Inside the Studio: Theresa Hong
- Art Dealer Street
- Aug 5
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 13
In the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, where creativity often intersects with community, you’ll find the work of abstract painter and printmaker Theresa Hong—a vivid dance of flowing shapes and rich colors. Balancing the serenity of soft, harmonious forms with the spark of energetic, playful contrasts, her art feels like both a deep breath and a burst of joy.
Theresa’s path is rooted in her dual role as an artist and art therapist. For over a decade, she has guided others in intuitive art-making, helping clients tap into creativity as a tool for healing and self-discovery. This same openness to process and possibility flows into her own studio practice, where each piece begins with a single instinctive mark and unfolds in dialogue between intention and improvisation.
Her work draws deeply from life’s dualities—calm and chaos, joy and challenge, stillness and movement. Whether influenced by the fullness of motherhood, the problem-solving surprises of the creative process, or the human connections sparked by sharing her work in Brooklyn, Napa, or San Francisco, Theresa’s art holds space for authenticity. In every composition, you can feel her belief in the healing power of art—not only as a personal sanctuary, but as an offering of color, rhythm, and balance to anyone who stands before her work.
Read on to learn more in an exclusive interview with Theresa Hong :
1. Your work beautifully combines flowing shapes with vivid color to reflect both calm and playfulness. Can you share how your background in art therapy informs this balance in your compositions?
As an art therapist, I invite my clients to create art intuitively and right there in session (often in a group). In order to facilitate this process, I first had to learn it myself. I began over 10 years ago, practicing creating art in response to my surroundings, experiences, feelings. I often begin with a form and color that I’m drawn to in response to my current state, and seek balance and flow in the process from there. As you can likely see, my current work is in response to the busy and vibrant life as a mom to 4 year old twins.
2. You often describe your process as intuitive and improvisational. What does your first mark or shape on the canvas feel like for you, and how do you decide where to go next?
After years of practice with intuitive art-making, as I just described, I find starting a new work exciting. The first mark is full of possibility, and since there are no other shapes or colors yet on the paper (or canvas), it can be whatever it wants. I find the first marks to be the most authentic and fun, and the subsequent shapes seek to balance the first ones - a satisfying process.
3. As both an artist and a practicing art therapist, how do you see the role of creativity as a healing tool—not only for your clients but in your own life as a mother and an artist?
I’ve always found the creative process to be healing and soothing, which is why I sought out art therapy. I’ve always been drawn to losing myself in the flow state of art-making. Art is a way to disconnect, soothe the nervous system, and express something for which you may not have the words. Creating something from nothing is empowering in itself. I see clients discover things about themselves, express something they have not been able to before, accept parts of themselves they once felt shame over, and drastically increase self esteem. These are only a few of the benefits of art therapy and/or a creative practice! As a mother, art has been a way to express myself through this difficult and joyful journey, to reconnect with myself after giving so much, to decrease stress, and find fun and humor in my day to day life.
4. You’ve written about embracing “mistakes” during the creation process. Can you recall a piece where an unexpected turn or error led to an exciting discovery in your work?
Absolutely. This happens often, but one comes to mind. Years ago when I was still developing my current abstract style, I often did not paint the backgrounds. I “messed up” one of my shapes with a dark color and painting over it would be a challenge. I decided to paint the background in that color, and that painting started a new style that felt more grounded. This became one of my most popular paintings of that year, and led to a few commissions in a similar style. One of my favorite parts about the art process is problem solving when something doesn’t go my way.
5. The bold contrasts in your art—fluid forms against vibrant color—often feel like a visual diary of life’s highs and lows. Are there specific experiences or memories that sparked this visual language?
These forms and colors evolved from drawings I used to make in my art therapy groups. Some of the forms started out representing people, and some representing energy and/or movement. I have also noticed that when my children were smaller, my shapes were closer together and wrapped up in one another, and as they’ve grown the shapes have stretched out and I have more movement in my work. It’s interesting to notice these aspects of my work that were unintentional.
6. Having exhibited in places as varied as Brooklyn, Napa, and San Francisco, how have different audiences or communities responded to your work? Has this influenced the way you create or share your art?
I’ve noticed that wherever I am, certain people are drawn to my work for personal reasons. The most common response is that they are drawn in because of the joy and the color, which is feedback that makes me happy to hear. The San Francisco Bay Area is home, so sharing my work here feels the most connected and intimate out of any places I have shown. As a local artist I have observed more engagement and follow-ups from viewers, which I always enjoy. Connecting with people is my favorite part of showing my art. I will continue to go on adventures with my art, and find it exciting that it could potentially take me anywhere.
7. As someone who has built a practice that includes both making art and supporting others through creative expression, how do you protect your own creative energy and maintain a sense of curiosity?
My curiosity is endless, both about making my own art, and about other people’s art and process. My own creative energy thrives around others and I’m always inspired after witnessing others in the creative process and talking to them about their art. This is true for my art therapy sessions as well as art shows where I get to connect with other artists.
8. For emerging artists juggling multiple roles—whether as parents, therapists, or professionals—what advice would you share about nurturing an authentic and sustainable art practice?
It’s easy to be pulled in several different directions. In my case, it has been important to learn to say no (or not right now) to commitments that don’t fit. It’s also been important to carve out time for experimentation and play, even if I have a deadline and it can only be for a few minutes per day. Maintaining joy in your art practice is very necessary to keep moving forward. Never forget why you love it!
Theresa Hong’s art is a reminder that creativity is both a mirror and a compass—it reflects our present state while pointing toward possibilities yet to be discovered. Her ability to weave the lessons of art therapy into her vibrant, intuitive practice creates work that feels deeply personal yet universally resonant. Whether her shapes are nestled close or stretching apart, they tell quiet stories of connection, growth, and the ongoing dance between chaos and calm. In both her studio and her therapy practice, Theresa invites us to embrace the unexpected, trust our instincts, and keep space for joy. And perhaps, in doing so, she shows us that making art isn’t just about what appears on the canvas—it’s about nurturing the life that unfolds around it.
You can learn more about Theresa Hong and her work via these links: Website: https://www.theresahongart.com/ Instagram: @theresahong.art
Artsy: @Theresa Hong