The first time I saw Wan Ju’s work was at her open studio event. Her work captivated me by her interesting use of materials to create textures that seemed to relate a different message altogether. The second time I saw her work was at her Facebook. She has used a different approach for her subject matter and what I saw was something more methodological and composed. She said her concept is based on shadows. She paints shadows as how they appeal to her. She sees herself liken to a shadow without a specific nature, that changes according to the direction of lights and even the characteristics of the environment. Unlike western culture which sees shadows as the darker side of a persona, Wan Ju feels that shadows represent parts of her that are hidden and remain hard to understand. She conveys her ideas and concepts by combining certain elements of the symbolic eastern thoughts with materials and traditions of western painting. She is not restricted by any technique or medium, but hold to the task of discovering her inner world through shadow to create new form in a contemporary era.

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Tell me a little about yourself, about your life?
I grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. I started my art training when I was in high school, Fu Xing. I have 2 aunts who were trained in both Chinese and Western art. They were the ones who encouraged me to paint and draw. My parents objected me to pursue a career in art at first, but when they discover my talents, they decided to let me do what I wanted to do. After I got my Bachelor degree in art from Da Yeh University, I taught art to children aged 6 to 12 years old. After 2 years of teaching art & craft, I decided to enrole myself with Savannah College of Art & Design.

Where did you go to school?
Da Yeh University and Savannah College of Art & Design.

What classes did you study? What is your major?
I am a graduate student majoring in Painting.

What helped you become the artist you are today?
SCAD has exposed me to many Contemporary artists and art which in turn influenced what I understood about art and painting. Back home, I was only taught painting techniques. Unlike Taiwan which has a limited resource on contemporary art in English, SCAD has a great library. I was most influenced by looking at art and artists dated between 1960 and 1985, which is the Contemporary art period. Their ideas and concepts provoke me to think even more, and show how little I knew about art.

What do you hope to become one day?
A full time artist. Besides, I want to teach as well. If possible I want to work in a gallery so I will learn the ropes of managing and running one too. At the same time I can get to know and communicate with other artists.

Do you intend to stay in the States for a long time?
Yes, at least for a few years before I return to Taiwan. America is a more conducive environment to develop myself as an artist.

Who are your influences?
I am really inspired by a lady artist named Pat Steir whose paintings have been described as a conversation with the past – specifically with certain art historical movements, from Abstract Expressionism to Romanticism to traditional Chinese painting. I love paintings by Johannes Vermeer for his used of colors as well.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
From nature and her elements.

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?
Shadows. They reflect my personality and what I am like. Like shadows which are without a specific form and shape and change according to light and the environment, it is really difficult to understand who and what I am or was.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an artist? Do you have any tips you could give?
Creativity is important and practise a lot.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?
By email: wnj_w@yahoo.com

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for people that like your work can know where and when to buy it?
Contact me via my email address.

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. (Abraham Lincoln)

Self-taught Taiwanese artist with a style toy creation and graffiti. Tony Shiau Nakanari was born in 1979 in South Taiwan and from childhood began collecting and designing toys. It grew from one of Nakanari’s favorite hobbies to a career he wanted to pursue when he grew up.

Nakanari distinct designer toys are infused with oriental style and a colorful mixture of innocence and cute characters. “The Misfits of Nakanari" was the very first toy line I came up with. I used two different characters to show contrast, just like good vs. evil.” In 2004, B.B.birdyprmier toy designer and first to launch Taiwanese designer toys, picked up Nakanari’s “Misfits of Nakanri” design for his Funny Club series. That year Nakanari also began working on the Funny Club Show.

As show director for the 2004 Funny Club Show, Nakanari has exhibited with other well known artists like Emmy award winning "Teacher’s Pet" creator Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, graffiti legend "Seen", Cameron Tiede, popular toy designer MAD, Sket One, Frank Koizk, Jada toy crew, x-concept designer Chito and Mattel’s Hot Wheel head designer MIQ WILLMOTT.

