Kenji Liu Art

My painting of the old Nishi Nongwanji building on Central in Little Tokyo, currently in use for the LT short story contest poster. Prints available at Nellita's Craft!

Huge thanks to Nellita's Craft for facilitating and for supplies.

Quok Shee in the Redwoods

2025

Oil on canvas

30"x40"

A note to other Asian Americans who think the attacks on immigrants are not our fight. Quok Shee came to the US in 1916 with her husband and was detained at Angel Island in SF. She had to fight for nearly 2 years.

Finally in 1918 a judge ruled that immigration officials had abused their power and withheld information. She was the longest detained at Angel Island.

I worked on composition, value, texture, and color palette.

What do you think of the result? Leave a comment!

Part of my new series of portraits of Asian Americans whose court cases were crucial to determining precedent in US law. This is of Wong Kim Ark whose 1898 case determined birthright citizenship. An older Wong sits in the lower two thirds and a much younger Wong floats above.

Wong Kim Ark v. United States (1898)

40"x30"

A new oil painting, of coyotes.

16"x20"

One of my oil paintings from 2024.