Spotlight

Exhibition 2024

“Takotsubo:  Catch and Release of a Broken Heart" is dedicated to my mother, Mei Ying Wong (1938 – 2020), whose death taught me many difficult lessons, including how to live with a broken heart. The scientific term for broken heart syndrome is takotsubo syndrome.  When the heart experiences severe emotional or physical stress, its left chamber swells to resemble a takotsubo, a Japanese clay pot used to catch octopus. I imagine the octopus representing the death of my mother, the trauma that fills my heart with pain. The process of building this show is a way of dealing with the trauma and the lessons I learn from the loss.  Life, shaped by death, is no longer what I used to know.  l am compelled to rise above the pain and resignation that grief harbours, and consciously live meaningfully and courageously.  I have always painted to celebrate beauty and the joy of invention, concentrating on the enriching aspects of life.  This is especially important now. Through the meditative and rejuvenating act of creation, I learn to "release" the trauma, and embrace life colourfully, spectacularly, and always with love and gratitude for my mother.

 For more information on the exhibition, please visit Yuen's instagram.

Yuen's "Takotsubo:  Catch and Release of a Broken Heart" consists of 34 hand built pots dedicated to her mother.  It is on display for the month of May (2024) at Victoria Arts Council Window Project at 670 Fort Street.  The installation is a departure from Yuen's paintings as it is specifically created to express loss and grief.  Yuen will be offering a talk on May 31st at the venue.  For more information, visit her Instagram for regular updates.   

Interview with Opus

OPUS Art Supplies interviewed Yuen for their "Living A Creative Life" series, where artists talk about their practice and materials.  Please enjoy the interview here.

Cover Art 

Yuen was honoured that her painting "At The Heart of It" was chosen to be the cover art for the Genetics in Medicine:  An Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetic and Genomics, USA.  

Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art

Tofino, Canada, 2023

Yuen attended her artist reception at the beautiful Tofino art gallery with the gallery owner, Leah McDiarmid, and curator, Montserrat Seaman in attendance.  Behind them is "Cognitive Connections" (sold).  Her paintings are available on view and for sale at the gallery all year round.

ArtX Contemporary Gallery

Seattle, USA, 2022

ArtXContemporary Gallery presents Yuen's solo exhibition, "Elevation," from September 1st to October 22nd, 2022.  The body of work demonstrates Yuen's conviction to reach a better state of being by creating beautiful and positive paintings during difficult times.  As she puts it: "I love the way painting allows me to flex my inventive and adventurous muscles while offering me spiritual elevation."  Here are a few videos that ArtXchange has made on the show "Elevation", Yuen's Process, and creative Perspective.

Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art

Tofino, Canada, 2022

Ongoing exhibitions with Yuen's paintings at the TGCA.  Left:  "The Last Glow of Daylight."  Right (far right):  "Wandering High and Low" (sold).
  

Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art 

Tofino, Canada, 2021

Yuen is excited to join the Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art.  She has several paintings showing at the gallery currently, including "Symbiosis" (sold).  

Winchester Galleries Ltd. 

 Victoria, Canada, 2021

 "Dynamic Reflections" features two contemporary Canadian abstract artists:  Chin Yuen and Brubey Hu.  Join Yuen's Artist Talk as she walks you through the show, giving context to the body of work, including how she developed nine of the paintings in the show.

ArtXchange Gallery

The City of Victoria and Pattison Outdoor Advertising collaborated to bring art to Downtown Victoria bus shelters.  Yuen's painting, "Sentinels," was chosen.  A print of it is exhibited on Yates and Ormond (# 5 on the map below) from September to December.

 

Artful Home Special Artist Feature

Wisconsin, USA, 2020

Yuen was the featured painter in the Artful Home "Celebrating Women in the Arts" campaign, which honours International Women's Day and Women's History Month by inviting artists to talk about their art careers and their advice for emerging female artists.

Special Art Workshop

Victoria, Canada, 2019

This is Me:  A Youth Art Project 

The Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria invited Yuen to facilitate and teach a workshop that enabled a group of young people to examine the subjects of identity, race, faith and belonging.  Through the use of different visual approaches, the participants created self-portraits that told the stories of who they are.

This project was funded by Multiculturalism BC.

ArtXchange Gallery

Seattle, USA, 2019

Yuen is shown with "My Garden Paradise" at the art opening of "Fantastic Journeys," ArtXchange Gallery, Seattle.

