Alexander Chen
Alexander Chen, an ordinary man with an extraordinary vision and talent, was born in Canton, China in 1952. Alexander began drawing as a child, developing his craft as he moved through the many changes that shaped his life. At age 16, he moved to the countryside where, for the next four years, he worked as a farmer. All the while Alexander recorded in his artwork, the world as it evolved before him. After leaving the farm he worked for an on-the-road theater for six years, painting stage backgrounds.
At age 26, Alexander found himself once again in the city of Canton, but this time he was a student in art school where he continued his studies. While in school, he met a fellow student who would later become his wife. Much had changed for this city-born artist, who for so many years lived as a country bumpkin.
Alexander's appreciation for both worlds gave him broader visual and emotional dimensions that he translates into his paintings - the heart and soul of city life - as well as the beautiful countryside and magnificent mountains that make evident the creator's genius.
In 1989 Alexander and his wife immigrated to America where he quickly translated his love for the United States into paintings that reflected a deep appreciation for our bustling cities, our beautiful countryside, and our national parks.
Much of Alexander Chen's artwork has been licensed in the U.S., Japan, and Europe for use in corporate calendars, stationery, tourism/novelty products and jigsaw puzzles.
Chen's paintings successfully capture perspectives that others miss or cannot see. He spends as much as two months completing his larger work, all of which become part of his "Collectible Memories" series. These, he feels, are gifts to his adopted land - things of beauty to be shared by all in appreciation for the opportunity to live a life he could only have dreamed of as a child.