Finding Home

Artist Em Nguyen finds a sense of home through her work, and a stronger connection to those around her.

When Nguyen paints, she is not only making a work of art, she is making the world around her feel a little more like home. Since moving to Sioux Falls from Vietnam when she was two years old, "home" has never been a stable location. "If people were to see me here in Sioux Falls, they might ask, 'Where are you from?' If I were to go back to Vietnam, people would still ask, 'Where are you from?'" she said. Home, then, is something she has formed within her.

Working with watercolor and acrylic paint, Nguyen's painting blends geometry with organic patterns to create "a new reality — a new outlook that seems familiar yet is constantly being reimagined," she said. "Much of my work features this theme, where new worlds are explored within the safety of being home."

Nguyen’s journey as an artist reflects the deep connection she has developed with her adopted home, while also navigating the complexities of identity and belonging. She views art as a way of grounding herself, not only as a form of expression but as a means to explore what "home" truly means. Through her creative process, she speaks to the universal human experience of finding one’s place in the world, inviting people from all walks of life to see the city through her eyes.

In "Don’t Forget Your Sense of Home," the cover piece for our 2024 Annual Report, Falls Park hearkens back to the memory of visiting the waterfall many years ago while coming to grips with a new home and different way of life.

"The bees in this piece symbolize the idea of community, which has paved the way for Sioux Falls to become the city it is today," Nguyen said. "They are carrying building blocks, dreaming of what the city is growing into." And, in the background, she imagines the towering skyline that might one day be.

Nguyen has made Sioux Falls into her home through her art and through the community she has helped foster. She has also kept that strong sense of home within her as an anchor through constant change. "To me, Sioux Falls has been a place where I’ve been supported, loved, and able to grow into the artist I am today. It has created a path that has profoundly impacted my life," she said. "It's a great space for anyone to flourish"

Each year, the Community Foundation commissions an original piece of artwork to feature as the cover of our annual report in an effort to support local artists. "A strong and thriving community of local artists is vital to the culture and vibrancy of Sioux Falls," said Foundation President Andy Patterson. “We’re honored to feature Em’s work this year. Her story is a reminder of how powerful art can be in shaping our lives and how important self-expression is in fostering a sense of community.”

Nguyen embodies the best parts of the spirit of Sioux Falls — she is warm, welcoming, driven, and a strong supporter of the arts. She is also a dreamer. And, just like so many of the visionaries that have come before, she can imagine the bright future our community has in store. In fact, she is painting her way towards it.