March 29, 2024 Image Suyao Tian ‘17, MFA, was recently interviewed on Chromosphere: The Color Theory Podcast by Ed Charbonneau ‘06, MFA. Tian and Charbonneau are both color-interested painters and adjunct faculty members at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Tian’s interest in color theory stretches back to childhood, although her experimentation with it only sprouted a few years after graduation as she was introduced to water-based media. Tian holds the belief to always reference nature in color theory. Therefore, her paintings, although abstracted, are organic and reminiscent of natural environments. Tian’s intuitive process emphasizes “free imagination” by balancing the playfulness of her abstractions with her broad understanding of water-based materials and techniques. “The significance of my works lies in the ‘no specific meaning,’ to provide humanity with the basic need of a safe and beautiful space for free imagination, representing the essence of art and imagination itself,” Tian says. Learn More Interview with Suyao Tian: A Journey into Color (podcasts.apple.com—February 13, 2024) Explore more about Suyao Tian Ed Charbonneau