Your name

Hello! My name is Yanwen ( ´ ▽ ` )ノ

I'm an artist and coder with a curious heart and an adventurous soul. I recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and I’m now based in Tokyo, navigating the next chapter of life while continuing to create and explore. I believe in blending logic and creativity—and I find joy in the moments where art and technology intersect.

Background & Education

I hold a double major in Applied Mathematics and Fine Art from UCSB. My academic journey has been shaped by a deep love for both creative expression and analytical thinking. Whether I’m coding a web app or sketching on my iPad, I enjoy solving problems and telling stories from both technical and artistic perspectives.

Artworks 👩🏻‍🎨

Art has always been part of who I am. From drawing in my notebooks as a kid to creating socially-inspired digital pieces in college, I’ve explored a wide range of mediums and styles. My work often reflects themes of identity, connection, and empowerment—especially around women's rights and human rights. These days, I’m experimenting with new techniques and embracing the freedom to create without limits.

Coding Projects 👩🏻‍💻

On the tech side, I love building things that are both functional and beautiful. I’ve worked on web and mobile projects, dabbled in iOS development, and enjoy learning new tools that bring ideas to life. My favorite part of coding is how it empowers me to merge imagination with structure—turning a concept into something real, interactive, and impactful.

Personal Interests

Outside of work, you’ll probably find me exploring a new neighborhood, eating something delicious, or taking long walks with music in my ears. I’m always looking for beauty in everyday life, and travel continues to inspire both my art and my growth. Recently, I've been diving into Japanese language and culture—every day here feels like a mini adventure.

Let's Connect 🥳

If you're curious about my work, want to chat about creative projects, or just feel like saying hi—drop me a message through the Contact page. I'm always open to collaborations, conversations, and new opportunities ✨

Artworks
Artworks 👩🏻‍🎨 :

Click to dive into my creative world!

Codings
Coding Projects 👩🏻‍💻 :

Click to explore my coding project!

Artist Statement

My art delves into the feminist narrative, serving as a reflection of both individual experiences and broader societal dynamics. Utilizing a range of mediums, I craft emotional narratives and societal critiques that explore the intersectionality of feminism—where politics, mental health, and personal identity intersect with gender equality. My work is a dialogue with the viewer, designed to challenge perceptions and deepen the understanding of the complexities surrounding women's rights.

My portfolio spans videos, digital drawings, mixed-media installations, and photographs, each piece exploring a different aspect of our relationships with society, ourselves, and each other. For instance, "A4 Revolution" reflects my political awakening, while "Fruitful Revelations" addresses societal pressures in a gender-biased context, and "A Silent Room" portrays the ordeal of captivity. My photographic works, like "Moonlit Mirage: A Symphony of Colors" and "Urban Eden: Nature's Embrace," capture the beauty of our world, highlighting the interplay of light, color, and nature within urban settings.

As my artistic practice evolves, it remains anchored in the pursuit of advancing feminist ideals and engaging in the critical discourse on gender equality. This commitment extends beyond mere technique to include a challenge to societal norms and a contribution to meaningful conversations on women's rights. I strive for my art to resonate across a diverse audience, sparking dialogues that transcend the visual and encourage collective reflection on the quest for equality. Through my work, I aim to evoke emotions, inspire thought, and contribute to a more equitable society.

Artworks

Acorn Commons (2024)

"Acorn Commons" (2024) is a small laser-cut wooden structure installed near an active squirrel burrow on campus. Created as a parting gift in my final art course, this project reflects a desire to contribute something tangible to the non-human community we coexist with but often overlook.

Designed with etched illustrations of a squirrel and a pinecone, and stocked with snacks like acorns and nuts, the box offers a moment of shelter or curiosity for the creatures who share this space with us.

In a world where human-centric narratives often overshadow the lives of other beings, "Acorn Commons" serves as a reminder of our shared environment and the importance of coexistence. This project embodies my commitment to creating art that fosters connection, empathy, and awareness of the intricate web of life that surrounds us.

At its heart, this is a gentle attempt to engage with the idea of interspecies collaboration—one acorn at a time.

Below are images of the installation process and the final piece, showcasing the intricate details and the natural setting that inspired its creation.

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StarRider (2024)

"StarRider" is a customized mobility vehicle designed by an interdisciplinary engineering team at UC Santa Barbara, aimed at providing accessible, joystick-controlled movement for children with disabilities. While the mechanical structure and circuitry were handled by my teammates, I served as the visual and creative lead—the only artist on the team—responsible for designing and implementing the physical shell and aesthetic elements of the cart.

