much we nuance we missed in the rich detail, in paint or chisel strokes, in the framing chosen, in the scale of the work, perhaps the placement of the piece, from merely studying books. So, it became a focus of my life to visit as many countries as I could to see the work and culture around the art and artists.
When GenAI was about to be released, I was searching for a PHD research topic, and I had a keen interest in researching the social impact of AI and future of work. So, when Midjourney was released in 2022, I had a play. I could see the ethical issues (a clear lack of diverse representation in the training set, ethics of how those training sets were derived, misuse of images for misinformation, and there was concern of the impact on skilled work).
It became my mission to create inclusivity in the images I prompted - celebrating ethnicities, age, curves, gender identity, etc. I joined community groups to promote diversity and inclusion in GenAI, and instead of continuing as a PHD idea, I fell in love with the community and evolving ethics developing around it.
Now I’m seeking to use the convergence of technology and the evolution of art to create more diversity and inclusion in cross stitch availability, and am about to launch a range that better represents the global crafting community.
Who or what are your artistic inspirations, and if you had the opportunity to collaborate with any artist, who would it be, and why?
I’m inspired by any artist who wasn’t appreciated in their time. From Artemisia Gentileschi to Claude Cahun, I would love to meet them and tell them, 'We see you now. We see you. We see you.'
Their courage to create in the face of adversity or underappreciation—sometimes with no support, no validation—speaks to an inner drive that transcends time. These artists, working against the norms of their era, were visionaries. They challenged societal expectations, gender roles, and artistic conventions, not for fame, but because they had something essential to express. Their determination to create, despite the silence around their work, inspires me to continue exploring new mediums like AI art, pushing boundaries even when recognition isn’t immediate. It’s a reminder that innovation and creativity can live beyond our lifetimes, finding their audience eventually—even in the digital realm.
How do you approach the creative process when working with AI?
For me, the creative process with AI is an evolving experiment. I love how AI enables me to explore current discussions or societal concerns. For example, I created a series on the convergence of pregnancy and fertility-related technologies, exploring how these advances intersect with our concepts of identity, control, and the body itself.
With AI, there’s a rapidity to the process—a speed that allows ideas to take form instantly, and you iterate in real time. This immediacy can fuel creative momentum that contrasts with traditional art and craft (some of my work takes years to complete). With traditional mediums I’m attached to the tangible process of creation, while AI is a tool and a collaborator.
However, while I love the immediacy and fluidity of AI, I’m also conscious of the psychological impacts, especially the dopamine rush that comes from rapid results. When you create something in seconds and get instant feedback, it can become addictive. That’s something I think about a lot, especially as AI tools become more integrated into our creative processes. Are we training ourselves to rely on that instant gratification, and does it take away from the slower, deeper, more reflective processes that traditional art encourages?
How do you balance your work in AI art with other professional or personal pursuits?
Honestly, balancing it all can be challenging, and I don’t always get it right. By day, I’m a full-time public servant providing privacy advice, and I’m also working on my PhD part-time. On top of that, I’m exploring the new business venture to bring diversity into the world of cross-stitch using AI-generated art. My goal is to create something tangibly good from this technology, offering more inclusive and varied designs that challenge what’s traditionally available.
But, like many others, I sometimes find myself caught up in the unimportant, but energy sapping stuff, like grizzling about social media algorithms and forgetting its supposed to also be fun. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re so immersed in the creative flow, and balancing that with the need to focus on my PhD or day job is tough.
One thing that’s helped me is setting clear boundaries for when I engage in each activity. I block out time for my PhD research, artistic work, and day job, but I also try to leave room for rest and spontaneity. I also remind myself that it's okay to step back sometimes and refocus. The balance between immediacy and patience extends beyond the creative process and into managing life as a whole.
How has working with AI in art influenced your mental and emotional wellbeing?
Working with AI has brought a whole new way for me to explore creativity, and that in itself is exciting. It’s opened up opportunities to experiment with ideas and aesthetics that might not have been possible for me in more traditional mediums, and that's incredibly stimulating.