Ding Ding Chung is a marketing-turned-animation student at Savannah College of Art & Design in which he was exposed to the endless potential of 3D animation. Currently he is a Concept/2D artist with Silver Tree Media, a game and media company located at Pittsburgh, PA. His main responsibilities in the art department are character and environment design. His artwork can be viewed at http://www.adingding.com/.

Here’s a little interview with Ding Ding conducted online.

Tell me a little about yourself, about your life?
My name is Ding Ding Chung. I love to draw and conjure up stories whenever I have the capacity to do so. I was a marketing student during my college days in Taiwan but soon enough I realized I really don’t like it. I enjoy creating, telling and even immersing myself in stories which I would translate into visual concepts through drawing. So it is pretty obvious for me to learn art and become an artist instead of becoming a sales or business man. In order to better myself, I decided to study aboard. At that moment I only wanted to learn making animation in 3D since I was drawn to it endless potential. So far, it has been very enjoyable as I am doing the thing that I always wanted to do. I’m hoping that one day I can inspire others with my work, the same way others did to me.

Where did you go to school?
Savannah College of Art & Design.

What classes did you study? What is your major?
M.F.A in Animation. I also took a foundational color drawing class and two anatomy classes with the sequential art department.

What helped you become the artist you are today?
Definitely my parents and my family. Without them, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today. My professors and classmates in SCAD played an important part too. They encouraged, inspired and even challenged me to push harder to become a better artist. Finally, I think many, many, many great artists whom I’ve come to know in online forums have been inspiring me and fostering me since I started learning animation in the U.S. It’s awesome to see so many great works of art online.

What do you hope to become one day?
I know I’ve been inspired by many people’s work and got plenty of help from them. I hope one day I could inspire others who would in turn inspire others to do likewise.

Do you intend to stay in the States for a long time?
Yes, that is my long term goal.

Who are your influences?
An attitude. Not just a specific person but I have seen this attitude so many times in many great artists I’ve come to know. Also, within that attitude, I would sense creativity. Great artists don’t just create designs or paintings that are unique, but unique in a good, beautiful and innovative way.

My artistic influences come from Gino Lorenzo Bernini, Mucha, Jon foster, Sparth, Ashley wood, and Zack Petroc.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from my life and my personal experiences. The key is to keep an open mind in order to sensationally capture and interpret things that are happening around me.

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?
Character because they are the first things I will notice in a story. In the same way, we’re all characters in our own story.

What inspired you to become an artist?
A passion to create or interpret a concept of my inner worlds and communicating it via my drawings to my audiences. At the same time, I just want to do something fun and inspiring.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an artist? Do you have any tips you could give?
I feel that the key difference between two artists is not just their skill level, but in the way they would look and interpret the world around them. They should have their own philosophy, aesthetic and their unique mental structures of creativity. It is essential to develop these valuable essences within you to become a successful artist. So in my humble opinion, work hard to sharpen your skills technically but don’t forget your inner self. You are a creator, not just a technician.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?
Via www.adingding.com/  or write to me via my email address: bigdingding@gmail.com

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for people that like your work can know where and when to buy it?
No. I haven’t really thought of this.

Where are you working now? And what is your job?
I work at SilverTree Media, a game and media company in Pittsburgh, PA. I am a 2D artist working in a great team of artists, and my job scope includes character and environment designs.

Taiwanese American Evah Fan is an artist who "no longer lives like a vampire, but still very afraid of the sun". Based in Berkeley, CA, Evah makes art that slowly (though not that slow!) grows on you, they are at the same time offbeat and endearing.

Evah was born in 1980 and is fond of the cold climate despite the fact that she grew up in sunny southern California. She studied Communications Design with an emphasis in illustration at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Check out her website which not only has a quirky name but also a knife as an email button! Visit potatohavetoes for her website. Evah is also having a show titled "Oatmeal Lumpy" on April 19th 2008 at Richard Heller Gallery at Santa Monica.

See more products by Evah on Via Alley, and an interview with her on AsianWeek.