Tim Wang suffered a debilitating stroke in November of 1994. As a result, Tim thought he would no longer be able to produce his exquisite graphic and fine art. Prior to his arrival in the U.S. in 1987, Tim had been an art professor, teaching drawing, oil painting, water-color and other kinds of art at Shanghai University. He came to the U.S., wanting to learn about American art and to work toward completing his masters degree. At the time of his stroke he was creating interiors and landscapes in oil through a gallery in Carmel, designing matching sets of home furnishings, and taking photographs for calendars and catalogs.
Tim’s stroke came without warning. He was effectively immobilized and lost function on his right side. Tim credits his enrollment at SFVS for inspiring and encouraging him to learn more about the computer and to use it more effectively, helping him realize that his sense of creativity was not lost, only that he had to learn or relearn methods of artistic expression and execution.
It's been hard for Tim to accept not being able to execute his ideas as fast as he did before the stroke. He can use his non-dominant left hand to draw and paint, though it is painfully slow.
After five long years, Tim feels his skills are again strong enough that he can be creative and confidently accept art assignments. While he still enjoys working with oil-based media the most, Tim anticipates creating mostly in the digital domain from now on, working on brochures, catalogs and other corporate communication materials.
Tim is proving he still has the talent and skills to produce exquisite content, both commercial and fine art. He recently designed an SFVS sign (although created in color, it appears in black & white on the paper version in the masthead of this newsletter) using digital tools. Even more to his credit, Tim recently won first place in a poster contest on disability awareness sponsored by the San Francisco Independent Living Resource Center, incorporating oil painting, digital graphics and calligraphy. Selected from over 200 entries, Tim's poster will be reproduced and displayed all over the City. He'll also receive a cash award from contest co-sponsor United Commercial Bank, and receive commendation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. We at SFVS salute Tim for his courage and continuing efforts to demonstrate his skills and passion.