Get to Know: Tran Nguyen

In anticipation of this week's incredible print release with artist Tran Nguyen, we sat down to get to know her a bit better.  Take a look below:

Where were you born and where do you live now?  

I was born in Can Tho, Vietnam, and am currently residing in the peachy state of Georgia.

What are your first artistic memories?  

I fondly remember the "The Lion King" coloring book that illustrated most of the major scenes in the movie.  I would copy every line drawing on each page until I was able to draw it without reference -- I nursed that book for years.

How have your style and themes changed over time?  

In the past decade, my style has transitioned from a warm color palette to a more limited one made of cool blues, purples and pinks.  My early work carried a heavy sense of surrealism, but these days, it's conveyed with subtlety with a hint of fantasy mixed in.

Could you tell us a bit about your release with us, "The Yellow Passerby & I?"  

One of my favorite mandatory readings in middle school was Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper."  "The Yellow Passerby & I" is my interpretation of her tale of a protagonist's descent into madness and her delusions from the wallpaper in her room.  My drawing illustrates the woman as she's falling and emerging from within her billowing locks of hair is the illusion that haunts her mind.

What is a normal day like in the studio for you?  

I'm the typical night owl so I pretty much wake up in the late afternoon.  I take care of my personal errands and leisure activities early in my day then I'll spend about 1-3 hours on emails and administrative errands.  My actual work day begins later in the evening around 10pm and I typically clock in about 5-6 hours at the drafting table.

What are the most difficult parts of creating?  

Transcribing what I see in my head onto paper is the most difficult.  Everything that I've ever painted has rarely looked exactly how I initially imagined it in my mind.  I've come close though.

When you're not creating, what are you up to? 

I absolutely love traveling -- it's an escape and fuels my creativity reservoir.  I also love video games and am currently playing Death Stranding, Beat Saber, and am looking forward to the new Final Fantasy VII Remake.

What can we look forward to from you in 2020?  

I'm currently working on a large personal series for an exhibition with Thinkspace Gallery in the coming year.  I'm also working on several book covers and game illustration projects that I hope to share soon!

"The Yellow Passerby & I" will be available at 1PM PST on Thursday, February 6th.