Megan Chin - Artist Interview
How would you describe your artistic practice and the themes or ideas you often explore?
"small is all" is my current body of work grounded in the principle “small is good, small is all. (The large is a reflection of the small.)” from adrienne maree brown’s book Emergent Strategy: Shaping Worlds, Shaping Change. Drawing from the natural world as an abundant model for inspiration, I play with how complexity and interconnectedness emerge from seemingly simple elements. Through experimentation with materials and process, the work highlights how nature’s small wonders—like a tree stump, a web, or a snail’s shell—reveal dynamic systems that sustain life. In doing so, "small is all" invites viewers to reconsider scale, value, and the potential for transformation.
What role does nature or the environment play in your creative work?
Entangled environments found throughout nature are at the core of my work as it resonates with my identity. As a queer mixed-race Chinese American I don't always get to see myself reflected in my surroundings. The natural world however has endless examples of diverse complexity and interconnectedness that I reference as models for inspiration.
Can you share a moment or experience that has deeply influenced your approach to making art?
Moving to Whidbey Island at the beginning of the pandemic dramatically affected what I made work about. Prior to the move I still created art about interconnectedness but primarily through figurative painting. Spending a few years in the woods really expanded my perspective and encouraged the desire to decenter humans to instead champion the more than human world.
What materials or processes are you most drawn to, and why?
In terms of material or process I gravitate towards experimenting with balancing control of my craft and letting go to learn through collaborative play. I aim to prioritize a mix between finding joy in the familiar and the unexpected. Indeterminacy, precarity, and contamination can be both intimidating as well as beautiful inherent aspects of the natural world that I also intentionally enable in my work.
How do you approach the early stages of a project, research, gathering inspiration, and experimenting?
Prioritizing observation and presence is key at first. I then reflect on what I naturally gravitated towards, what stood out as the most interesting thing organically and tap into a playful mindset to begin to build connections.
What does working in a residency setting offer you that’s different from your usual studio practice?
So much! Accountability, spaciousness, it lights a fire and helps build so many new connections.
What’s one small, unexpected thing that’s been inspiring you lately, something outside of your art practice?
I've been surprised to have been gravitating towards ways of making that I enjoyed as a kid. Like whittling or playing with beeswax. It's both familiar and new while bringing in a sense of play that's really refreshing.