That said, I’ve noticed that the novelty of AI can be a double-edged sword. People, including myself, can get very caught up in every new upgrade or capability that AI offers, and it’s easy to become quickly bored or constantly chase the next new thing. I’m trying to balance that excitement with a more thoughtful approach through my business, to create something that feels more enduring and meaningful.
I recognise that it’s a privilege to have access to these tools and the time to experiment. Not everyone has that luxury. In terms of stress, it’s not really the AI or the art that causes it for me—it’s more the social media aspect. There’s this internal pressure to share and receive validation, which can become overwhelming. So, I’ve stepped off that hamster wheel and try to focus on the process itself, rather than how it’s perceived by others.
In your opinion, how does AI redefine the concept of creativity and artistic agency, and how do you see it impacting the future of art?
I believe GenAI represents a new art movement, continuing the long history of technological advances shaping artistic expression. From the Renaissance's use of mathematical perspective to photography during the Industrial Revolution, each era has embraced innovation, and AI is the next step. What feels different this time is that AI shifts the concept of artistic agency—it’s a tool, but also a collaborator in the creative process.
AI expands creativity, allowing artists to curate, guide, and collaborate with algorithms, which challenges traditional notions of authorship. I see AI lowering technical barriers while pushing the boundaries of what we consider "art," and the definition of art will continue to evolve. This shift will likely spark debates about originality, just as photography once did.
In a way, AI continues what art has always done: reflect and shape the world around it. It forces us to rethink what art means, what role the artist plays, and how technology can be a partner in creation. This balance between immediacy and intentionality is where I think the future of AI art lies, and it's exciting to be part of that evolving narrative.
What role do you think AI art can play in highlighting social issues?
AI-generated content has the ability to reshape society, politics, and world affairs - bad actors can use this as a tool to manipulate public perception. For example, deepfake images and misinformation campaigns can distort reality, slander a person, fuel political agendas, and create confusion in society. However, AI also offers opportunities to engage with and highlight these issues, making them more visible and understandable through creative expression.
In my own work, I’ve explored themes like beauty concepts in ethnicity, disability, age, and gender identity, and the example I gave earlier of the convergence of pregnancy and technology. AI allows me to push conversations around identity and representation forward, visualising complex and underrepresented experiences. It’s a powerful tool not only for creating awareness but for sparking critical dialogue on the social issues that shape our world.
How do you engage with the broader AI and digital artist community?
I actively engage with both AI and artist communities, including groups like AI & Society, which brings together academics, public and private sector professionals to discuss the societal impacts of AI and its potential applications. These discussions broaden my perspective on the ethical and social implications of AI, and they make me more thoughtful about my own use of generative AI in art. Being part of these conversations ensures that I stay informed about how AI is reshaping industries beyond just the creative sphere.
In addition, I belong to groups of digital artists and like-minded interest groups, where we share techniques, ideas, and critiques. Like many interest groups, there’s a dynamic exchange of enthusiasm, debate, and sometimes disagreement, which helps me refine my approach to AI-generated art. These communities are personally meaningful because they provide both inspiration and critical reflection, while professionally, they keep me grounded in the broader discourse around AI’s role in society.
What advice or encouragement would you give to aspiring women and non-binary folks who are interested in pursuing AI art?
You have the power to shape this space just by participating. The world needs voices like yours.
Give it a go — AI is an incredibly powerful and flexible tool that’s accessible to anyone with the curiosity to explore it. At the same time, be mindful and thoughtful about your work. AI art can raise ethical questions around creativity and impact, so it’s important to engage with those discussions as part of the journey.
If you’re interested in monetising your art, consider the wide range of opportunities AI offers. Whether you’re creating for fun, for personal growth, or for business, there are ways to turn your passion into something tangible. I’ve found my own path through cross stitch design. Alternatively, if you’re drawn to AI art as a creative outlet for well-being, it can be a deeply therapeutic process. Either way, being part of this space helps shape the direction of the medium.
Lastly, surround yourself with like-minded communities. Engaging with groups of artists and AI enthusiasts helps you grow, keeps you motivated, and ensures your voice is part of the evolving narrative in AI art.
For more of Liana Bee’s incredible work, make sure to visit her Instagram account: @liana___bee