 

Tapir Gallery

Berlin, Germany, 2019

Yuen was rewarded the Takt Alumni Residency Award.  She returned to Takt and created her “Impressions” of Berlin. Focusing on the intimacy of her studio/home and the neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg, Yuen uses the tactility and visual elements in her paintings to express her impressions. She creates physical imprints of personal domestic objects such as keys or bowls on canvases with built-up surfaces.  She then adds images of landmarks from the neighbourhood that interest her.  The textural Impressions interrupt the images, creating abstraction and broken depictions of her environment—analogous to the difficulty of capturing a precise impression of Berlin when it is ever changing.  The imperfect textural surfaces also reflect the grit and age of the neighbourhood.  Chin is grateful to Takt for the opportunity to have Berlin inspire and enrich her paintings once again.

Paintings from the "Impressions" series was featured at the Artist in Residency Group Show, "Something Found," curated by Antje Blumenstein.

 

Fortune Gallery
Victoria, Canada, 2019

"Stillness and Flight"

It was just a matter of time that Yuen's migratory past and constant travels organically influence her creativity.  In her solo exhibition, "Wanderlust," at Fortune Gallery, Yuen's paintings feature exciting photos and fabrics acquired from her travels.  These richly textured paintings are unique mementos and natural testaments of an artist with a penchant for wanderlust. Enjoy an interview with Yuen as she takes you on a tour of the exhibition.

 

Commissioned Corporate Art Installation

Victoria, Canada, 2018 

Yuen just completed a commissioned installation for Rockland Scientific International Inc.  The piece consists of 14 paintings that span a 60' wall.  She has designed the piece so that the paintings could also be installed as a large painting either horizontally or vertically.  With 14 moving parts, the installation possibility is numerous. Yuen calls this piece "Wonders" to express the exciting results when art meets science.

Art Workshop in South Africa

2017

Yuen was honoured to be invited to teach an abstract workshop at Nicky Thomson's Art School in South Africa.  Here she is shown holding up Jennifer Pare's painting-in-progress.  

Artist in Residency and Exhibition

Berlin, Germany, 2017 

Yuen completed her 2017 artist residency at Takt Kunstprojektruam in Berlin, Germany. She is shown with her piece, "Berlin Souvenirs" (sold), at the Tapir Kunstruam Gallerie, Berlin. The artwork consists of 25 paintings, which Yuen created during her residency.

While in Berlin, Yuen photographed things she encountered in her daily routine and incorporated them into her paintings. They are created to highlight the distance between memory and experience: "I am consciously aware of the fact that all manners of record--photography, painting, and the visual imprint in my mind--are intrinsically removed from the original experience. The multi-layering of my works accentuates the illusiveness and subjectivity of memory, and offer me a souvenir of my own making."  

Yuen is shown with "Berlin Souvenirs" at the Summer Artists in Residence Group Exhibition, "Let Go," curated by David Kantounas, at the , June 16 - 25, 2017.

 

Art Comes Alive Best Painter of the Year Award

Cincinatti, USA, 2016

Yuen won the 2016 Painter of the Year Award at the Art Comes Alive, Cincinnati, USA. Here she is shown with Litsa Spanos of Art Design Consultants and her painting, "In Bloom," projected in the back.

Art Workshop, The New Extreme Program

Victoria, Canada, 2012 - 2014 

Yuen designed and taught three fine art workshops for the Gallery of Greater Victoria "New Extreme Program," sponsored by TD Bank.  Schools involved included Glenlyn Norfolk High School, Mount Doug, and St. Michaels University.

Del Coronado Resort

San Diego, USA

In 2013, Soho Myriad produced a series of limited editions of "Abstract Diary March #3" for the Del Coronado Resort beach cottages. The original painting is available in the Abstract Diary Collection.

Logo Design

Canada and Vietnam

Yuen was commissioned to design a logo for the Ocean Turbulence and Its Applications Conference held at the University of Science in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam, 2013.

Focus Magazine Cover

Victoria, Canada

Yuen's painting, "Wavelength II" (sold) was featured on the cover of Focus Magazine, Victoria, Canada, October, 2010.

International Textbook Covers

Two original paintings, "Abstract Diary February #3" (sold) and "Abstract Diary June #4" (sold), were featured on international text book covers for Oxford University Press (2007) and Pearson Education (2010).

Official Artworks for the Victoria International Jazz Festival

Victoria, Canada

 

Yuen's original paintings were chosen as the official artworks for the 2004 and 2005 Victoria International Jazz Festival.

Boulevard Magazine Featured Artist

Victoria, Canada

Yuen was the featured artist in Boulevard Magazine, Victoria, Canada, July/August, 2004.