About Helen Tse
Helen Tse is a Markham-based artist whose work is shaped by a remarkable personal and professional journey. A former refugee from Vietnam, she built a distinguished career in Canada. Her cross-cultural approach is not only aesthetic but philosophical. Her works serve as visual essays on harmony, resilience, and the interconnectedness of human experience - shaped by a life of bridging worlds
Artist Statement
My artistic practice is a meditation on a life lived between cultures and disciplines. Having journeyed from Vietnam as a refugee to a senior leadership role at the Canada Revenue Agency, I now translate the wisdom of that journey onto rice paper.
My work blends Chinese ink and watercolor techniques rooted in Eastern tradition with the expressive color and light of Western oil painting and Impressionism. This technical fusion reflects my philosophy: that we are all part of a shared global community, breathing the same air and contributing to a collective harmony.
Through my art works I explore the synthesis of East and West - not as a contradiction, but as a beautiful, necessary balance. My art invites viewers to pause, reflect, and discover the profound connection between our inner landscapes and the world we share.