Wing Na Wong

Best Animh Annual International Guild of Realism Exhibition Out of 100 juried artworks, 12 awards were selected. The International Guild of Realism has recently completed the jury results for our upcoming 16th Annual Juried Exhibition hosted by the McBride Gallery this June. Over 40% of the entered IGOR artists made it thru to the final jury with artists from many countries enter this exhibition including Canada, Norway, USA, Denmark, Costa Rica, Sweden, Philippines, Mexico, Greece, Australia, and England. Exhibition Dates: June 10th - July 24th,

Armed Forces Day May 21st, 2022 10:00am , Danbury City HallHonoring our heroes with an exhibit of portrait paintings.Presented by the Danbury Veterans Affairs Office in cooperation with the Danbury Council of Veterans.

American Art Collector American Art Collector magazine collector's focus issue #157“Wing Na Wong is a photorealist painter. Her specialty is portraiture, depicting people or animals with expressive details. Photorealism has always been her interest, but her decision to officially make it her career began when she started fine tuning her techniques. Creating portraits and bringing them alive with details gives her all the satisfaction and encouragement she needs for the next art piece. It is telling the story of a person, a biography, using her paint brush to depict the many life experiences that we all go through with visual clues and artistic details. Her animal portrait paintings capturing every conceivable detail. One of the most important elements for a photorealistic painting, is the amount of amazing detail that a painter is able to depict.”

Hartford Courant West Hartford Art League: Ten bus shelter murals, with jolts of lively color, thought-provoking images and sometimes whimsical fun, are in to West Hartford. I'm one of the artists who was juried and commissioned by the town’s Art League. All murals were required to have interactive possibilities selfie-friendly. Location: New Britain Ave and Opp Newington Rd West Public Art Program: West Hartford Art League Size: 6’ x 9.5’

Painting Award #1 Painting Award, Juried Fine Art & Crafts Show, Danbury, CT This 2 day juried art show at Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT features a great variety of high-quality original works and offers a diverse scope of art forms representing every major category. The show will provide increased visibility for many artists, expanding awareness of the arts enriching the artistic, cultural, educational and economic vitality of the Western Connecticut Region.

The Shops at Yale Retailer Name: Clarie’s Corner Copia - Confirmed Address: Window Measurements: 74”W x 88”H "In this city of the arts, it makes so much sense to take advantage of our beautiful window 'canvases' as a pathway to our magnificent galleries and museums," said Claire Criscuolo, owner of Claire's Corner Copia on Chapel Street, who was paired with artist Wing Na Wong. Hosted by The Shops at Yale and Whitney-Audubon Retail & Arts District, the Window Art Stroll & Contest is a self-guided walking tour with an online people's choice voting system which showcases the talent of 30 Connecticut artists by bringing their work outdoors for everyone to enjoy.

Norwalk Arts Commission Artists who painted murals in the theme of "renewal" that are displayed on concrete barriers on Washington Street. The barriers were installed in May to expand outdoor dining space for restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Harry Rilling and the Norwalk Arts Commission, which curated the gallery, gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and to meet with the artists, who painted the murals on tarps that now cover the concrete barriers. Location: Norwalk, CT Public Art Program: Norwalk Arts Commission Size: 5.6’ x 20’ Date: July 23rd 2020

Wing Na Wong's journey into the world of fine art began with a simple yet profound fascination: the desire to capture life with such precision that a painting could be mistaken for a photograph. Growing up surrounded by the rich textures of everyday life, she developed an eye for the subtle nuances that define a person's character or an animal's spirit. While many artists experiment with abstraction or impressionism, Wong found her voice in the meticulous discipline of photorealism, dedicating countless hours to mastering the techniques that now make her work instantly recognizable.

Based in Connecticut, she has built a career that bridges the intimacy of private portraiture with the expansive reach of public art. Her passion for people and animals is not just a subject matter—it is the core of her creative identity. Each piece, whether a commissioned family portrait or a large-scale community mural, is treated with the same level of care and attention to detail. This unwavering commitment has earned her a place among respected realist painters, with her work featured in prestigious publications and juried exhibitions.

Creating a photorealistic painting is a painstaking process that requires both technical skill and immense patience. Wong begins with a high-resolution reference photograph, often taking hundreds of shots to capture the perfect interplay of light, expression, and texture. She then translates the image onto canvas through a method of layered glazes and fine brushwork, building up color and depth gradually. The result is a surface so smooth and detailed that viewers often feel they could step right into the scene.

Key elements she emphasizes include:

• Light and Shadow: Mastering the way light falls on a subject's face or fur is crucial for achieving three-dimensional realism.
• Texture Rendering: From the softness of skin to the intricate patterns of animal coats, every surface is rendered with convincing tactility.
• Emotional Accuracy: The most challenging aspect is not just recreating a likeness but infusing the portrait with the subject's personality and mood.

This approach can take weeks or even months for a single piece, but for Wong, the process is a form of meditation—a way to connect deeply with her subject and, ultimately, the viewer.

While her studio work is intensely personal, Wing Na Wong has also made a significant impact through public art projects. She believes that art should be accessible to everyone, not confined to galleries. Her murals, like the ones on bus shelters in West Hartford or the concrete barriers in Norwalk, are designed to spark joy and interaction. The West Hartford murals, for example, were created with the idea of being "selfie-friendly," encouraging passersby to become part of the art.

These projects often come with unique challenges—working on unconventional surfaces, scaling up tiny details, and dealing with weather conditions—but Wong embraces them as opportunities to push her creative boundaries. Through collaborations with organizations like the Norwalk Arts Commission and the West Hartford Art League, she has helped transform everyday urban spaces into vibrant canvases that reflect the community's spirit and resilience.

Her window installation at Claire's Corner Copia in New Haven further illustrates her adaptability, turning a storefront into a gallery that invites people to stroll, discover, and vote for their favorite works. It's this blend of high realism and community connection that defines much of her public-facing work.

Wong's dedication has not gone unnoticed. Her accolades include juried awards and features in publications like American Art Collector, which highlighted her ability to tell stories through portrait details. Being part of the International Guild of Realism's annual exhibition placed her among the top realist painters from around the world, a testament to her skill and consistency.

These milestones are not just personal triumphs; they serve as motivation to continue exploring new subjects and techniques. Whether she is capturing the soulful eyes of a beloved pet or the weathered lines of a veteran's face, Wong approaches each project with the same question: "What story can I tell through this portrait?" That curiosity, combined with her technical mastery, promises an exciting future filled with more lifelike creations and community connections.

Explore a selection of her animal portraits or visit the gallery to see her complete portfolio.