My primary focus was to ensure that the visual storytelling and user experience aligned with the technical requirements. I designed and fabricated the cart’s outer shell, using lightweight foam and a hand-painted space theme inspired by the NASA Apollo missions. The applied patches and graphics were carefully selected and positioned to avoid interfering with mechanical components, wiring, or joystick function.

In addition to the shell, I made adaptive decisions in areas where aesthetics met engineering constraints—for example, adding visual covers and sticker patches to conceal exposed adhesives and raw materials on the seat structure. These fixes not only enhanced appearance, but also protected users from rough surfaces and made the final design more child-friendly and immersive.

The final product reflects a playful yet purposeful design: a rideable spacecraft for young users, blending functionality, safety, and visual imagination.

Check out the full project at UCSB’s official capstone page: 🌐 capstone.engineering.ucsb.edu/projects/starrider

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Chronicles of Her: A Mosaic of Womanhood (2024)

Chronicles of Her: A Mosaic of Womanhood and Harmonic Hormones: The Art of Balance are two interconnected pieces created in 2024 that explore the burden of reproductive responsibility placed on women in contemporary society.

In "Chronicles of Her", the word "woman" is portrayed in multiple languages, each one intricately cut from the packaging of a widely-used birth control brand (Nikki). These cut-outs are placed upside down intentionally—at first glance, viewers may only notice the celebration of womanhood across cultures. But upon closer inspection, the source material reveals the hidden layer: the overlooked side effects and medical burdens women often silently endure in the name of birth control. This subtle subversion reflects the societal tendency to acknowledge women's roles without addressing the emotional or physical costs they bear.

"Harmonic Hormones" is a digital piece that visualizes the emotional toll of hormonal fluctuation through repeated stylized faces of a woman. Each expression captures a different mood—joy, fatigue, numbness, frustration—mirroring the instability often caused by hormone treatments like birth control. The repetition speaks to the cyclical and often invisible emotional labor many women navigate alone.

Together, these two pieces form a narrative about bodily autonomy, emotional complexity, and the subtle forms of neglect embedded in gendered healthcare norms. By embedding meaning into medium—whether through the recontextualization of pharmaceutical packaging or the abstraction of emotional states—this project aims to shift attention from surface-level awareness to deeper empathy and understanding.

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Harmonic Hormones
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Mindful Blooms (2024)

"Mindful Blooms" is an interactive art installation conceived and crafted in 2024, inviting viewers to engage in a dialogue of introspection and expression through the universal language of flowers.

Initially inspired by "Hell: Arts of Asian Underworlds" project from the Asian Arts museum in San Francisco (2023 June - September).

Each handcrafted paper flower in the installation is paired with a card prompting reflection with questions that range from personal fears to cherished memories. This project extends beyond visual aesthetics to create a shared space of contemplation and exchange, inviting participants to leave with a piece of the artwork – a symbol of the beauty in their own shared stories. The series of images below captures the essence of "Mindful Blooms," from the vivid array of colors to the intimate moments of audience interaction, epitomizing the confluence of art and human experience in my ongoing artistic journey.

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Photographs (Since 2021)

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6AM

BlueHaven_Canton_Towering_AmidsttheTrees

Blue Haven: Canton Towering Amidst the Trees

UrbanEden_Nature'sEmbrace

Urban Eden: Nature's Embrace

MoonlitMirage_ASymphonyofColors

Moonlit Mirage: A Symphony of Colors

AutumnStroll_AScholarlyPath

Autumn Stroll: A Scholarly Path

RhythmsOfTheSun_SantaBarbara_Serenade

Rhythms of the Sun: Santa Barbara Serenade

Pink => White (2023)

The "Pink => White" art series is an exploration of the transformation and suppression of truth. The process involves writing messages on a canvas, then coating them with Drydex spackling. Initially pink, the Drydex slowly turns white, subtly concealing what lies beneath. This transition symbolizes the initial clarity of truth that eventually becomes distorted, ignored, or hidden. As the coating dries, bits of the underlying message resurface, yet never in full clarity, representing how some truths persist in the face of suppression.

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This one presents a trio of hidden stories, each representing a voice muted by societal norms and expectations. Hidden beneath the layer of Drydex are three sentences written in Chinese characters: “我叫招娣,” “我要回家,” and “我爱自由.” They translate to "My name is Zhaodi," "I want to go home," and "I love freedom."

The first statement is for the artist's childhood friend, Zhaodi, an unintentional child in a culture favoring boys over girls. The second statement references a harrowing tale of a kidnapped girl yearning for home (to learn more, see the Art7B page final project). The final statement is a bold declaration of the artist's love for personal freedom, a sentiment often misunderstood and disrespected. In their unique ways, each hidden message in "PinkToWrite1.PNG" represents a poignant, veiled truth, a silenced voice that demands to be heard.

