Artwork by Alex Chiu @alexchiu - Tumblr Blog

Good times with @que.designs_ (at Belmont District PDX) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoDOBX9PNs8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

We just finished this mural on SE Belmont near SE 28th. It is a collaboration with @que.designs_ . I had a blast painting this. The weather was perfect and so many friendly people came out to say hello, compliment our progress, hang out, and even buy food for us. We whipped this out and did the whole thing in just 3 days. This was the best way for me to start off the new year. I’m also very proud of this piece. I painted the blue jay and butterflies. Manuel painted the flowers. For the background, I was inspired by Chinese blue porcelain designs on the left side. Manuel incorporated cultural patterns of his own on the right side. Shout out to @aerosolsmith, @jaguarpawprints, and @opasit for visiting and hanging out. Thanks to @granger_ous for documenting the progress on IG. And thanks to @horusboris for buying me food. Much gratitude. Thank you! (at Belmont District PDX) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn5-yHfLm-i/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

“Four Oceans, One Family" (The Portland Chinatown Gate) Acrylic on Interior Drywall 30’ Wide X 14’ High 2022. This is a temporary interior mural painted in the lobby of the @portlandchinatownmuseum for the Artist in Residence showcase currently exhibiting at the museum. The mural depicts one side of the Portland Chinatown Gate from a low angle perspective. The Chinese phrase, read from right to left, translates to “four oceans, one family.” As a non-native Portlander, this phrase means a lot to me. I’ve been in Portland for 10 years now. In general there is an anti-Californian sentiment in the city. It is hard to escape the question, “Where are you originally from?” In my opinion this tends to be a question of white supremacy, where non-whites are put into the category of perpetual foreigner, whether they were born in the States or not. I feel very uncomfortable whenever dealing with this question. This phrase, “four oceans, one family” gives me the hope of belonging. It communicates to me that people of Chinese descent have a place in Portland. It is a phrase of comfort to people in search of a new home. The museum residency itself is my deliberate attempt to connect with the Chinese community in Portland. My focus was to have conversations with individuals of Chinese descent to learn about their history and hear their stories. The goal for me was to build relationships with people who share my ethnic background in hopes of learning more about myself. I learned a lot in the process and feel like I accomplished the goal that I set for myself. The mural is painted directly on the wall using black acrylic paint. It was painted using large Chinese calligraphy brushes. The Chinatown Gateway is located at the intersection of W Burnside St. and NW 4th Ave. It serves as the entrance to Portland’s Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. The Gateway was built in 1986 by the Oregon Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. (at Portland Chinatown Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnjS0aEuUVT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

As a part of my Artist in Residence Program at the @portlandchinatownmuseum, I’ve been writing descriptions of the mural work that I painted for the exhibit for an eventual catalog of the show. Here is a portrait that I painted in response to work by @samroxaschua. “Her Name is Betty” Portrait of Sam Roxas-Chua’s Mother, Betty Roxas-Chua Acrylic on Interior Drywall 8’ W X 8’H 2022 As we began to install the exhibit, Sam and I were tasked with figuring out how to lay out our work within the lobby of the museum. Because some of my own work would be displayed next to Sam’s work, we discussed having me paint a mural in response to Sam’s work in order to create a seamless transition between my exhibit and his. I asked Sam what I should paint. At some point in the conversation, he described one of his installation pieces with his asemic writing that hung from the roof and touched the ground. He explained to me that after his mother had passed, he gathered his Mother’s cooking ingredients and created a golden ink that he used to paint the piece with. After learning this I decided to paint a portrait of his mother to accompany his installation. This would be our collaboration for the exhibit. At one point, as I was painting the portrait, Sam said out loud, “Her name is Betty.” This inspired the title of the mural. (at Portland Chinatown Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cng4EQnrXrJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Progress on a mural for Magnolia Elementary School in Seattle. This is only 2 of 11 panels that I am painting for the mural. It is painted on fabric panels that will be wallpapered at the school. It will be installed in the school’s stairwell. This part of the mural depicts the famous Seattle Waterfront and Farmer’s