Yannis Chan

Wherever I Go, You Bring Me Home

Oil on canvas

“Each painting is inspired by my experiences, philosophical theories, life environment, pop songs, and so on. I believe people can be inspired to live their life positively by viewing them. And I believe art should not be subject to restrictions of any kind. Artists not only produce beautiful works but also represent an era and cultural concepts that allow the public to understand what is happening in the world through works, regardless of subject matter and external opinions. To create is our freedom.”

— Yannis Chan

About the artist

Yannis Chan

I was born and raised in Hong Kong, moved to the US by chance. At around age of 6, I watched a lot of Japanese animation and was so fascinated by the stories and characters, as a result I started painting scenes inspired by them. I would drawn them and made myself paperdolls, and those were my own version of Barbies I played during childhood.

I enjoyed the freedom painting offers me when I was little and dreamed that I could be a painter one day. Unfortunately, it was very hard for artists to make a living in Hong Kong, so I had to put my dream aside. After moving to the US, I settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's an art capital with strong Spanish and Native American influences; there are many world-class galleries; everyone loves art; and Santa Fe‚Äôs natural environment gave me a strong sense of connection with earth. These excellent conditions inspired me to become a professional artist.