Suyao Tian She/Her https://www.instagram.com/suyaotian stian@mcad.edu Branding Identity Design, Painting In-person, Online, Hybrid mentor BIO Suyao Tian is a professional artist based in the Twin Cities, MN. She currently serves as adjunct faculty at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, teaching Water-Based Media studio classes. She is the founder and owner of Viewpoint Gallery, an Executive Board member of Art Buddies, and a board member of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA). She earned her BA from the University of Central Arkansas and her MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In her professional artistic career, she works as an independent curator and water-based media abstract painter. She is represented by Claire Oliver Gallery in NYC. Her paintings have been featured in numerous group and solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally. Her paintings have been permanently collected by museums, institutions, and renowned collectors, such as the North Dakota Museum of Art, the University of Minnesota, and more. In the commercial art arena, she has worked with prestigious companies such as Target, Room & Board, MSP International Airport, and BOND International Design Agency, among others. TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & MENTORSHIP I believe in exploring, identifying and expanding the skills of the individual by guiding them through their internal exploration of themselves. My philosophy is one in which the ideas, and creation originate within themselves to fully develop and embrace ownership of their ideas representative of who they are. I enjoy mentorship for the one-on-one interaction and seeing the full development process from their beginnings to all their creations and ideas.