Education

Chinn’s art education began in the California public school system which focused on Western and European art. This methodical approach, coupled with the exposure to the intricately detailed art of her Asian heritage, laid the groundwork for her own artistic style. In 1967, Chinn’s education continued at City College in San Francisco, graduating with an Associate Degree in Advertising Art and Design. During her studies at City College, the emphasis on realist images furthered her development for crisp lines and strong forms. She moved on to San Francisco State College in 1971 and earned a Bachelors degree in sociology in 1972. Chinn has her first introduction to the civil rights movement during her college years, and she speaks of the impact those violent and turbulent events had on her art:

"In my junior college years, in the mid to late 1960s during the Vietnam war, there was a lot of student unrest and activity in response to it [Vietnam]. This continued when I went to San Francisco State College (which was not a university at the time). During this period, the campus was a hotbed of all kinds of political activity. It was the time of Kent State, and it was not uncommon to see the TAC Squad, Mounted Police, and other forces on campus. I still have photos of that era. So, this was the backdrop that shaped from hereon my political thinking in terms of humanitarian issues, civil rights, and social justice issues. My major [at San Francisco State] was sociology, and, although I didn’t pursue this as a career, I think it led to a certain type of philosophical and sociological thinking that has influenced my work." ¹

Lenore Chinn chose to express herself through a realist form of art that conveys her personal impressions of her subject, emphasizing the sharp lines, vibrant colors and use of texture. Because she uses her art to explain the different facets of her personality, she has created substantial pieces in the cultural issues they address. Each piece is separate and distinct, not homogenized into a “melting pot”, sticking to one theory or color palate. This distinctness keeps her work fresh and unpredictable—something most artists cannot claim.

"My work is based on ideas and ideologies that are, in my view, relevant to my personal life. I’ve taken a track away from commercialism, per se. I did spend time in advertising art and design and I did art production. Some of these early skills that I learned way back then, such as printmaking and photography, I still use. A lot of that has changed over the years, and my artwork has changed with the new technologies. Now I do some digital work and incorporate scanning and things like that along with my painting. All of these things are in the mix in terms of how I approach my art and art making." ¹

In 1977, Chinn participates in the 31st annual San Francisco Arts Festival and is awarded the Purchase Award for the San Francisco International Airport Competition. In 1980-81, Chinn paints A Matter of Time (40" x 60"), Time Passing (54" x 36"), and Son Cuates (36" x 48"). She has her first solo exhibition at the Lucien Labaudt Art Gallery in San Francisco, and her first group exhibitions at San Francisco Art Commission’s Gallery and Richmond Arts Center. In 1981, Chinn is awarded the Ligoa Duncan Award from the Musee de Duncan in Paris.

With the showing of her work, her activism in the gay/lesbian community had begun. No longer could the issues of racism, bigotry, or sexuality within her life be contained. Her expression of the experience of being Asian in a white world, being a lesbian in a society that abhorred her sexuality, juxtaposed with the background of a loving family life, is exposed for public examination. I ask her what her family thought of her homosexuality, and if she had any relatives that were gay. “Yes, I have a gay cousin, who is out to the family. Our sexual orientation is not spoken of per se but we are accepted fully as members of our family. I regard this as a positive affirmation of our lifestyles in a culture that typically does not address issues of sexuality in general. It is also reputed that there was a gay uncle who took his own life as a young man, and this may have impacted our family deeply.”

The suicide of her uncle may have forced the remaining members of the family to re-evaluate the importance of gender roles and come to terms with the dramatic impact of non-acceptance of gay culture. The acceptance Chinn receives from her family is not the society norm, reflecting her family’s independent attitude that surfaced publicly in 1951 with the move to the Richmond district. Chinn draws on this strength to move ahead with her art, and her activism. Chinn feels her art is activism: “My art is my activism and a catalyst for social change in that it is a language meant to provoke, stimulate and compel the viewing audience. Its impact is immediate and I have learned to hone and articulate my views in a way that has been aesthetically seductive but stirring of one’s imagination.”