Market. https://www.instagram.com/p/CnXVJxMvOs9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I added this crane and pine tree painting to the wall at my wife’s childhood home. This imagery is common in traditional Japanese paintings. The pine tree was a request from my father in law. It’s been a tradition of mine to add to the wall every time we come back to visit. I’ve been trying to master spraypaint for the last 5 years or so. It’s not always easy to find a place to paint. A lot of homes in the LA area have these cinder block walls separating the property lines. They are great to practice painting. This would probably be considered my first practice wall where I learned how to use spray paint. (at Torrance, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmnRdOtLM2V/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I was commissioned by @stumptownotaku to do an Asian pop culture and Portland themed mural. The shop is located in Downtown / Old Town Portland at 133 SW 2nd Ave. It specializes in custom Asian pop culture toys, plushies, and customized merchandise. It was fun to paint nostalgic characters from my childhood such as Doraemon, Hello Kitty, and Pikachu all hanging out together. I also included Totoro drinking a boba, Paul Bunyan holding a Pokeball, and Godzilla being mean to Totoro in front of the St. John’s Bridge. This was probably the most fun project I’ve done this year. It’s also my kids’ favorite mural. They both love the shop so much. I learned a new skill with this one by installing these large panels into a brick wall using masonry anchors. I’m happy that the installation went smoothly today. Check out their shop for gifts for the holidays. Everything is unique and affordable. Special thanks to Tommy Ly, the owner and Fern for assisting the mural installation today. (at Old Town - Downtown, Portland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmFrZXivNZa/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Yesterday was an incredible night of celebration. @samroxaschua, @shujuwang, @urban_studies_by_horatio_law, and I accomplished our Creative Heights Artist in Residence Showcase. The support was enormous. Working in community has given me more joy that I can express. The thank you’s are many, too many to list without missing someone. Thank you to everyone who came out to support us. For those who could not make it, thank you for messages of support. Thank you to all the people who participated in this project and allowed me to paint your portrait and tell your story. Thank you @portlandchinatownmuseum staff for taking care of every little detail. Thank you to the Oregon Community Foundation for funding this residency program. This project for me was a collaboration with the people I interviewed and painted. I am learning how to do a better job of telling peoples stories. This includes work, and time, and trust, and vulnerability on the part of the people I choose to feature. Being seen and how we are seen is complex. I’m trying to be more sensitive to this. I’m still learning. My hope with this project is that you are proud of being in this project and you feel celebrated and you feel seen (in a good way). It means so much for me to tell your story and bring light to who we are in the Chinese Community. If you could not make the opening reception, this show will be up until mid-January during normal museum hours. Please come experience this work by me and my fellow artists. Come see the main exhibit. Thank you for supporting Portland’s Chinese Community. (at Portland Chinatown Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClqYbFrLhUb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Gratitude. On Thursday, I’ll be hosting an art reception at the @portlandchinatownmuseum with fellow artists @samroxaschua & @shujuwang. 3-6pm I’m showing my work in a museum. This is a big deal for me. Thank you @urban_studies_by_horatio_law for giving me a chance. Thank you @portlandchinatownmuseum for your trust and support. My personal part of the exhibit is called “Four Oceans, One Family.” It is an expression for my gratitude for the Chinese Community in Portland, OR. I spent one full year having conversations with people of Chinese descent living in Portland, OR. I spent the last couple days listening to the audio recordings of these conversations to write blurbs of the people that I spent time with. I am so thankful for the time we shared. I will have zines available for sale with all of the artwork that I made for the exhibit. These are the 20 people featured in the exhibit: - Norman locke - Sarah Chung - Glenn Chin - Kittie Kong - Nick Lee - Billy Lee - Tommy Ly - Beverly Liu - Terry Lee - Beatrix Li - Roberta Wong - Michi Cheung - Jason Leivian - Jen Tam - Helen Ying - Neil lee - Maiyee yuan - Jennie Shen - Horatio - Betty Jean lee I consider this to be a collaboration. Thank you all for your stories. Also, I will not be taking any new work in the next year. I have a lot on my plate right now. My early new year resolution is learning to graciously say no to everything. I need to focus on my