Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tiffany Heng Hui Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tiffany Heng Hui, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
My artwork series “Immersed” encourages viewers to engage with nature, pure and simple, as if they are looking from inside to view the outside world surrounding them. Perhaps you are running through a meadow, constantly discovering unique plants, animals and insects, which instill a deep respect for nature within you. Our thoughts are innocent and pure, not tainted with preconceived ideas that we have formed as we grew older and were influenced by others. Our feelings and thoughts are based purely on how the world is perceived at any given moment in time. We are totally immersed in nature, looking at the world from inside out. We could be looking out from within a cherry blossom or field of sunflowers, or from the depth of the ocean.
One of my favorite pieces within the “Immersed” series captures the beauty of cherry blossoms in the spring. Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower that bloom during the spring, representing a time of renewal and optimism. The colors are vibrant, which celebrate and welcome a new beginning, bursting with new possibilities and hopes for the future.
Lines, shapes, colors, and textures are used to capture the beauty of cherry blossoms to create this mixed media paper collage. First I paint the paper, cut to a variety of shapes, render on top of the surface, then add ink lines using the Chinese ink painting technique. The collage is made using several layers. Layers are used to mimic the order found in nature to create harmony and balance. The artwork is abstract so that viewers can interpret based on their personal experiences rather than preconceived ideas.
The intimate detail in this artwork is intended to draw the viewer closer to examine and to discover things that are not visible from afar. Similar to our daily lives, to truly understand our relationship with nature requires that one examine the details and beauty found within.
Time will tell if my artwork will answer your original question. Specifically, what’s been the most meaningful project that you have worked on? If my work is able to make people aware of the harm being done by global warming and understand the urgency that must be achieved to prevent further damage by taking action now, then this is truly my most meaningful project. To fully appreciate and protect nature we must connect, absorb, preserve and engage with the environment around us.
Tiffany Heng Hui, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At the impressionable age of eighteen, I immigrated to the United States from Taipei, Taiwan. As a multidisciplinary artist my portfolio includes abstract, mixed-media objects, paper-based collages, sculptures, jewelry, and paintings. My 30-plus years of experience as a corporate interior designer brings depth to my artwork. Using my knowledge of colors, lines, shapes, textures, and materials, bridges the disciplines of interior design and art. In addition, while obtaining a masters of fine art degree from the University of Houston, I was mentored by Richard Stout, a truly outstanding artist and instructor. He pushed me to except nothing less than excellence in my work. As a graduate student I was also a teaching assistant which allowed me to demand excellence from my students as well.
My art expresses movement and energy, reflecting the changing unstable characteristics of nature, as well as the fragmentation and uncertainty of life. Abstract creations allow the viewer to interpret each work based on their personal experiences and preferences. Layers mimic the order found in nature that must be present for balance and harmony to exist. Layering materials provides depth to each object. My architectural background allows me to use repetitive lines to create abstract compositions. Use of intimate detail enhances my work by luring the viewer ever closer to discover things not visible from afar.
Recently, my work was selected by Alison de Lima Greene, the Isabel Brown Curator of Modern Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, for the Visual Arts Alliance Exhibition “Other Stories About Who We Are”. Other galleries that have shown my work include the Art Museum TX, the Jung Center Houston, Lee College in Baytown, Texas, Women Made Gallery in Chicago, Illinois, curated by Kathryn Markel, and Galerie Biesenback-Cologne in Cologne, Germany. One of my collages is part of the permanent collection at the Art Museum Texas. Current exhibitions include 2022 Texas Artists Exhibition in the Beeville Art Museum, Beeville, Texas and the Third Coast Biennial exhibition in Kspace contemporary, Corpus Christie, Texas. During September I will have a solo exhibition in the Dougherty Arts Center, Austin, Texas. Heidi Vaughn Fine Art represents my work in Houston.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
The year 2020 will be remembered for the pandemic, and the isolation and hardships that it caused. It was not a good year for reaching out to new galleries and participating in exhibitions since many galleries and businesses temporarily closed their doors. Specifically, I was selected to have a solo show in the Jung Center Gallery which is located in the fine arts district of Houston. What a great opportunity to show my work and meet new art collectors and artists. Wrong! My show was delayed twice before finally taking place two years later. To stay alive, I had to focus more on digital competitions and exhibitions. Zoom meetings became the norm and social media played a more important role in developing my art career. Participating in international zoom calls with artists from ten different countries in eight unique time zones was difficult and challenging, but with collaboration and determination we made it work and it was worth it. Critiques of my artwork from fellow artists, learning about various competitions and open calls via the internet was invaluable. My horizons were broadened since I could enter competitions globally using electronic submissions. Communicating digitally also provided opportunities to share ideas with International artists and discover new techniques and materials.
Being confined to your home and studio is not pleasant but isolation did provide the solitude required to produce work. I had time to work without interruption which allowed me to focus and generate more artwork than in the past. Having more time also allowed me to experiment with new materials and techniques. Most important, having time alone provided an opportunity to explore nature and do research to learn more about our fragile landscapes. The knowledge that I gained was incorporated into my artwork so that others could understand and be inspired to protect our environment as well.
The pandemic became the inspiration for several pieces of my artwork. The work generated during this period reflects the challenges that existed during times of isolation. Artwork include Coming Together, Space and Memory, Art is Hope, Art Matters and Landscapes. These pieces reflect everyday life while in isolation. Focus on our surroundings, nature and natural landscapes becomes more pronounced during this time of isolation. The pandemic became a time of reflection and as Rebecca Solnit stated so elegantly in an article published in The Guardian during May, 2020, “can tell other stories about who we are, what we want, and what is possible.”
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative in your experience?
Nature is beautiful and brings peace and harmony to the world. Creating art allows me to tell a story through my mixed media collages that captures the beauty found in nature so that I can share this beauty with others. Simple images consisting of a single line or a combination of colors that exist for only a moment, such as a sunset, are the basis of my abstract collages. Each piece is made with passion that comes from the heart.
Natural landscapes are one of my favorite images to transform into collages. They express movement and energy, reflecting the changing, unstable characteristics of nature, as well as the fragmentation and uncertainty of life. The lockdown caused by the pandemic reminded me that to have a safe and healthy place to live one must embrace the earth.
As an artist I must do more than express an idea. It is not enough to simply encourage viewers to protect the environment. We must get results. In addition to expressing an idea, I use the skills required to design commercial interiors such as writing marketing proposals, solving problems and resolving issues to obtain my goal of raising awareness of the fleeting nature of our precious environment and implementing actions to preserve and protect the world that we live in. Designing interior spaces to meet LEED requirements highlights principals and concepts that protect our environment and make it more sustainable. Working in the architectural design field for over thirty years enhanced my creative side and inspires me to keep an open mind, stay curious and continuously learn new skills.
Our natural landscape must be preserved so that future generations can enjoy its beauty. Hopefully my work promotes awareness of nature and encourages the protection and preservation needed so that future generations will be able to enjoy nature’s beauty as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tinyurl.com/tiffanylee944
- Instagram: @tiffanylee944
Image Credits
Estefany Sanchez for the artist photo. Rest of artwork images taken by artist (myself)