14th Annual Austin ArtWorks Festival Features Suyao Tian – Austin Daily Herald

The Austin ArtWorks Festival — a two-day celebration of the visual, performing, and literary arts — marks its 14th anniversary year with featured artist Suyao Tian.

Thousands of visitors are expected in downtown Austin on Aug. 23-24 for the event.

Tian is a professional artist based in the Twin Cities. She currently serves as adjunct faculty at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, teaching Water-Based Media studio classes. She is the founder and owner of Viewpoint Gallery, an Executive Board member of Art Buddies, and a board member of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA).

She earned her BA from the University of Central Arkansas and her MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In her professional artistic career, she works as an independent curator and water-based media abstract painter. She is represented by Claire Oliver Gallery in NYC. Her paintings have been featured in numerous group and solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally. Her paintings have been permanently collected by museums, institutions, and renowned collectors, such as the North Dakota Museum of Art, the University of Minnesota, and more.

In the commercial art arena, she has worked with prestigious companies such as Target, Room & Board, MSP International Airport, and BOND International Design Agency, among others.

Festival goers will have the opportunity to meet Suyao Tian in person during the festival, where she will demonstrate her painting techniques live on both days. A selection of her work will also be on display in the second-floor gallery of the Austin ArtWorks Center.

The 2025 Austin ArtWorks Festival will feature 83 exhibiting and emerging artists from eight states, an authors and theatrical arts stage, live music, free family art activities, and a variety of art-making demonstrations.

Founded by volunteers in 2012, the festival is currently co-chaired by Jeff Baldus and Lisa Dunlop.

The Emerging Artists program is supported by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. The festival is made possible through the support of grants, donors, and generous sponsors.

Learn more about the festival at AustinAreaArts.org