Artists Yen Nguyen and An Tran embrace childlike wonder by way of their practice The Fruity Studio, specializing in jewelry and charms. The duo’s creations celebrate the playfulness of bold colors, warmth of nostalgic imagery and sacredness of queer joy, giving themselves and others room to connect with their inner younger self. In addition to workshops, Nguyen and Tran vend as The Fruity Studio at community events and markets in Milwaukee and beyond.
“We want to bring back that feeling from being a whimsical little kid,” Nguyen says. Within The Fruity Studio’s “charm mart” are brightly colored fruits like strawberries, oranges, lemons and blueberries, plus scrumptious baked goods like toast, pancakes, croissants and more. Made from polymer clay, these charms bring the wearer back to morning breakfasts from childhood, amplified by The Fruity Studio’s attention to craftsmanship down to the fixings, toppings and shine of each food item. “One of the things I love most about Fruity work is that I get to look closely at normal everyday things,” Nguyen adds. “I’ll sit and stare at a slice of tomato and what color and texture and taste it is.”
Other charms include bezel style pendants painted and glazed with lovable designs such as a home, flower, mushroom or swan. The Fruity Studio’s collection of floral earrings honor the presence of flowers through life’s many chapters, from baby showers to weddings to anniversaries to memorials, stating on their website, “These blooming wonders serve as reminders that beauty, though fleeting, demands to be embraced with passion and joy before it fades away.” The studio recently created magnets based on the Milwaukee Brewers racing sausages.
Building Their Village
In terms of workshops, Nguyen and Tran have led events focused on self-portraits, Gach Bông (Vietnamese floral tiles) and matchbox painting. The two have collaborated with Milwaukee Anti–War Committee on a teach-in about Vietnamese resistance against colonization. Last year, teaming up with chef Monroe Briggs of EsterEv, they published the Fruits’ Preserve zine sharing recipes from women, queer and BIPOC folks.
Nguyen shares that a core part of The Fruity Studio is building up their village within the Milwaukee community and being in space where they do not have to fight for a chair. “I grew up as an only child, so I think that’s why I chase after that feeling of having a big village with me, and we want to build and give that back to the Milwaukee queer community that has given and protected us so much throughout the years.” Tran adds, “Growing up in Asia, I always loved crafty, artsy stuff as a queer little kid but was never allowed to be that, so now I’m reliving that with adult money and an adult mind.”
Both Nguyen and Tran are originally from Ho Chi Minh City and had met in an online Facebook group for Vietnamese artists as teenagers. Having loved drawing from a young age, Nguyen attended high school in the Chicago area before receiving a scholarship to the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). After graduating in 2020, they worked in the corporate world for a while as a graphic designer, abhorring it. “I just didn’t have fun there,” Nguyen recalls. “I learned a lot but felt very boxed in, especially when a corporation is very white and tokenizing POC, especially queer POC.”
Making Fun Stuff
Tran comes from a STEM background and had previously attended college in Kansas where he studied nursing. He also, however, had an interest in art and design that he explored on the side. “I’ve always been self-taught,” Tran explains. “I started getting more into photography and was obsessed with film photography for a while. I never really had formal training or a good vision; it’s always been learning technically, but that’s also why The Fruity Studio is a chance for me to dabble in more of an artist’s mind.”
After visiting Nguyen in Milwaukee, Tran decided to move here in 2022. The two would have craft nights together where Tran would bring block polymer clay to Nguyen’s home. Nguyen remembers, “We made a lot of fun stuff; at one point we made like a hundred pairs of earrings, and there were earrings everywhere in my apartment. My husband was freaking out (laughs).”
Those craft nights eventually led to launching The Fruity Studio in 2023. One of Nguyen and Tran’s first markets was Fruit Bowl, curated by Lonesome Bill Walker. “Because of that, we were able to meet a lot more queer people in the city, and we forever have that debt to Bill,” Nguyen affirms. “We were very lucky to meet someone like him and for him to look at us and see our potential.”
The Fruity Studio’s next workshop, Framed!, takes place this Wednesday, August 19 at Joy Ice Cream Social (8334 W. North Ave.) from 6 to 8 p.m. With this offering, Nguyen and Tran invite folks to get their picture taken and decorate the frame with provided art supplies. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased here.
Ben Slowey
Ben Slowey is a Staff Writer for the Shepherd Express whose work focuses on the intersections of community, creativity and social justice.
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