Artists

Photo Credit: NIU Chun-Chiang

Eugene Yuchin Chen

The playwrights organized script readings and invited other resident artists to take roles.
The kitchen, with relatively stable Wi-Fi, later became my workplace.
On the Open Studio Night, a corner of the writer’s study.
A corner of the writers’ studio.
A group photo of the resident artists and writers.
The “night of open mics” - artists who got the microphone were free to give a speech.
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Eugene Yuchin Chen

Location USA / Vermont
Residency Vermont Studio Center
Year of the Grant 2020
Personal Website Eugene Yuchin Chen's Personal Website
Born in 1986, Eugene Yuchin Chen grew up in Sanchong, New Taipei City. She is currently a doctoral student of the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a master’s degree from the Department of Drama and Theatre, National Taiwan University. She was a resident writer at the Vermont Studio Center and the Santa Fe Art Institute for some time. Chen’s works include “Young Miss Kublai Khan”, “Real Tales of Taipei”, “Message from Another World”, “The Survival Guide for A Novice Writer”, “My Mom’s Treasure Is Me”, and “Marriage-holic”, among others.

Artist Statement:
During my residency at the Vermont Studio Center (VSC), aside from mealtime discussions, each artist enjoys ample time and space to write, paint, or refine their works. However, the 19-day program isn't sufficient for completing a piece of art. Consequently, artists often share their daily progress, new discoveries, or challenges they encounter.

Every week, resident artists have the opportunity to give a 7-minute demonstration of their works if they wish. Visual artists typically show their paintings or videos, while poets, prose writers, and novelists read excerpts from their works. In my case, my creation, “Message from Another World”, was translated into English in 2022 by the Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series. Hence, I selected a 3-minute section in Mandarin and another in English to share with my fellow artists. The presentation was well received.

I found informal studio visits to be the most beneficial. Following lunch or dinner, I would make brief visits to artists’ studios, listening to their explanations of their works in progress. As these were informal gatherings without formal displays, I gleaned insights into various techniques and concepts. What’s more, any questions I had during my creative process that could be addressed through community feedback. This inspired me to progress further.

Language poses a significant challenge for resident artists in Vermont. As far as I remember, in 2014, about 1/3 of the resident artists came from New York, another 1/3 came from California, and the remaining 1/3 came from other U.S. states and other continents. However, during my second residency in 2023, ethnic and linguistic diversity declined significantly, with the majority being native English speakers. In terms of exchange, perhaps only the United States can be referenced here, which may not be as diverse as other residency locations.

The final day of the residency was the “Open Studio” day. Other than resident artists, the members of nearby communities also took part. The writers’ studio is the smallest compared to others’, but with sofas, tables and chairs, plus numerous stories to share by the writers, on the last night, our place became the most frequented spot for people to gather and chat.

Lastly, if you desire feedback from fellow artists, I highly recommend participating in the weekly sharing session. Especially when participants are still unfamiliar with each other, not even knowing one another’s names, a 7-minute demonstration helps to make a lasting impression of you and your works. This also assists the artist in clarifying their goals for the residency.

Author: Eugene Yuchin Chen
Edited: Brix
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