Kimberly Chan

Artist Statement

My work explores floral forms through layered digital paintings inspired by both memory and observation. I grew up in Hong Kong near a wholesale flower market, where flowers were woven into everyday life as symbols of celebration, care, and seasonal rhythm. Today, living in Bellevue, Washington, I continue to draw inspiration from the gardens, botanical spaces, and master gardeners surrounding my community.

I am a self-taught artist who pivoted from a highly analytical and data-driven career into a practice that relies more on intuition, emotion, and visual storytelling. When I first moved to the United States as an international student, I often searched for common ground with people from different backgrounds and upbringings. I now see art similarly: as a way to create connection across cultures, experiences, and environments through a shared emotional language.

Floral subjects became a natural place to begin my artistic practice because they offer both structure and variation while remaining universally recognizable. Through color, composition, and layered forms, I create works that balance structure with softness and hold presence without overwhelming a space.

Working digitally in a gouache-inspired style allows me to build compositions intuitively through many layers of color and shape. Rather than pursuing strict realism, I use floral imagery to evoke emotional atmosphere: joy, calm, optimism, reflection, and quiet energy. Some works focus on abundance and movement, while others invite slower, more contemplative attention.

Across my practice, I am interested in how color and botanical forms can create moments of connection and emotional grounding for viewers. My goal is to create artwork that people want to live with — pieces that bring warmth, peace, and a sense of presence into everyday environments.