PinkToWrite2

This is an interactive piece that explores our fears and vulnerabilities. It began with a question at the center of the canvas: "What is your biggest fear (right now or in the future)?" Students at UCSB were invited to anonymously share their fears around this question. By the day's end, these raw, unfiltered truths were covered with a layer of Drydex, symbolizing how our fears, although real and potent, are often hidden beneath the surface.

PinkToWrite3

It poses a challenge to conventional morality. The canvas bore the question: "What is something that you have stolen in your life, even if it was small?" UCSB students were encouraged to anonymously write their confessions surrounding this question. As the day closed, their confessions were obscured beneath a layer of Drydex, a reminder of how acts of transgression, regardless of size or significance, can be concealed and forgotten over time.

PinkToWrite4

In this one, the canvas is used as a platform for reflection and confession. The central question reads: "What is something that you have done in your life that you regret?" Students at UCSB anonymously penned their regrets around this question, creating a collective testament of remorse. As the layer of Drydex covered their responses, it underscored how regret, though often hidden, can leave indelible marks on our psyche.

What I Stole from Museums (Since 2022)

ok the title is actually joking. The followings are my sketch drawings (all in procreate so far) of famous artworks while visiting museums :))

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Panda's Life (2022)

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Just a normal day en route to school, then out of the blue, I spotted a guy who was literally my typeeeeee!!!!

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I was wrestling with my math homework in the study room, so I glanced up at the ceiling for a bit of thinking space, and that's when I saw himmmmmm.

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In the dinning hall, I was engrossed in my meal, but when I looked up, there he was, sitting diagonally across from me.

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Realizing my crush was gay brought a storm of silent tears, yet I respected his identity and sexuality, silently wishing him nothing but the best.

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Calmly applying sunscreen on my way to school, I noticed him on the street, lost in his music.

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During the height of the pandemic, despite being exposed to three people who tested positive that day, I remained negative after three consecutive days of self-testing. Such a relief.

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Received a disheartening grade on my second math midterm.

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My bestie was there to comfort me in my moment of tears.

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Enjoyed a fun-filled boba night with my besties.

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Indulged in some late-night people watching, appreciating the cute guys.

Bloody Brides (2022)

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A Silent Room (2022)

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Self Portrait (2023)

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Yifei (2022)

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Art 185LJ: Natural Dye Experiments

Lichen Dye

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Tannins and Iron

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Mushroom Dye

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Nonnative Plants

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Cochineal Dye

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Flower on Silk

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Indigo Dye

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Home Dye

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Final Project

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Flower on Silk (2023)

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Indigo Dye (2023)

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Coding Projects

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Yanwen's World

HTML, CSS, JavaScript

  • Responsive Website Design: The site is fully responsive, adjusting seamlessly between desktop and mobile views.
  • Dynamic Theme Switching: One of the highlights of this project is the dynamic theme switching capability, allowing users to toggle between light and dark modes.
  • Hash Routing: Page navigation is handled using hash routing, resulting in a single-page application (SPA) experience.
  • Interactive Buttons: Interactive buttons on the site improve user engagement and navigation.
View the code on GitHub
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Astro Data Dashboard

React, CSS, Vite.js, Recharts

  • Dynamic Weather Data Visualization: The dashboard fetches and displays real-time weather data, offering insights into moon phases and temperature trends.
  • Modern Web Development: Utilizing Vite.js, the project benefits from faster build times and optimized performance, enhancing the user experience.
  • Interactive Data Filters: Users can filter weather data based on specific criteria, allowing for a tailored data exploration experience.
  • Responsive and Intuitive Design: The dashboard is designed to be user-friendly, with a responsive layout that adapts to various screen sizes and devices.
  • Engaging Charts: Integrated with Recharts, the dashboard presents data in visually appealing and interactive charts, making data interpretation more intuitive.
View the code on GitHub
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VeniViciCats

JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Cat API

  • Interactive API Integration: This project demonstrates seamless integration with the Cat API, where each button click initiates a new fetch request, displaying a variety of cat attributes and images.
  • Dynamic Content Rendering: Each API call appears random to the user, ensuring a unique experience with every interaction, showcasing different cat attributes and images.
  • Attribute Ban List: Users can click on specific attributes to add them to a ban list, preventing future API results with these attributes from being displayed, enhancing user interaction and control.
  • Session History Tracking: The application keeps track of the user's session history, allowing them to review previously viewed items and their choices in attributes.
  • Single View Data Display: The design ensures that only one item from an API call is viewable at a time, focusing user attention and reducing screen clutter.
View the code on GitHub
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Food Truck Favorites

