May Zheng is a science fiction-fantasy illustrator, fine artist, and portrait artist in Central New Jersey.

Painting both in oil and digital software, May creates illustrations which reimagine mythology and narrative in a realistic and striking style. May also creates portraits with a distinct blend of modern figures with classical lighting and compositions. Her work often finds itself exploring dynamic relationships between illumination and shadow through an evocative figure, each piece bringing forth a new and unknown world.

May received her first book cover commission when she was 18. At age 19, she was recognized as a Finalist by the 16th Art Renewal Center Salon in the professional tiers of Imaginative Realism and Portraiture. At age 20, May was recognized and published as a winner of the international Illustrators of the Future contest. Selections of her work were featured in Highlands Art Gallery when she was 19 and she was accepted into the IX Main Show 2025 at 21 years old .

May is the owner of, and sole instructor at, the Art Academy of Plainsboro, which she opened in December 2024 at age 21.

In addition to her career in painting, May graduated from Rutgers University in May 2025 with degrees in cognitive science, Russian literature, and history.

Selected Clients

  • Plainsboro Township Municipal Center (portraiture, 2026)

  • The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York (portraiture, 2024)

  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (New Brunswick) Russian and Eastern Europe Languages and Literatures Department (illustration, 2024)

  • Galaxy Press (illustration, 2023)

  • Mr Gary Anzalone, CEO of Razor Consulting (portraiture, 2022)

  • Ridgewood Karate Academy (illustration, 2021, 2023)

  • kOZMIC Press (cover illustration, 2021)

Awards

  • Infected by Art Volume 14 Grand Prize (2026)

  • 17th Art Renewal Center Salon Finalist in Imaginative Realism (2024)

  • Illustrators of the Future (2023)

  • 16th Art Renewal Center Salon Finalist in Imaginative Realism and Portraiture (2022)

  • Oil Painters of America 4th place Student Competition (2022)

  • 15th Art Renewal Center Salon Teen Finalist (2020)