I’m negotiating a commission for Allan Chow currently, and while that has nothing to do with the painting above, I still like the story behind this piece.

Allan did it when he was only a year out of college, and it still reflects the touch of a master.  He was born in Kuala Lumpur, had gone back to visit after graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute, and noticed this scene in a bicycle repair shop.  So he did a sketch, then completed the painting after returning to the states.  The composition is understated: the father who started the bicycle shop is declining into old age; his son has taken over, and is young and vital as the old man once was; the ancient bike is likely a British design, like a relic of the colonial days.

All these elements tell a subtle story, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t see it.  The piece is firstly a great little painting.  The one below?  That resulted from his 2007 trip to Kuala Lumpur.  The change in style speaks for itself.