ARTIST STATEMENT
My work explores the intersection of emotion, intuition, and structured detail, creating a dialogue between abstract expression and cognitive resonance. The process begins intuitively, with shapes, colors, and forms emerging from my subconscious and personal experiences. These elements—infused with energy from movement, performance, and the natural world—are shaped by my fascination with the unseen forces that drive our lives. Through the lens of science, I delve into the invisible structures of existence, interpreting them through abstract and symbolic expressions.
Each piece invites the viewer to reflect on their own perceptions and experiences, evoking connections through luminosity, texture, and form. My approach combines spontaneity and deliberate refinement, allowing space for emotional expression while paying careful attention to the details that enhance depth and meaning. With a background in engineering, I blend analytical thought with creative freedom, aiming to create art that stimulates not only the mind but the emotions as well.
Ultimately, I hope my work fosters a sense of connection and wonder, encouraging the viewer to engage in a shared experience of exploration, reflection, and celebration of the complexities and beauty of life.
BIOGRAPHY
May Sun comes from an environment where pursuing art was not traditionally encouraged, but her passion for creativity ultimately led her to transition from engineering to art. This journey has shaped her artistic vision, blending technical precision with emotional expression. May emigrated to the US to complete a Chemical Engineering Ph.D. and now lives in Cambridge, MA. However, her love for art was always with her. In 2012, following intensive training, she became a docent at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and continued volunteering there for a decade. She’s taken art classes at the MFA, in graduate school, at art organizations, and online and is now a full-time artist. May Sun is a recipient of the 2025 Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant for Creative Individuals and a signature member of the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) since 2024. . Her work has been exhibited in solo and juried group exhibitions. Her artwork was previously represented at Gallery Kayafas in Boston, MA. She was awarded Emerging Artist Exhibition in 2022 through the Cambridge Art Association. May creates her work at her studio in the SOWA Art and Design District in Boston.
RESUME
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Embracing Transcendence, Gallery Kayafas, Boston, MA
2022
Beginning, Tenacre Gallery (TAG), Wellesley, MA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025
Seeing, Seeing …, MIT Museum Studio and Gallery Compton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Building 10-150, Cambridge, MA
pARTners, Gallery 1581, The Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis, Brookline, MA
2024
Vision and Process: Art Inspired by Science, Mosesian Center for Arts, Watertown, MA
School of the Museum of Fine Arts Show, SMFA, Boston, MA
NAWA Signature Member Exhibition, National Art Club, Grand Gallery, New York, NY
Fresh, Gallery Twist, Lexington, MA
Art with Intention, Gallery Sitka South, Newport, RI
Time, United States Federal Courthouse, Seaport District, Boston, MA
Concord Art Association Member Show, Concord Center for the Visual Arts, Concord, MA
Prestige 2024 Exhibition of the Signature Members of National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), One Art Space, New York, NY
Experimental Group Show, Juried by Charles Fine Art Gallery Director, Charles Fine Art, Gloucester, MA
Rockport Art Association and Museum Member Group Show, RAA&M Gallery, Rockport, MA
2023
Vibrant Color of Spring 2023, Charles Fine Art Gallery, Gloucester, MA
Unexpected 21, Juried by RAA&M EG Group, RAA&M Gallery, Rockport, MA
Concord Art Association Member Show, Juried by Kelley Lehr, Concord Center for the Visual Arts, Concord, MA
2022
Winter Exhibition, Juried by Bromfield Gallery, Bromfield Gallery, SOWA, Boston, MA
Emerging Artists Exhibition, Juried by Theo Coulombe, Cambridge Art Association (CAA), The Speedway Gallery, Boston, MA
Forms of Resistance, Juried by Danielle Abrams, Cambridge College Gallery/CAA
Unexpected 19, Juried by RAA&M EG Group, RAA&M Gallery, Rockport, MA
Unexpected 16, Juried by RAA&M EG Group, Gane Deering Gallery, Gloucester, MA
Jack’s Flower, RAA&M EG Group Show, RAA&M Gallery, Rockport, MA
RAA&M Member Group Show, RAA&M Gallery, Rockport, MA
Group Art Show, Concord Art Association Gallery, Concord, MA
2021
Unexpected 15, EG Group Show, RAA&M Gallery, Rockport, MA
Small Works Show, Juried by CAA, The Speedway Gallery, Boston, MA
Print and Paper Show, Juried by CAA, The Speedway Gallery, Boston, MA
2019
Art Sale Show, MFA/Tufts School of Art Gallery, Boston, MA
2018
MFA Staff Group Show, Fenway Community Center Gallery, Boston, MA
AWARDS & HONORS
Recipient Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant for Creative Individuals, 2025
Signature Member, National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), 2024
Award for Emerging Artist, Juried Competition, Annual Emerging Artist Exhibit, Cambridge Art Association, 2022
AFFILIATIONS
Gallery Kayafas
Charles Fine Art
Gallery Twist
Gallery Sitka South
National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), Signature Member
Cambridge Art Association (CAA)
Rockport Art Association & Museum (RAA&M)
Concord Art Association
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2012–2022)
Docent Guide for regular gallery tours
Led special tours for Art in Bloom events
Volunteered at the information desk, assisting visitors with gallery, artist, and artwork inquiries
Tenacre Country Day School, Wellesley (2022)
Visiting Artist: Gave a lecture and led an art class
Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge (2019–Present)
Gallery sitting, volunteer work
Cambridge Art Market, Harvard Smith Center, Harvard Square (2022)
Engaged in community art activities and exhibited work for patrons