overall health, mentally and physically. Happy holidays. I am grateful for your support. Thank you. (at Portland Chinatown Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CllkgmrLhWf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I am proud to be exhibiting at the @portlandchinatownmuseum with fellow artists @samroxaschua & @shujuwang. Here is some information about the Opening Reception & and excerpt from my Artist’s Statement: ILLUMINATING TIME Creative Heights Arts Show Featuring artists Alex Chiu, Sam Roxas-Chua 姚, and Shu-Ju Wang Location: Portland Chinatown Museum, 127 NW Third Avenue Portland, OR 97209 When: Thursday, December 1, 2022 from 3PM — 6PM The Portland Chinese Community Portrait Series is a celebration of individuals of the Chinese Diaspora, currently living in Portland, Oregon. Here are portraits of several individuals who I have gotten to know for this project. Some of them I have only recently gotten to know through my research of Portland’s Chinatown / Old Town community. Some of them are good friends of mine who have supported me and my family throughout our time here in the city. For this project, they’ve given me their time and allowed me to hear their story. They’ve also given me permission to tell their stories and paint their portraits of this exhibit. I am truly grateful for their trust and support. I hope this projects uplifts them and highlights their legacies as part of Portland’s Chinese Community. (at Portland Chinatown Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClaEavrLwn4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Here are pictures from a soft opening of sorts for the inaugural Artist in Residence exhibit at the @portlandchinatownmuseum; an exhibit of work by @samroxaschua, @shujuwang, and myself. I am so proud to be included in this. Our work is on display. We will come together again for an official opening on Thursday, December 1. Today was open to a select group of museum members, resident artists, staff, family, and loved ones. It was an intimate gathering. At the end of the day we shared a meal around a circle table at Golden Horse Seafood Restaurant. It feels like family. I am thankful for those who opened their arms to me. Thank you Horatio, Roberta, Anna, Joanna, Kapiolani, Sam, and Shu-Ju. Thank you to those who have sat with me for this project and share conversation with me. This all really means a lot to me. (at Portland Chinatown Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkzyMHnuhEi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

This year I was invited to be an Artist in Residence at the @portlandchinatownmuseum. I participated along with artists @samroxaschua and @shujuwang. This project was layered for me. The Creative Heights Grant that funded the residency asked that we challenge ourselves to explore new mediums and forms of expression. I was also hoping to use the residency as a way to do research for an eventual exterior mural for the museum. This opportunity also gave me a reason to explore my own cultural identity through the stories and experiences of others in the Chinese Community. Over the last year I engaged in conversation with individuals of Chinese decent living in Portland, OR. The conversations dove into people’s individual histories, the history of Portland’s Chinatown, and what it means to be Chinese American in Portland. This has all led to my Portland Chinese Community Portrait Series that will be on display at the museum this month, along with black and white murals inside of the museum space. This residency was made possible because Horatio Law, @urban_studies_by_horatio_law won the Creative Heights Grant in collaboration with the museum. I received support from historian @jenniferyfang, the CACA board, the Lee Family Association, and the CCBA. We began the installation of the exhibit this weekend. Our exhibit will be up by the end of the week, but the official opening with be next month in December. I will post updated information about the official opening soon. (at Downtown Portland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkqkkzNp4BY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I live super close to a bubble tea shop called Just Tea, @justtea.pdx. It is located at 1045 SE 122nd Ave. I became friends with the owner, Michelle Ouyang, who is an immigrant from Canton, China. She told me that it was a dream of hers to open this shop and share fancy dessert treats from her childhood like bubble milk tea and egg puff waffles. She opened the business in 2019 and survived the pandemic. She informed me a few weeks ago that her window was broken into for a second time since she’d opened her business. She asked me if I could help board up her windows and paint a mural for her to prevent further property damage. Over the last two weekends, I painted a mural in front of the shop to show my support for the business. It gave me an opportunity to paint my youngest daughter in a public mural. She tells me she loves it so much when we drive by. I meant for this to be a community service, but Michelle graciously