Alexander Chen's Biography

Alexander Chen was born in Canton, China in 1952. His interest in art began developing while in kindergarten, where he started drawing images of his own life and the lives of his fellow classmates. In the years that followed, legendary heroes came to life in the form of pictures and drawings he compiled in storybook form. By the time Alexander finished elementary school, he had completed nearly forty picture/story books.

In 1966, Alexander walked over 300 miles from Canton to Zhanjiang. In 1968, he became part of the state agricultural effort to raise food for China's growing population. During this time, Alexander drew life in the country. By November 1972, he had been chosen as a stage designer by the state opera troupe. For the next four years, he traveled by foot from one small village to another, living with people as they performed.

During the ensuing years, there were many experiences that shaped Alexander's future life. By the time he was 25, he found himself again a student; this time in the art school at Guangdong and the Canton Academy of Fine Arts. For the next few years, he traveled throughout much of China, painting life in the countryside. Many works were exhibited in provincial and national art museums and also in the United States and France.

In 1989, Alexander and his wife immigrated to the United States, where he began assimilating our culture and painting life in his new land. He is currently working on his American Cities Series, reflecting the feelings and emotions he experiences on location. He also has completed eleven works which are being printed as puzzles by one of Japan's largest puzzle makers. His paintings and extremely detailed and complex, offering the viewer many levels of enjoyment. Some of his paintings take over a month to complete because of the attention to detail and the intricacy of the subject matter.

Alexander Chen's greatest desire in his adopted land is to contribute something of value and beauty by painting what he observes in his unique style, bringing a little of his world into your life.