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If you live in Belize City or have passed through from the Western Highway you had to notice the twenty foot monument the visible hand, which is perched at the roundabout at the junction of the western highway and Central American Boulevard. But while you may be familiar with this public art piece that was erected in commemoration of Belize’s twentieth anniversary of independence, you may not know its creator Joseph Chiang who was only eighteen years old at the time.

Well today after graduating from the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design where he was among the top three students, and after living and working for two years as a fulltime water color artist in New York, Joseph Chiang is back in Belize where he resides in Belmopan. The artist not only pans to pursue his art career in Belize but tonight his first solo exhibition will be launched. Today I stopped by the Image Factory where I got a preview of the paintings on display. And while the artist was away busily getting ready for tonight’s event, I caught up with one of his popular fans.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Yasser Musa an art teacher at St. John’s Junior College was quickly drawn to the young student’s talent.

Yasser Musa, Art Teacher - St. John’s Junior College
“Not just an artist in his skill but in terms of his demeanor, he is calm, very introspective, concerned guy and we really found from then, we thought that he would go far in whatever he did, whatever he chose to do.”

And looking at the water color works that hang from the walls inside the Image Factory Joseph Chiang has become quite the accomplished artist.

Yasser Musa,
“We are very proud here at the Image Factory to now kind of rekindle our connection and present this exhibition you see in front of us.

He has an elegant touch, when you see this work its subtle, he deals a lot with mood so you see on this wall we have several examples of the Haulover Creek which is right outside and I am interested in it because the Image Factory is here, recently the boat blew up and so we have a piece of the boat here. So it is a kind of very strange connection we’re making. But then on the other side of the gallery we have pictures he did in New York of the snow. So there is a lot of contrast with on one side all this water and sun, the Caribbean setting, and on the other side this very cold and intense kind of scene in New York.”

Joseph Chiang’s art exhibition officially opens tonight at the Image Factory. The show will run until January seventh 2010. And yes, all art pieces are for sale.