Thanh Diep was born in Vietnam in 1977 and has been creating art at Creativity Explored since 1998.
She has cerebral palsy, and speaks with an augmentative and alternative communication device. With the assistance of this device, she has written a book, Thanh, and created soundtracks for three animated films.
Diep was the first graduate of The Bridge School in Hillsborough, and is the first Bridge School alumna to graduate from college. Diep received her BA in 2005 from San Francisco State University where she majored in Liberal Studies.
Diep addresses sensitive issues such as sexuality and prejudice as it relates to her disability. She works with both traditional media (e.g. pencils, charcoal, markers, and acrylic paints) and film and animation.
Media works include a film based on her poem “Shining Into,” and two short films, “Nature of Pleasure” and “Thanh”. Her films and artwork have been featured at MadCat Women’s International Film Festival, Artists Television Access, The Mission Cultural Center, Noh Space/Theater of Yugen, Brava Theater as well as at the Picture This Festival in Calgary, BC. In 2011, CB2, one of our Community Arts Partners, used Diep's work as the basis for a pillow design.