Artist Jennifer Chan creates work that shifts like summer shadows, her varied styles and mediums slip between glowing acrylic abstracts and pours to vivid, representative oil paintings of garden hibiscus and other flora, to layered and mysteriously geometric watercolors. Chan’s wide range of work always shows an assured hand, and a sense of wonder that shapes an alive and alchemic world, one that that envelopes viewers with a palette that is sometimes intensely vibrant and other times muted and liquid.
As an artist she says she is inspired by everything from the natural world to emotions and feelings. “Many things inspire me, the wind blowing on flowers or the way the light hits palm trees or dances on leaves. Sunsets and sunrises, the sound and smell of the ocean and the ocean breeze,” she relates. Other inspiration is more ephemeral to the eye. “I am also inspired by the emotions and feelings, either of great happiness or sadness or stress, and witnessind kindness.”
On the largest scales, she notes that “Every time I step into a large natural landscape or national park, [or I’m] diving into the ocean, [I am] given more ideas for more art. However, even what some people would consider the little things- – some salt and pepper shakers on a dining table, for example, could be my muse.”
In short every part of the world inspires Chan, whose work has grown over the years since she first began her practice by taking classes in oil at the Torrance Adult School.
“I love working with oil but it is quite messy. At the time, it was easy to do since you had classes once a week to allow time for the work to dry for a week,” she laughs. “I used to paint in oils, in a very photo-realistic style. Then COVID hit, and I decided to experiment with watercolors and acrylics. ”
Along with her art practice, Chan is also a healthcare professional, work which has affected her art and her approach to it. “The COVID pandemic was very stressful on healthcare workers, so that also changed my perspective of painting.” Painting became her release, and it also became a more intuitive and rapid moving process. “That [period of time] is how I progressed from being a photo-realistic artist into intuitive abstract expressionism. I also was having fun experimenting with pours, mixed media, collage and acrylics.”
Each of those mediums and styles have continued to be a part of Chan’s enchantingly diverse art oeurve. Her use of different materials also helped to carry her through the pandemic. “The pandemic was very stressful and that definitely made an impact on my work. At that point it felt like something in me clicked and I was very inspired to paint many things,” she says.
Today, Chan primarily works in acrylics, watercolor (as in her piece Hyperspace, above,) acrylic inks, and by collaging her own paint skins and other collage papers she creates herself. “I may go back into soft or oil pastel as well at some point and at some point work in oils again. I am right now liking the fluorescent acrylics as they are very bright and fun.”
Because of the fast-drying property of working in acrylic, she can work more quickly and have several paintings in progress in a series.
“I plan to do some more pouring and abstract collages. I was initially hesitant about using flourescent colors due to possible issues regarding lightfastness. However, I feel that some pieces will be like a beautiful fresh and alive bouquet of flowers. They are to be enjoyed in their prime moment, then they may fade some. Do you prefer live or artificial flowers? I guess that would be the question I would ask [of viewers drawn to those specific types of work.]”
Chan also says that she very much enjoys creating “collages of my paint skins from pouring and ‘up-cycling’ of those products. Before I do an acrylic pour, I put paper on the table. Afterwards, the leftover paint dries and creates a paint skin that I can incorporate into more art pieces.”
Always inventive and resilient, Chan says that thematically right now she is planning on creating “more abstract landscapes, seascapes, ocean and tropical themed paintings and doing more experimentation, maybe adding some surfboards.” She is also excited to create more work using bright flourescents.
Chan was recently honored to have her art featured on utility boxes throughout Manhattan Beach – a sure way to get her art noticed in public spaces. “I am planning to apply to more public art projects. I also plan to participate in the Manhattan Beach Annual Community Exhibition at the Manhattan Beach Arts Center, and I will also be participating in the group show for the Redondo Beach Art Group which will be at Destination: Art in July,” she attests, noting that her art studio is located at Destination:Art. “I am also a member of the South Bay Watercolor Society. I recently led a paint night there which was very rewarding, so I may look into doing more teaching.”
She stresses that her “work is constantly changing and evolving. The sky is the limit when it comes to creation and new substrates and new materials.”
Catch the inventive, prolific, and profound artist’s work currently on view as one of three solo artists in Picnic Days now at Diversions Fine Arts in Manhattan Beach through June 28th. And be sure to follow her art journey on Instagram @jennifer_chan_art and on Facebook under the monniker Jennifer Chan Art.
On June 13th, Diversions Fine Arts will be conducting curatorial walk throughs between 12-4, in conjunction with a tea service reception at the Manhattan Beach Arts Center, and there will be a closing reception and artists talk at DFA on June 28th from 1 -3 p.m. Don’t miss the chance to see the wide ranging and lustrous works Chan creates.
Diversions Fine Arts is located at 1069 N. Aviation Blvd. in Manhattan Beach.
- Genie Davis; images: Davis, and as provided by the artist