Artist Chrystal Phan
Congratulations to Chrystal Plan for earning her place as a finalist in the 6th Edition!
Who are you?
I didn’t start learning how to draw and paint until 2017 when I signed up at an atelier in my hometown of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was then that I could afford proper lessons and went for three hours once a week. My parents were Vietnamese refugees and so I grew up pretty poor. While art wasn’t discouraged, it also wasn’t prioritized.
In early 2020 I was lucky enough to receive a government grant for emerging artists so that I could focus on art full time. Before that, I went to university to study cultural geography but could only find work in fundraising, which I did until a few years ago. I’m so grateful for the chance to be a full-time artist. I consider it quite a privilege.
What inspired you to utilize painting as a medium?
I don’t really know what attracted me to painting as an artistic medium. As a teenager, I tried painting in oil for the first time in high school art class. I really liked it. Maybe it's the texture of paint. It has a very creamy, squishy goodness about it. It’s a satisfying sensation to put it on a canvas.
“Head to Head”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
Your work seems to center around family life as a subject matter, can you discuss the inspiration behind this?
The main reason for painting family life, particularly my own family life, is because it’s what I know. And because I know it, the compositions (I hope) are more genuine. It also allows me to express experiences that many other second-generation kids can relate to. Whether your parents are Vietnamese like mine are, or Polish, Columbian, or Irish immigrants, we can all relate to the funny and sometimes embarrassing moments when cultures clash. I hope that my paintings connect people to these similar experiences.
“Hungry Ghosts”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
How would you describe your artwork?
My aspiration is to have audiences receive my artwork as immersive, personal and fun. That’s what I want to convey.
“Biking for Charity”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind "Pool Party"?
The idea for this painting came from a story my friend Emily told me. She came to Canada as an adult and had lived here for quite a while before returning to Vietnam to visit family. While in Ho Chi Minh City, she went to visit a public pool. She told me how everyone was wearing clothes (since no one owned bathing suits) and that the grandparents were there just to watch the bags. I thought it was a funny image that was so Vietnamese. I wanted to share that story on the canvas.
“Camping”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating "Pool Party"?
People are always surprised at how much work went into this painting because they assume I used a family photo as a reference or used my imagination to sketch out a composition. I wish it had been that easy.
I work from photo references but I always take my own photos. Setting up a photoshoot where I live is difficult because it is a very small town on an island. At the time I also knew almost no one. Through Instagram contacts, I found a pool and a Vietnamese family in Vancouver that was large enough to make up the minimum number of models I needed. Vancouver is a ferry ride away for me, maybe three hours of total travel time.
This was at the peak of the pandemic. In British Columbia, the restrictions at the time dictated that we couldn’t socialize with anyone outside of our core group (10 people max). I didn’t have many options for bringing diverse models together so I had to use a family group.
It was October when we took the photos for this painting. Great for photography because it was cloudy but not so great for making people swim in a pool for hours while I try to capture some good poses.
After reviewing hundreds of photos, I spliced together different figures into a composition I liked. If you look closely you can see that the girl in the flamingo is the same as the girl in the background. I had to reuse a few people just to make the composition feel more full.
“Turkey Dinner”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?
I hope my paintings are relatable so that audiences can feel a connection to the work. I grew up feeling like the art world was not a space for people like me, so I want to make my art as accessible as possible. I believe that putting personal stories in my art can create an opportunity for dialogue amongst people from different backgrounds. My dream is that my work could help engender empathy between people living in a multicultural society.
“What Are You Waiting For”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?
I learn new lessons with every painting, especially so early in my career. My inexperience means that I am constantly making mistakes. However, one of the most important learning experiences for me so far is around having confidence. That may seem like a given, but I am always unsure of myself and that can have negative impacts on my art.
For instance, when I take my reference photos with models I am always afraid of bothering them. Even though I pay them I still feel like what I’m asking them to do is a burden so I often try to rush things so that they can go home. In the end, I often don’t get the images I want and am not satisfied with my reference materials. Ultimately it leads to a painting that may be good enough but not what I really wanted to push my work further.
Each photoshoot is expensive to undertake so now I try to make the most of each opportunity. I push through the insecurity by being more prepared. I plan ahead for a longer photoshoot and come more prepared with detailed shot lists and ideas. It helps that I hired a photographer as well. His perspective was invaluable in my most recent photoshoot. Getting support and feedback from other artists, like my photographer, helps with problem-solving and moving through the photoshoot more efficiently.
“My Still Life”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?
Having my first solo exhibition this year is definitely my biggest success so far. The art world is a difficult one to enter and relationships within it are very important. Also, there is no shortage of incredibly talented artists. So if you’re new, you’ve never had a show and no one knows who you are, then how are curators supposed to trust you?
I received a Canada Council for the Arts grant to complete a solo exhibition of six paintings (one being Pool Party). Receiving the grant was contingent upon me securing a venue. I could have rented a space, but it would have been much more advantageous if a gallery presented the show so I sent out 20 applications across Canada and was rejected each time (or had no responses). Is my style the right fit for the gallery? Is the timing for this kind of work right? Is my work even good enough? It’s rare to fit all the criteria of a given gallery.
It was my very last proposal to Chapel Gallery, a small non-profit in my hometown of Victoria, that accepted it. And by the way, I had none of the work completed at the time I submitted a proposal, only ideas. It was a risk on their part to partner with me. But the show was a success. I completed all the paintings I had promised, got lots of earned media and had a sold-out opening night.
That opportunity opened many other doors for me, including offers for subsequent exhibitions. Without that single opportunity, I wouldn’t be able to move forward in the way that I have.
“I’m Ok With This”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?
I am currently working on a project called “The Lucky Ones.” While my first solo exhibit was more fun, this one explores a bit of my darker side. I was inspired by a curator who told me that my job as an artist was ‘to tell the truth.’ I took that as a green light to touch on subjects that are also an important part of my life experience - intergenerational trauma, self-harm, and familial violence. Of course, as is my way, they are all still going to be pretty fun paintings. I use metaphor to indirectly express these uncomfortable topics. It is basically four paintings of a funeral that devolves into shenanigans. There is a sound component to it as well that consists of Vietnamese Buddhist funeral chants that will be recorded at a monastery (if all goes as planned of course).
“Dream Painting #3”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
What is your dream project or piece you hope to accomplish in the future?
I feel like I’m already living my dream with this next project, The Lucky Ones. Maybe I’m thinking too small, but I also like to live in the moment.
“Don’t Look”
Oil on canvas
By Chrystal Phan
Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists/photographers, what is your advice?
My advice is “don’t tell your big dreams to small-minded people.” If you suffer from low self-esteem as I do, negative comments can be the death knell of your art project. I only listen to criticism that is constructive (i.e. helps me problem solve or challenges me to improve) and I only share my artistic ideas with people who I know are open-minded.
To view more of Chrystal Phan’s work