React, CSS, Vite.js

  • Interactive Food Truck Display: The site features captivating visuals of various food trucks, showcasing their unique dishes and branding.
  • Modern Web Development: Built using Vite.js, the site leverages the latest in frontend development for optimized performance.
  • Responsive Design: Whether on desktop or mobile, users are treated to a seamless browsing experience adjusted to their device.
  • Engaging User Experience: Interactive elements and a clear layout ensure that users can easily navigate and learn about each food truck's offerings.
View the code on GitHub
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Sea Monster Crowdfunding Web

HTML, CSS, JavaScript

  • Interactive Introduction Section: The introduction section explains the background of the company and shows the number of unfunded games.
  • Informative Stats Section: This section includes information about total contributions, dollars raised, and the top two most funded games.
  • Dynamic Our Games Section: Initially displays all games funded by Sea Monster Crowdfunding and allows users to filter between funded, unfunded, or all games.
  • Hover Effect: Game cards pop out while hovering, enhancing user interaction.
  • Game Card Search: Placeholder for users to search the game card, improving navigation and user experience.
View the code on GitHub
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Light Sound Memory Game

HTML, CSS, JavaScript

  • Interactive Gameplay: Players guess a pattern that gets progressively complex. Incorrect guesses are allowed up to three times, increasing game longevity.
  • Dynamic Interface: The interface features a start button that toggles between "Start" and "Stop", night game buttons that light up and play unique sounds, and more.
  • Randomized Patterns: Each game session is different with the computer choosing a new pattern every time, enhancing replayability.
  • Sound and Visual Clues: The game provides sound and visual cues, which are integral to gameplay and user experience.
  • Progressive Difficulty: The playback speed increases with each turn, making the game more challenging and engaging over time.
  • Custom Styling: HTML elements including game buttons are styled differently than in the tutorial, showcasing CSS proficiency.
View the code on GitHub
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Twitter App

Swift, iOS, Twitter API

  • Complete Twitter Experience: Allows users to view, compose, favorite, and retweet tweets, providing a comprehensive Twitter-like experience.
  • User Profile Integration: User can view tweets with the profile picture, username, and tweet text, enriching the content view and user experience.
  • User Session Management: Includes features for users to log in, log out, and stay logged in across app restarts, demonstrating a good understanding of user session management.
  • Interactive Interface: Users can pull to refresh and load past tweets infinitely, ensuring a smooth, interactive user interface.
  • Rich User Interface: Includes a home screen icon and a styled launch screen, providing a polished user experience right from app launch.
View the code on GitHub
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Parstagram

Swift, iOS, Parse

  • Custom Parse Backend: Built an Instagram clone app with a custom Parse backend that allows photo posting, displaying a firm grasp of backend technologies.
  • Comprehensive Social Features: The app supports user registration, login/logout, and persistent login, creating a realistic social media user experience.
  • Commenting System: Users can view comments on posts and add their own comments, demonstrating an understanding of interactive social features.
  • Photo Posting: Users can take a photo, add a caption, and post it to the server, showcasing the ability to manage and upload media files.
  • Dynamic Content Loading: Users can view the last 20 posts and refresh the content by pulling down, demonstrating effective data loading techniques.
  • Rich User Interface: Includes a home screen icon and a styled launch screen, providing a polished user experience right from app launch.
View the code on GitHub
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Flix

Swift, iOS, The Movie Database API

  • Interactive App: Allows users to browse movies currently playing in theaters with interactive features such as scrolling and detailed view.
  • API Integration: Fetches movie data from The Movie Database API, showcasing proficiency in networking and API usage.
  • Rich User Interface: Includes a home screen icon, a styled launch screen, and a grid layout of movie posters using a CollectionView.
  • Detailed View: Users can tap on a movie for more detailed information, improving overall user experience and engagement.
  • Image Handling: Capable of fetching and displaying movie poster images for each movie from the API.
View the code on GitHub
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Yanwen's Journey

Processing, Interactive Design, Visual Narrative

  • Interactive Storytelling: Developed an engaging visual narrative illustrating personal life journey, demonstrating effective storytelling through technology.
  • Integration of Classic Games: Seamlessly integrated two classic games, Flappy Bird and Snake, symbolizing life challenges, showcasing creativity and interdisciplinary application of programming skills.
  • Artistic Presentation: Presented the project in an art class, blending technology and art, and received positive feedback for its unique approach to personal storytelling.
  • Technologies Used: The project was created using Processing, showcasing the ability to use unconventional platforms for programming and design.
View the code on GitHub