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Oil Painting
Rich color, expressive figures, and scenes rooted in Hawaii form a major part of Tim's painting practice.
The Artist
Tim Nguyen
An Oahu-based artist whose oil and lacquer paintings celebrate people, family, culture, tropical landscapes, and the expressive color of everyday island life.
A Life Shaped by Hawaii
From a spontaneous move to a life in art
Tim Nguyen has been interested in art since he was young, but his path to becoming a full-time artist was anything but conventional. Around age 31, a spontaneous move from Los Angeles to Hawaii changed the direction of his life.
While working as a taxi driver on Oahu, Tim continued to paint and began showing and selling his work in Honolulu, including at the city's long-running Zoo Fence art tradition. Encouragement from early collectors gave him the confidence to park the taxi and devote himself to painting full time.
Hawaii became both home and an enduring source of inspiration. Tim's paintings draw from the people, relationships, landscapes, humor, warmth, and daily rhythms he encounters around him.
Oil & Lacquer
Two mediums, one expressive voice
Tim's work includes both oil paintings and lacquer paintings, with subjects ranging from intimate figures and family scenes to tropical landscapes and island life.
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Lacquer Painting
Tim also maintains a connection to Vietnam, where he has worked with lacquer painting and production alongside his Hawaii-based practice.
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Collectors & Projects
His work has reached collectors and exhibitions in Hawaii and abroad, with inquiries welcome from private collectors, galleries, designers, hotels, and hospitality projects.
Discover the Work
Explore paintings by Tim Nguyen
View selected works or ask about availability, commissions, related artwork, and project inquiries.