Helen Tran
Artist member since 2021
Mississauga, Ontario
Born and raised in Vietnam, Helen Tran has always been naturally drawn towards creating art as a young girl. Her first watercolour booklet of Disney characters aspired her to paint. She soon later found her passion for the uniqueness of Printmaking. Tran pursue her education in Visual and Creative Arts at Sheridan College, Oakville, Canada and holds a BFA in Printmaking & Publications with a second focus in Photography. She has exhibited her work at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, The Japanese Paper Place, TOAF61 and Visual Arts Mississauga (VAM). Tran currently is working as an archivist assistant and artist member at the Open Studio Contemporary Printmaking Centre in Toronto. Tran is well-versed in many printing techniques; including lithography, relief, silkscreen, and intaglio. Nevertheless, she enjoys working with the versatility of lithography and bookmaking in her spare time. When she is not making prints, she enjoys adventuring outdoors with her 35mm analog film camera, watercolour painting, tapestry and creative writing. She is currently working on several linocut series of botanical imagery, along with cyanotype processes at her home studio.
For more of her work, visit www.helenart.ca and @helen.artsy on Instagram.
Inside the Studio
Q+A
Everyone should know about
I would say my work appeals to a sense of ephemerality, painterly, and centralized on ancestral culture. I am a bit of a washi enthusiastic and like working with (chine-collé) layering papers.
What artists do you admire right now?
My favourite artist right now who works with cyanotype and encaustic that inspires my current work is Erika Lujano. Her work takes on a unique approach to photography and encaustic painting.
Favourite medium
One of my favourite mediums to work with would be lithography because of its versatile process and openness to experimentation. The outcome of a lithographic print can go many directions, and you could work with either photo-litho or the traditional stone litho for a different effect.
When did you start making art, and why?
I think I was naturally drawn to art when I was five years old. I started drawing and creating art when I was young, and my fondest memory was creating pop-up greeting cards for my family. Making art for me was a way for self-expression and sharing my culture and creativity through the art community.
When I'm not making art, I'm (a) ...
When I'm not making prints, I enjoy adventuring outdoors with my 35mm analog film camera, taking outdoor landscape photographs to get some inspiration or watercolour painting, tapestry and creative writing. I would be outside planting herbs or flowers and enjoying my garden.
Favourite book
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Soucouyant by David Chariandy, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous & Time is Mother by Ocean Vuong
Upcoming Exhibitions
2024-04-16
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Accolades
2023
2021
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2020
Press
2023
2023
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
2021
Residencies
2023
Education
2021
2017
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