Bee K C Tan
Art is a reflection of life. Blessed are those who find joy in the simple and beauty in the ordinary. I find immense joy in the process of creating. I love to paint from life and sketch on location, capturing fleeting moments for posterity. I like to paint portraits of people, places, plants and animals. I try to capture not just the likeness but the essence of my subjects. I tend to use a limited palette to achieve harmony in my work.
Born in Singapore, Bee loved making marks as soon as she could hold a pencil in hand. Trained as a medical doctor, she practised as a GP and raised a family but did not stop making art. In 2000 she obtained a certificate in Western Art from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. She also completed many art courses in Singapore and in Perth, where she has been residing since 2004. Bee paints portraits of people, places, plants and animals. She is adept in a wide range of media, but particularly loves transparent watercolours. She also illustrates books and makes clay sculptures. She has completed several mural projects in Perth, including the massive “Parable of the Tree” mural (2012) in Rowland Street Car Park, Subiaco which is over 20 metres wide and 7 metres high. Above all, she is an avid and prolific sketcher and plein air painter. She posts her sketches and other works regularly on her Instagram account. (See link below). Bee’s interest in the therapeutic value of art led her to obtain a Masters degree in Art Therapy from Edith Cowan University in 2007. Having worked with palliative care patients, schoolchildren, orphans in Kenya and community groups, she maintains a keen interest in community arts and Art as Therapy. In 2013 she started Art Seeds, a community art and craft group which she currently still facilitates, supported by Subiaco Church of Christ. In 2018 she worked with the Wadjak Northside Community Group in a sketchbook project which can be viewed online at the Brooklyn Art Library website. (See link below). Bee taught art classes in Perth since 2009. She is passionate about helping people discover their innate creativity in a positive and nurturing learning environment. She especially loves teaching people how to sketch in a sketchbook to document their day to day experiences. She strongly advocates making “sketchies instead of selfies”. (See link below). In 2018, Bee took up residency at Settlers Cottage Artists Studios before joining the Tresillian Arts Centre in July 2019. Bee’s collectors can be found in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Canada, the Netherlands, UK and USA. She accepts commissions for people and pet portraits. View more work on her website (See link below).
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Bee Tan Artist
Bee Tan Artist