Thong Le

Artist Statement:

Thong Le is an artist, immigrant, father, and husband. Thong paints oil on canvas, focusing on landscapes, still-life, impressionist, and abstract paintings. His artistic philosophy revolves around the conveyance of emotion; Thong believes that paintings should not resemble photography, and that they should produce deep reactions within the viewer.

Thong is self-educated in art, having first discovered his passion as boy in Vietnam. His life, however, did not provide him opportunities to pursue art: Thong enlisted in the army of South Vietnam as a teenager, surrendered in 1975, and spent ten years in a reeducation camp. Upon coming to the United States in 1994, he devoted his time to raising his family and made his living as a construction worker. It was only after a cancer diagnosis in 2008 that Thong realized it was finally time to pursue his passion (he is cancer-free today). Since then, Thong has won numerous awards in art competitions all over the Bay Area, taught in classes and demonstrations, and exhibited his work in the Triton Museum, Tabard Theater, and numerous galleries.

Awards & Distinctions:

January 2014
East Valley Artists Association
Artist of the Month
Third Place

February 2014
East Valley Artists Association
Artist of the Month
First Place

March 2014
East Valley Artists Association
Artist of the Month
Third Place

May 2014
East Valley Artists Association
Artist of the Month
Third Place

June 2014
East Valley Artists Association
Artist of the Month
First Place

July 2014
East Valley Artists Association
Artist of the Month
Second Place

July 2014
EVA Annual Art Show 
First Place

July 2014
Los Gatos Art Association
Second Place

September 2014
Los Gatos Art Association
Third Place

2014 Artist of the Year
East Valley Artists Association

February 2015
East Valley Artists Association
First Place 

March 2015
East Valley Artists Association
Art Contest
Second Place

May 2015
Los Gatos Artists Association
Art Contest
First Place

June 2015
Los Gatos Artists Association
Art Contest
First Place

June 2015
East Valley Artists Association
Art Contest
First Place

June 2015
East Valley Artists Association
Annual Art Show
First Place

June 2015
East Valley Artists Association
Annual Art Show
Third Place

September 2015
Los Gatos Artists Association
Art Contest
Second Place

December 2015
East Valley Artists Association 
Artist of the Year

March 2016 
East Valley Artists Association 
First Place 

June 2016 
Los Gatos Artists Association 
First Place

Exhibitions:

June 2014
Triton Museum 
San Jose, CA

July 2014
Department of Motor Vehicles
Los Gatos, CA

August 2014
Jazz on the Grass
San Jose, CA

August to November 2014
City Council Chambers
Los Gatos, CA

November to December 2014
Fall Member's Juried Art Show
Los Gatos, CA 

February 2015
Foothills Library
San Jose, CA 

August 2015
East Valley Artists Association
Annual Art Show
San Jose, CA

November 2015
Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center Silicon Valley
Los Gatos, CA

May 2016 
Tabard Theatre
San Jose, CA

June 2016
Triton Museum 
San Jose, CA

July 2016
Bruni Gallery
San Jose, CA

July 2016
AZ Fine Art Gallery
San Jose, CA

Professional/Teaching Experience:

East Valley Artists Association 
Portrait Instructor
San Jose, CA

Milpitas Artists Association
Portrait Instructor
Milpitas, CA

Tags:

Abstract, impressionism, still life, portrait, landscape