BABES IN HART: SUYAO TIAN

SUYAO TIAN

Artist Suyao Tian has always had an eye for what others might overlook. Growing up in China during the one-child era, she spent hours alone outdoors, collecting what she calls her “trash treasures”... discarded objects, bugs, herbs, and leaves gathered from her neighborhood. These small finds became early tools of self-expression, fragments of curiosity that still surface in her work today.

Now based in the Twin Cities, Suyao is a painter working primarily in water-based media on paper, creating pieces that feel rooted in memory, dreams, and the subconscious.

Her work has appeared everywhere from large-scale airport installations to an upcoming display in the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Portugal. Yet no matter how grand the scale, her art carries the same quiet belief that deeper meaning lives in smaller places.

Welcome to Babes in HART. Let’s say we just met at a gallery opening. How would you introduce yourself?

I’m a professional artist working primarily with water-based media on paper. I also teach a water-based media studio class for undergraduate students at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, exploring painting techniques and creative expression. I’m originally from China and currently based in the Twin Cities. I’m also a mother to one child.

Your work pulls from memory, dreams, and the subconscious. What’s the earliest visual fragment you can trace back that still shows up in your practice?

As a child, I was very sensitive to color. From a young age, I loved magazines, fabrics, making things with my hands, and spending time in nature. Nature has always been a major source of inspiration for me.

You grew up in the one-child era in China. Has that experience impacted your work at all?

Yes, very much so. I grew up as part of the one-child generation in China. My parents were both professors, and I was raised in a highly structured, rule-driven environment. As an only child, I had to find my own ways to express myself. I spent a lot of time exploring nature… collecting “trash treasures” from my neighborhood like discarded objects, bugs, herbs, and leaves. Those early memories still show up in my paintings today.

You’ve had large-scale installations around the world—from a custom lightbox ceiling in China to a solo exhibition at MSP Airport. What’s been your favorite project to date?

I don’t really have a single favorite as each project is unique. I enjoy working with commercial and private clients alike because each collaboration presents something different. One recent highlight was working with an interior designer on The Finch, a new apartment building and an interior wallpaper project in collaboration with Martha Dayton Design. The color palette was drawn directly from my paintings, and the artwork helped anchor the space.

Room & Board recently reimagined our HART office, and you’re one of the artists they champion. How does it feel to have your work living in spaces people use every day—not just galleries?

I feel truly honored. Having my work in people’s homes brings me a lot of joy. I hope it creates a sense of peace and calm in their daily lives, and I’m grateful that people connect with it in such a personal way.

Can you share any exciting collaborations or future plans we should know about?

There are many exciting projects in progress. I’m currently working on a project with the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program. My work will be shown at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Portugal.

How do your HART charms reflect your personal story?

Little details make me happy, and these charms feel very personal to me as they reflect my love for small things.