Painter Tinyan Chan creates
a compelling blend of Asian and Western aesthetics in his
snowscapes and floral scenes. He is multi-talented,
producing brilliant works in both watercolor and in oil.
These Eastern elements are complimented by Tinyan's
energetic impressionistic style and his fearless use of
brilliant color. Delineation of tree branches recalls the
curves and strokes of Chinese calligraphy, as does his
subject choice of serene natural scenes. Strokes of
fuchsia, yellow, and turquoise combine in perfect harmony
where the viewer would expect them to clash, creating
beautifully balanced compositions of pure color.
Tinyan was born in Hin Kwong
Village, Go Yew county, Kwangtung, China, in 1942. The
youngest of a family of artists, Tinyan studied at the
Canton Academy of Fine Arts, eventually moving to Hong Kong
to set up a studio with his brother. From there, the artist
moved to Africa to design fabric prints for the Nigerian
Textiles Company Limited. The simple village life Tinyan
experienced in Africa gave him a sense of tranquillity that
has permanently influenced his art.
Tinyan followed his time in
Nigeria with travels throughout Europe, studying
extensively in Paris at the prestigious L'Ecole National
Superieure de Beaux-Art. He finally settled in Canada in
1968, becoming one of that country's most renowned artists
and the youngest of 25 elected Senior Members of the
prestigious F.C.A., or Federation of Canadian Artists.
Tinyan's work reflects the
diverse cultural influences in his life. Even when working
in the strict discipline of the Chinese brush painting
tradition, Tinyan scatters exuberant and undisciplined
patches of brilliant color throughout his compositions.
Similarly, when the artist creates a very Western,
impressionistic floral scene, he will depict the flowers
displayed in Asian vases and bowls, taken from the
extensive collection of his wife, Nita.
Despite the diversity within
the body of his work, Tinyan's brilliant balance of Eastern
and Western components serves as a stylistic link between
floral and landscape, between oil and traditional Chinese
brush painting. Internationally shown and widely collected,
Tinyan is a master painter of the highest caliber.
SELECTED
AWARDS
Federation of
Canadian Artists
1981 Watercolor Exhibition
Vancouver, B.C. Canada.
Inveresk
International
Artist's in Watercolor Competition
London, England.
Federation of
Canadian Artists
1982 A.F.C.A. Summer Show
Vancouver, B. C. Canada.
SELECTED PUBLIC
COLLECTIONS
Federation of
Canadian Artists
Kirby Society, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Niji, Amsterdam, Holland
Peat Marwick Ltd., Canada
Shell Oil Company Ltd., Canada
United Nigerian Textile Company, Nigeria, West
Africa
University of British Columbia
Royal Collection: King of Thailand