Artist Statement

Art, for me, is pure magic. My earliest memories of being captivated by art stem from watching my mother—a woman with no formal artistic training—draw the silhouette of a female face. As a bored little girl, I watched in awe as simple lines formed on a blank page, coming together to create something whole: an eye, a nose, a mouth, and hair. This moment of transformation left a lasting imprint on me, and from then on, I knew I wanted to create that same magic, to shape form and space out of nothing. Art became my lifeline, my way of connecting with the world and expressing my deepest curiosities.

My work explores the relationship between representation and abstraction, often juxtaposing realistic depictions of people, animals, and plants with biological icons and circular patterns—what I call “swirlies”—that symbolize the flow of energy, or qi, that connects all living things. By weaving together intimate portraits of friends, family, and landscapes affected by anthropogenic climate change with cellular imagery, I aim to remind us of our profound interconnectedness with each other and with nature. The genetic symbols and abstract patterns speak to the common energy that exists beneath the surface of all life. They remind us that, though we are outwardly distinct, the underlying currents of life that run through us—whether human, animal, or plant—are remarkably similar.

A theme of space runs through my work, not just in the literal sense, but also in how I construct visual depth. By overlapping abstract symbols with representational subjects, I create illusions of shallow and deep spaces within a single piece. This visual play tricks the eye and invites the viewer to engage with the painting slowly, to explore the emerging shapes and colors, and to reflect on the larger questions the work presents. Each piece offers a quiet call to stay present, to linger in the moment, and to examine the interconnectedness of all life forms in an age of rapid biodiversity loss and deforestation.

Through my work, I aim to provoke a sense of wonder—just as I felt that first time watching my mother draw—and to encourage a deeper, more mindful connection to the world around us. The magic of form and space is a way to pull the viewer in, to engage them in the conversation about what it means to be alive, to be interconnected, and to be responsible stewards of the world we share.

Bio

Quyen Le is a Vietnamese-American artist based in Portland, Oregon. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting from the College of the Arts at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), as well as a Master of Arts in Art History from CSULB and a Master of International Public Policy Management from the University of Southern California (USC).

Though she initially took a hiatus from her art practice to explore other avenues, Quyen has recently returned to the creative process, rekindling the magic and wonder of art-making that first captivated her as a child.