Lau’s style is rooted in the Chinese Literati tradition and Northwest Modernism, yet infused with contemporary style and free in his own interpretations. As Lau has written, “The spirit of the tradition looms behind me not as a role model but as a continuing renewable source of encouragement to push ahead.”

In quieter days, Lau reflects on his recent years – time spent walking through a gentrifying neighborhood to his small Ballard studio, solitude as his wife cared for family members in Japan, and the glimpses of memory that surface during these times alone. 

Alan Lau has enjoyed an extensive career that defies quick summary. He is a painter, poet, journalist, and creative organizer who has been a key figure in Seattle’s Asian-American cultural scene for decades. His visual artwork has been exhibited since the 1970s at Francine Seders Gallery and ArtXchange Gallery, as well as a long list of regional and international museums and collections. He was awarded a Mayor's Arts Award by the City of Seattle, the George Tsutakawa Memorial Artist Award, and was the recipient of a major award by the Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation in 2015." (Promo Copy)