The Muse

I first discovered Ting Ting Chen’s photography on Instagram, and I was immediately hooked. Whether she’s capturing portraits or landscapes, her images feel both intimate and otherworldly — stunning, singular work that reveals a way of seeing that’s entirely her own. Few photographers can convey emotion and atmosphere quite like she can, and it’s no surprise her work has earned numerous prestigious awards.

Spend even a few minutes exploring her gallery and you’ll quickly become familiar with one face in particular: Robert Tilley. He became the subject of some of Chen’s most recognizable photographs, including the celebrated The Duke. Their connection — creative and personal — sits at the heart of Wanda Nolan’s 18-minute documentary, The Muse.

The film explores the remarkable cross-generational friendship that developed between Chen and Tilley as they travelled across Newfoundland together, while also examining the complicated and fascinating relationship between artist and muse. Along the way, it touches on aging, memory, companionship, and the quiet power of creative connection. It’s a moving piece of work made even more poignant by Tilley’s death in December 2025. 

The documentary has already received significant acclaim. The Muse earned a nomination at the Canadian Screen Awards, won Best Atlantic Short Documentary at the Atlantic International Film Festival, and was selected to screen at the International Festival of Films on Art in Montreal.

The film is now available through the National Film Board of Canada.  It’s well worth your time.

You can Chen’s heartfelt reflection, “For Robert,” on her website and see more of her work in Impressions of Newfoundland, published by Breakwater Books.