Artist Statement
I am a Chinese American women artist based in California. I practice new media art, algorithm art, and on-canvas paintings to create altered spaces that call and empower the audience to engage their body, mind, and spirit to look for meanings and purposes that are authentically theirs in our days of constant information and instant global communication. The depth of my artworks comes from my introspection, social engagement, and accomplishment in diverse disciplines. I have spent decades meticulously establishing a foundation in classical representational art. I graduated from the University of Toronto as a high distinction scholar in quantum optics and mathematics and subsequently graduated from Stanford University with a Master of Science in computer simulations. My reflections on big tech and ethics compelled me to eventually leap from a lucrative career in data science and algorithm development into full-time art and spiritual service.
Dedication to socially engaged mysticism gives my art another dimension: as a Zen Master, I trace the lineage of enlightenment 80 generations back to the Buddha. I also currently serve as the Buddhist Chaplain at Stanford University. Art, algorithms, wisdom-healing heritage, and socially responsible actions are all integrated components of my whole being.
Education:
- STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- Master of Science, Applied Physics | 2011 |
- UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
- Bachelor of Science with distinction, Mathematics | 2009 |
- UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
- Honors Bachelor of Science, Physics| 2009 |
Selected Past Exhibitions & Festivals:
- Sept. 2022, CMS/ATMI National Conference - Heart Sutra, an Augmented Reality Installation, Long Beach, CA
- March 2022, Colorado Dragon Boat Festival - Heart Sutra, an Augmented Reality Installation, Denver, CO
- Sept. 2021, SIY Gallery - Mystic Path, Metaphorical Landscape (Solo Exhibition), San Francisco, CA
- Oct. 2021, Stanford University - Featured Installation at Festival of Reflection and Renewal, Stanford, CA
- Sept. 2021, Museum of Art & History - Quantum Elder’s Consciousness Vaccine, Santa Cruz, CA
- Sept. 2021, Berlin International Art Film Festival - Quantum Elder’s Consciousness Vaccine, Berlin, Germany
- Aug. 2021, New York Independent Cinema Awards - Quantum Elder’s Consciousness Vaccine, New York, NY
- March 2020, Avenue 12 Gallery - Debut Window Show for Covid-19 Solidarity, San Francisco, CA
- Nov. 2019, Jingshang Gallery - Contemporary Tension - Homing Heart, Beijing CBD, China
- April 2019, Enso Gallery & Red Door Galleria - The Art of Healing, Half Moon Bay, CA
- Feb. 2019, Misho Gallery - Contemporary Tension - Between China & The West, San Francisco, CA
- Oct. 2018, Misho Gallery - San Francisco Asian Week, San Francisco, CA
- May 2017, International Art Center - Permanent Exhibition - Fremont, CA
- Sept. to Dec. 2016, Palo Alto Art Center - Just Draw Studio SHow, Palo Alto, CA
- Oct. 2016, Pacific Art League - Landscape, Seascape, Urbanscape, Palo Alto, CA
- Nov. 2015 to April 2016, Stanford Art Spaces - Efflorescene, A Solo Exhibition, Stanford CA
- September to December 2015, Palo Alto Art Center - Just Draw Studio Show, Palo Alto CA
- August 2015, New Museum of Los Gatos - Los Gatos Art Association Greater Bay Area Open, Los Gatos CA
- July 2015, SOMArts Cultural Center - The Chocolate & Art Show, San Francisco CA
- April 2015, Pacific Art League - Spring is in The Air, Palo Alto CA
- June 2014, Pacific Art League - Wet Paint, Palo Alto CA
- January 2014, Pacific Art League - Member Exhibition, Palo Alto CA
- 2013, Pacific Art League - Member Exhibition, Palo Alto CA
- 2012, Pacific Art League - Waterworks, Palo Alto CA
- 2011, Wallenberg Hall - Gallery 160, Stanford University
- 2009, Smothering Heat, University of Toronto
Selected Talks:
- Nov. 2021: Stanford University, Stanford, CA – Wellbeing and The Buddhist Enlightenments.
- July 2021: College of Arts & Media, University of Colorado Denver – Creativity, Auditory Arts, and Contemplation.
- June 2021: Department of New Media and Digital Art, University of California Santa Cruz – An Algorithm Driven New Media Arts Project from Inspiration to Reality.
- Oct. 2020: Contemplation by Design Conference, Stanford University - Satipatthana with the Body and Mind.
- April 2019: Enso Yoga and Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA – Loving Kindness Meditation for Art of Healing.
- Feb. 2018: Cantor Arts Center, Stanford, CA – The Buddha’s Words in This Body and This Mind.
- April 2017: The Art Center of Redwood City and San Carlos, San Carlos, CA – Mindfulness in Art.
- Aug. 2016: Art Lab, Cubberley Artist Residency Program, Palo Alto, CA – Abstract Conflicts.
- April 2016: Stanford Art Spaces, Institute for Research in The Social Sciences, Stanford, CA – Emotional Ambiance in East Asian Aesthetics.
Selected Books & Publications:
- 2022: Yin Mountain: The Immortal Poetry by Three Daoist Women, Translated by Peter Levitt and Rebecca Nie, Shambhala Publications
- 2022: Heart Sutra: Reflections and Mediation of Cultural-Wisdom Heritage and The Contemporary World through NFT and Augmented Reality, Cecilia Jiayue Wu and Rebecca Nie, International Journal of Distributed Systems and Technologies
- 2016: Hear Now: A Way of Zen and Mindfulness, by Peter Taylor and Rebecca Nie
- 2014: Smell the Coffee and Wake Up: A Zen Guide To Mindfulness and Self-Discovery, by Peter Taylor and Rebecca Nie
- 2009: Theory of Cross Phase Modulation for the Vibrational Modes of Trapped Ions, by Rebecca Nie, C. F. Roos, and Daniel F. V. James, Physics Letters A (2009) 422-425
Professional Organizations:
- Asian American Women Artists Association
- Interdisciplinary Artists Aggregation - member of the board of advisors
- San Francisco Chinese Artist Association
- Stanford Associated Religions
- Lay Zen Teachers Association
All images and texts on this site are copy righted to Rebecca Nie : rebex @ rebexart . com