Menagerie II
"This particular painting had originally been digitally drafted for a mural project that fell through. I project and trace the image onto canvas. I try to use the visual reference for the painting as little as possible, for I have no interest in making a replica. I allow myself a generous amount of flexibility throughout the process of painting. I think a lot of painters in the beginning become fixated on reproducing whatever image is in front of them. As of result, they spend too much time looking at the reference instead of the actual piece being produced. My fascination with the conceptions of metamorphosis is present through the painting process. The scenery and the characters slowly transform though the physical act of painting. Some characters disappear into the background like apparitions, while other bodies mutate to become more monstrous or more human."
Nguyen's illustrative paintings employ a variety of techniques using oil paint and pastel on a canvas surface. Rife with narrative symbols, her dramatic tableaus sing with chaotic tension and humorous undertones. Painted in jewel tones and highlighted by soft-hued pastels, starkly contrasted by bold gestural markings, Nguyen's works are ready to hang framed or unframed.