MalPina Chan (Olympia) was born in California and received a BFA from Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. After relocating to the NW, MalPina continued her studies in printmaking, artist books, kiln-formed glass, and photography. Her primary method is mixed media and collage incorporated into prints, artist books, and glass works. The context of MalPina’s work is woven together from her identity as an Asian American, a woman, and a mother. Her interest was cultural inheritance and societal pressures on personal culture. Her work explores social justice, inclusion, cultural shifts, contemporary discourse and our collective history.

The Artist Trust EDGE Professional Development program and the award of the James & Janie Washington Foundation Artist-in-Residency enriched MalPina’s studio practice. In 2012 an Artist Trust GAP Grant supported her studies at the Pilchuck Glass School. In 2019 MalPina received a SOLA Award from Artist Trust and SOLA, the latter founded by Ginny Ruffner.

MalPina’s work has been shown throughout the northwest including the inaugural “INK THIS!” exhibition at Tacoma Art Museum, “Local Heroes” exhibit at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art's Sherry Grover Gallery, “Beyond Talk: Redrawing Race” at the Wing Asian Art Museum, “Just One Look” Allen Library – Special Collections UW, and “EMERGE” at Bullseye Glass Gallery in Portland, OR. Her artist books are included in several publications including 500 Handmade Books Vol. 2 and 1000 Artists’ Books.

MalPina’s work can be found in public and private collections: the Cynthia Sears Collection - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, the libraries of University of Washington, University of Puget Sound, Evergreen State College, the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, plus Harborview Hospital and UW Medical Center. MalPina was a founding member of Puget Sound Book Artists and continues to serve on the board. She also worked as a curator, mentor and educator.