Tenzin Tsering, 21, an upcoming artist

Tenzin Tsering, 21, an upcoming artist

“Studio Dreams” (2018)
Gouache and Digital mixed media Drawing of my dream studio – a cozy cabin in the woods!

By Mila Astorga-Garcia
The Philippine Reporter

Tenzin Tsering is a young Filipino-Tibetan-Canadian artist who uses her art to focus on things and issues she considers important, in forms and colors that reflect her cultural background.

She is still a university student but her art is already attracting positive media and corporate interest, based on the news coverage she is getting, and a bank scholarship she had garnered for her university studies. She is an active participant in art events and exhibits in her Tibetan-Canadian community, individually or with her peers.

Artist Tenzin Tsering

Her art stands out for her dynamic illustrations and bold use of colors which she uses in creating compositions to deliver the message she wants to convey. Despite the attention on her creations, she remains modest as she confides during a brief chat with The Philippine Reporter, that she is still learning more about her art, and especially about issues on the environment and social justice she would like her art to reflect.

Tsering, who is currently in her fourth and final year at Ontario College of Arts and Design University, majoring as an illustration student, humbly describes her love for her chosen field of study and eventually her future career. She is appreciative of her school and the support of her parents and grandparents. It is worthwhile to note that she was inspired early in life to become an artist just by observing her grandparents, Frank and Nelia Tonido, both accomplished visual artist mainstays of the Toronto-based Philippine Artists Group.

“Mountain Climbing and Pollution” (2020)
Digital Media
This illustration visually synthesizes outdoor recreation (mountain climbing) with ongoing
environmental issues (material waste/pollution) to demonstrate how our personal benefits from
nature come at a massive cost to our ecosystems. Mount Everest is now over polluted as a
direct result of travellers looking to climb the mountain for their own satisfaction.

Asked to describe herself, she writes: “I get to explore heavy illustration elements in many classes and more design elements in others. I’m glad that I get to explore my Tibetan/Filipino/Canadian heritage in these classes and I feel like it is a way for me to add a bit of self identity into the art I make. I also love how the professors at OCAD U are so passionate about their career and industry as a whole and I appreciate how willing they are to teach and answer questions.

“Throughout my 21 years of life, I’ve been interested to pursue and learn about art in the field of illustration. It is so funny to think that four years ago my dream was to be accepted into OCAD’s illustration program, and now that I’m here my goals have shifted towards furthering my career. I’m so lucky that my parents and grandparents have supported my dreams and I’m even luckier to have received financial support from BMO so I can continue to work towards these dreams. Currently, I am looking forward to participating in more art shows to expand my art audience. Some illustration friends and I have started an art collective called Fuelled by Coffee and we are so excited to collaborate and create more art together! I also want to further expand my knowledge about the environment and social change and can’t wait to create more art in the years to come.”

The following links show some of her creations.

https://www.cbc.ca/arts/for-these-tibetan-artists-the-snowlion-club-is-a-place-to-express-themselves-and-be-part-of-a-new-family-1.5437414

https://www.yakpocollective.com/artists/team/tenzonitsering

“Healthy Cooking = Healthy Mind” (2018)
This illustration is based on the practice of Culinary Art Therapy and the question “How can cooking benefit your mental health?” Synthesizing the human skeleton with healthy foods to demonstrate the positive effects cooking has internally.
Gouache and jel pen on wood board 10×10”