Ottawa-based artist Linh VH Nguyen believes art should be for everyone. As a queer Vietnamese Canadian visual artist, her practice delves into themes of memory, transformation, and diasporic identity through photography, cyanotype printing, and interdisciplinary installation.
Nguyen extends this commitment to accessibility and community through her “choose-your-own-adventure” cyanotype workshops at The Grove Studio, fostering a fun, welcoming, and experimental environment. Participants in these sessions discover how to create unique compositions using diverse materials like photo negatives, lace, pressed plants, and laser-cut stencils.
I sat down with Nguyen to discuss her workshops and how she experiences the Ottawa art scene.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Apt613: How has the local arts scene and community influenced your artistic development and the themes you explore?
Nguyen: My artistic development is deeply shaped by my relationships with family, friends, and the communities I’m part of. A lot of my work is driven by a desire to love better: to love people, the creative process, and the environment more intentionally.
Lately, I’ve been inspired by Ottawa’s indie filmmaking scene, especially through Digi60 [Filmmakers’ Festival]. It’s been fun to witness the trust and camaraderie among artists volunteering on each other’s projects—it’s such a collaborative energy.
I’m also constantly influenced by the Latin dance community here. This community facilitated my explorations of embodied memory and joy through practicing social dancing, which inspired some of my visual art works.
Apt613: What are your favourite hidden gems or inspiring spots in Ottawa influencing your creativity?
Nguyen: I always enjoy Ottawa’s green spaces—walking along the Rideau Canal or through the arboretum is so calming. Walking really helps me get in the right headspace to make and solve problems.
I also love spending time in public spaces like the National Gallery’s library or the café at the National Arts Centre. I’m grateful for the resources available at the public library—I’ve even used their laser cutter to prep materials for my workshops.
Community hubs like Art House Café, Ten Toes, and Arlington Five are also great places to hang out, work, and meet other artists.
Apt613: For Ottawa residents who might be new to cyanotype or your work, what would you say is the most inviting aspect of your workshops?
Nguyen: Cyanotype is such an open and experimental process—each workshop is like a choose-your-own-adventure.
Participants are encouraged to bring personal materials to print: film negatives, family keepsakes, even a Mayfair Theatre membership card. One person once used flowers they grew themselves. These make the prints more personal, meaningful, and memorable.
At the same time, I also provide a library of my own negatives, shapes, and images to choose from—so there’s something for everyone.
Photo: Linh Nguyen.
Apt613: Can you speak more about the importance of accessibility and community in your practice?
If my goal is to empower as many people as possible to experience the joy of their creativity, then accessibility is essential. I want to make cyanotype as fun, accessible, and beginner-friendly as possible so others can enjoy the medium that I love.
I host workshops in physically accessible spaces like The Grove Studio and use a tiered “choose what you pay” system inspired by Pique’s model—it’s about trusting that folks will choose what works best for themselves and the wider community.
Apt613: Diasporic identity is an important aspect of your work. How does your personal experience inform this exploration, and what conversations do you hope to spark within the community?
Nguyen: The search for home and belonging is at the heart of much of my work. My exploration of diasporic identity often begins in personal places—grief, longing, and the desire to preserve family memories.
Recently, I’ve been spending time with my grandparents, who are in the process of finding their final home—either resettling in their renovated apartment or a retirement home. I think about how my grandma, with limited mobility, lies in bed with her rich inner life, reliving some of her memories, unspoken desires and grief. I find that reflecting on my own diasporic experience has given me more empathy and ways to connect with my grandma in particular, seeing her need for security and demand for “home” in the final years of her life.
I’ve also collaborated on projects like On Home, an interdisciplinary dance show with Voices Dance Collective and musician Jack Hui Litster, where I created projections using archival family videos. I’m continually moved by how many different ways artists explore these shared themes.
Photo provided by Linh Nguyen.
Apt613: What can people expect in terms of themes and skill-building in the upcoming workshops?
These workshops follow seasonal themes–summer and fall–with a focus on plants, animals, and natural imagery.
Skill-building includes learning how cyanotype works, how to compose layered prints using shapes and patterns, and how to tone or bleach prints to change their colour.
Participants will walk away with technical skills and a more intuitive understanding of how to collaborate with light, time, and materials.
Apt613: What has been the most surprising or unexpected outcome of sharing your art and teaching workshops in Ottawa?
Nguyen: I’ve been grateful for how enthusiastically the community has embraced these workshops, not just from folks already connected to The Grove, but from all over the city.
People appreciate the hands-on, intuitive approach. I love creating an environment where they can express themselves freely, make aesthetic decisions based on their feelings, and connect more deeply with their creativity.
Apt613: As a local artist, what are your hopes for the future of the arts community in Ottawa-Gatineau?
Nguyen: Having a loving, playful relationship with any art form–whether it’s dance, painting, or cyanotype–can be a powerful tool for self-reflection, joy, and resilience.
There are already so many beautiful communities here, and I hope more people find ways to connect, contribute, and feel supported in their creative paths.
The next cyanotype workshops are on June 17, 24, and July 22, 29. Additional information is on the Eventbrite page. You can find more on pricing policy and commitment to accessibility on The Grove Studio website.
You can find Linh on Instagram at @linhnguyen.ca or through her website, where you can also sign up for the mailing list.
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