paid for material costs and fed me well while I painted. I also got to spend time getting to know her kids, Arian (sp?) and Vincent, who both run the shop and are both college students. If you see this mural on SE 122nd between Division and Stark St, go grab a drink or waffle dessert at the drive thru. Much love to the Ouyang Family. What an honor to be able to do this in my neighborhood. (at Just Tea) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkcMu5yJb7F/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Portland Chinese Community Porfiles: Terry Lee, @tealeaf151 This is a portrait of Mr. Terry Lee, the Head Coach of the Portland Lee's Association Lion Dance Team, @pdxleesdragonandlion. The team was founded in April, 2004 by Mr. Ken Lee, who imparted his lion dance knowledge and experience to Terry Lee. He is currently assisted by Coach Eric Lee & Coach Nick Lee. The Portland Lee's Association Lion Dance Team has performed at thousands of events and is in great demand for performances throughout the year. In 2009, Coach Terry Lee formalized an agreement with the Portland-Suzhou Sister City Association and the Lee's Association Lion Dance Team was given custody of the Golden Dragon, a gift from Suzhou, China to it's sister city Portland, Oregon. Thus, the Dragon Dance Team was founded and dragon dance was added to the team's repertoire. In 2010, the team's name was officially changed to Lee's Association Dragon & Lion Dance Team. The Lee's Association Dragon & Lion Dance participated in the Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade in 2010 for the first time and performed with illuminated lions and the Golden Dragon. The Award for Best Marching Entry was won by the Portland Lee's Association Dragon & Lion Dance in their second Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade appearance on June 4, 2011. Their banner, flags, lions, dragon and drum were all illuminated with twinkling colored lights. One week later, the team participated in their third Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade in front of a crowd estimated at 500,000 people. (Photos and written description courtesy of The Portland Lee Association Dragon & Lion Dance Team, @pdxleesdragonandlion. This is part of my Artist in Residence Project for the Portland Chinatown Museum, @portlandchinatownmuseum. These portraits will eventually be gifted to the community members featured.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjbGy9zP7r7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I received this message from the daughter of the Farmer’s Market vendors that I painted yesterday. Yesterday I learned that they are Hmong. They are also parents of 10 children and survivors of the Secret War in Laos. What an amazing message to receive this morning. The painting was something I did quickly as a way to engage people during a mural unveiling event. I had no idea this painting would be so meaningful. https://www.instagram.com/p/CjYHtmQr43Y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Today I did some live painting event at the Farmer’s Market at the @peoplesfoodcoop. I decided to paint the portrait of May and Chufu of M. C. Farm Family (@mcfarmfamily). They have been producing and selling produce and flowers grown in Oregon for over 15 years. They are located in Hillsboro, OR. My wife bought a bouquet of flowers from them for my Mom’s birthday about two weeks ago. When I told my wife that I would be live painting and wanted to paint a Farmer’s Market vendor, she told me to paint the couple and buy a bouquet. I did just that. I gifted the couple the final painting and think they were honored by it. When I brought it to their tent all the other vendors clapped and cleared. It was the sweetest moment I’ve had in a long time. (at People's Food Co-op) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjXKDUFOxDh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Portland Chinese Community Porfiles: Billy Lee, @billysoul I met Billy through a fellow muralist, @yamio_dafiyamouth. The two of them collaborate as musicians. I was intrigued about meeting a Chinese American rapper in Portland. His name as a musician is Billy Soul @billysoulakasonhenice . He is also a father and Martial Artist. He once trained to be a professional fighter in his 20’s. I had the pleasure of sharing dinner with him and his daughter several months back. His message to me was that it was important to study your history. “That’s why it’s important to study history. We have a more broad sense of who we are, what we are doing, what we are trying to do. The more we understand history, the struggles, all the things that have happened, suddenly it adds to your passions. (Photos courtesy of Billy Lee. This is part of my Artist in Residence Project for the Portland Chinatown Museum, @portlandchinatownmuseum. These portraits will eventually be gifted to the community members featured.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjTcgFxvOZf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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