Born: 1937 Hong Kong, British Empire (now China)
Died:
Biography
Artist Wendy Yeo was born in Hong Kong, British Empire (now China) in 1937, the daughter of Dr. K.C. Yeo, former Director of Medical and Health Services in Hong Kong, and Mrs. Florence Yeo, the daughter of Sir Robert Ho Tung, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, known for his significant contributions to the development of Hong Kong in the early 20th century. Before fully committing to her career in art, Yeo studied architecture for one term at the University of Hong Kong. Her early education in Chinese painting techniques laid the foundation for her artistic journey. Aged 17, she moved to England to study at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (UCL), from 1955 to 1958, and where she honed her skills, earning numerous prizes, including first prize for composition painting in 1959. During her time at the Slade, Yeo also received the Boise Travelling Scholarship, allowing her to study in Italy and Paris. In Paris, she attended S. W. Hayter's Atelier 17, and subsequent travel has continued to influence her art. She has journeyed throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America, taking inspiration from varied landscapes and cultures. This global perspective is evident in her semi-abstract paintings, where she captures the essence of nature and organic forms, often focusing on landscapes, townscapes, and the dynamic elements of water and light.
Her exposure to diverse artistic traditions early in her career significantly enriched her style, blending traditional Chinese brushwork with Western techniques and sensibilities. In 1959, while exhibiting with the Royal Commonwealth Society in London, a review praised 'her superb ability to use colour to dramatic effect' (South China Morning Post, 1959, p. 5). In 1960, she contributed eight paintings to the Commonwealth Art Exhibition at the Woodstock Galleries, London, organised by the Young Commonwealth Artists Group of overseas art students in the capital. A photograph of Yeo discussing her paintings with C. J. M. Alport, Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations, appeared in the South China Morning Post (9 March 1960, p. 4). From the late 1950s to the mid-1960s Yeo exhibited at the AIA Galleries, the Women's International Art Club (WIAC) and with the Young Contemporaries. In 1961, she held a solo exhibition at the British Council Library in London, showcasing etchings, watercolours, oil paintings, and drawings from her time in London, as well as black and white studies depicting scenes from Hong Kong. A review in the South China Morning Post highlighted a 'very skillfully painted' head of a Chinese man and Evening, a finely executed drawing of a Chinese temple (M.P., 1961, p. 4). More than 50 years later, her work featured in From Palace to Studio: Chinese Women Artists from 1900 to the Present, held at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (2015).
Yeo's artistic process begins with an exploration of her subject, aiming to capture the overall feel and energy she wishes to convey. She meticulously translates these impressions into visual elements, focusing on composition to create harmony, movement, and depth. Her works are noted for their vibrant use of colour, fluid brushwork, and the skilful integration of space and form, reflecting her dual heritage and training. Yeo's medium of choice frequently combines Indian ink and acrylic, applied to both primed and unprimed canvases, as well as various types of handmade paper. Her techniques often result in effects reminiscent of staining rather than traditional brush painting, with a focus on creating dynamic waveforms and abstract representations of landscapes. This approach allows her to convey the living forces of nature and her personal interpretation of the natural world. Critics have consistently praised Yeo's work for its individuality and expressive power. A 1983 review from the South China Morning Post referred to her solo exhibition at the Arts Centre in Hong Kong, lauding her ability to evoke wild and cultivated landscapes with an offbeat yet pleasing skill. The art critic described Yeo as 'an artist who enjoys the land for its living forces. Her unfamiliar way of rendering that enjoyment […] involves translating a personal view of the phenomenon of landscape into a two-dimensional visual one that combines the emotions and the facts' (N.C., 1983, p. 17). Her works often require intensive viewing, rewarding the observer with a deep, emotional connection to the visual experience she creates.
Living in England and Wales, Wendy Yeo continues to draw inspiration from the natural world, particularly the Pembrokeshire coastline. Her fascination with water, its movement, and changing colours is a recurring theme in her work. In 2008, Yeo was elected a Member of the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales. She has also made her mark as an educator, lecturing for six years on the history of Chinese art at the University of London's Department of Extramural Studies. In the UK public domain, her work is represented in the collections of the UCL Art Museum; Wolfson College, Oxford; and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Related books
- ‘Landscapes Brought to Life’, South China Morning Post, 12 August 1983, p. 17
- Nigel Cameron, ‘Last Chance to View Brundage Collection: Visual Arts’, South China Morning Post, 6 August 1983, p. 15
- Wendy Yeo (London: Commonwealth Institute, 1975)
- ‘Abstract Art’, Birmingham Daily Post, 8 November 1965, p. 5
- ‘Display of Paintings and Drawings: Wendy Yeo’, South China Morning Post, 2 May 1961, p. 4
- ‘Wendy Yeo Exhibits in London’, South China Morning Post, 4 March 1960, p. 4
- 'Hongkong-Born Artist in England', South China Morning Post, 20 February 1960, p. 12
- ‘Paintings Exhibited in London’, South China Morning Post, 4 April 1959, p. 5
- ‘Personalities: Leaving for Further Studies in London. Miss Wendy Yeo’, South China Morning Post, 19 July 1955, p. 5
Public collections
Related organisations
- Royal Watercolour Society of Wales (member)
- Slade School of Fine Art (student)
- Young Contemporaries (exhibitor)
Related web links
- Art at Berlin
- British Art Studies 2021, Slade, London, Asia: Contrapuntal Histories between Imperialism and Decolonization 1945–1989
- Wendy Yeo's official website
- Wendy Yeo's profile
- Wendy Yeo's profile on RWSW's website
Selected exhibitions
- Solo exhibition, Tenby Museum Art Gallery (2018)
- Plein Air, group exhibition, Kings Road, Chelsea (2016)
- From Palace to Studio: Chinese Women Artists from 1900 to the Present, group exhibition, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (2015)
- Solo exhibition, Wolfson College, Oxford; Nant y Coy Arts, Pembrokeshire (2009)
- Solo exhibition, Artist-in-Residence, Nant-y-Coy, Pembrokeshire (2008)
- Solo exhibition, Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, (2006)
- Solo exhibition, Robert Phillips Gallery, Walton-upon-Thames, Surrey; Harbour Lights, Porthgain, Pembrokeshire (2003)
- Solo exhibition, Wine Gallery, London (1996)
- Solo exhibition, Dragon Street Gallery, Petersfield, Hampshire; Trinity Arts Centre, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (1994)
- Solo exhibition, Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, Surrey; Kingston Hill Art Gallery, Kingston-upon-Thames (1991)
- Solo exhibition, Fairfield Halls, Croydon, Surrey; Newport, Pembrokeshire (1985)
- Solo exhibition, Park Gallery, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; Fairfield Halls, Croydon, Surrey (1983)
- John Piper and Wendy Yeo, Bear Lane Gallery, Oxford (1969)
- Solo exhibition, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (1965)
- Women’s International Art Club, F.B.A. Galleries, group exhibition, London (1964)
- Solo exhibition, A.I.A. Gallery, London (1963)
- A.I.A. Gallery, group exhibition, London (1960)
- Royal Commonwealth Society, group exhibition, London (1960)
- Young Contemporaries, group exhibition, London (1959); awarded Arts Council Prize
- A.I.A. Gallery, group exhibition, London (1958)
- R.B.A. Gallery, group exhibition, London (1957)
