Yen Nguyen

South Atrium

Beginning

Artist Statement

Beginning reflects the start of a deeply personal creative journey. Yen Nguyen, originally from Vietnam, is an acrylic painter based in Kelowna, British Columbia, and the founder of Sea and Silence Studio. Her art practice emerged as a way to reconnect with herself through stillness, beauty, and emotional honesty, and has since become a source of healing, growth, and connection. 

Although she was always drawn to drawing and painting as a child, she did not come from an artistic background. In her culture, art was not considered a practical path, so she followed a more traditional route - earning a business degree and building a career in finance and data. While she values the structure and challenge of her professional life, she often felt that something essential was missing. 

Her return to art began unexpectedly at a community workshop at Mission Creek Regional Park, where she worked with acrylics for the first time. That quiet, transformative moment sparked the realization that she needed to pursue painting more fully, marking the true beginning of her artistic journey. 

Today, Yen creates acrylic paintings that explore stillness, memory, femininity, and light. Through her art and community workshops, she hopes to remind others that it is never too late to begin again - sometimes all it takes is one brushstroke. 

To explore more of her work, follow her on Instagram @seasilencestudio.