Lucong was born in Shanghai China in 1978. When he was eleven Lucong’s family moved to Muscatine, Iowa where they remain today. In 2000, after graduating from college, where Lucong had studied biology and fine art, he was drawn to Denver’s rising potential, both economically and culturally. It was in Denver that Lucong joined the Art Student’s League to continue his passion for drawing and painting. His work was an immediate success. Lucong’s large-scale portraits are captivating, and often haunting. He said in an interview with Colorado Modern, “I think the size and all leads you to the eyes. A lot of artists avoid painting the figure looking straight at the viewer. That’s what I really like to do. That’s why I like to paint. I really like the face. The head, the face is the key to me. I enjoy the figure, but I really like the face.” Lucong continues to work at his studio in Denver, Colorado and has also returned to the university to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Science and Humanities.