Alex Wu

School of Art
Washington University in St. Louis
Professor. Michael Javernick

I am pleased to write in support of Alex Tsung Chien Wu. Alex completed a very involved and independent study project under my supervision while at Washington University.

One of the most initially striking aspects of Alex's artistic practice is his facility. His rendering skills are remarkable by any standard and he has a proven ability to apply these talents over a board and ever increasing range of media. Parallel to his material proficiency, Alex has an extraordinary intellectual range and curiosity. He is a clear and incisive thinker and his knowledge base extends across two cultures and several disciplines.

Recently all of Alex's interests and abilities have coalesced into some wonderfully compelling and beguiling art. His interest in human figure, narrative issues, and cross cultures synthesis marks the beginning of a remarkable artistic career.

Alex's artistic intentions are ambitious and he is up to the challenge. He is driven, hard working, earnest and has proven himself to be a gifted teacher in a board range of areas. He has served as a teaching assistant in several beginning drawing sections. His diligence, reliability, sensibility, and easygoing sense of humor made him valuable asset in many courses.

I have been fortunate to work with Alex over the past two years. Our interaction has been rewarding and enriching. It is not often that a student gives back as much as he receives. I urge you to give Alex your most favorable review. I give him my highest recommendation.

School of Art
Washington University in St. Louis
Professor. Michael Javernick

Alex Tsung Chien Wu worked as a Graduate teaching Assistant in my first and second semester drawing courses, and I am please to give him my recommendation.

Alex is a particularly well suited for teaching beginning level students. He has a terrific grasp of drawing and painting fundamentals which is manifestly evident in his painting. Not only is he able to adeptly demonstrate and teach these skills by example, he has a knack for communicating complicated and difficult ideas very well.  

Alex is one of the best teaching assistants I’ve ever had. Alex’s patient, easygoing, and kind personality serves him well in the classroom. He focuses in students’ existing confidences and provides support and encouragement. He is quick to establish rapport with students. As a result the firmly constitutes the students’ trust making them particularly receptive to his technical aesthetic instruction. Students in my classes were quick to seek out Alex as me when confused or unsure of a particular concept.

Alex was an ideal teaching assistant. He not only proficiently took care of logistical concerns  in the class but truly enriched the students’ learning experience. Outside of his one-on-one work with individual student, he acted as a foil with me in critiques and provided students with additional takes on their work that often differed substantially from my own. Additionally, Alex’s enthusiasm for both his own studio work and his teaching were apparent in the classroom and was terrific motivating presence.

Without reservation, I give Alex y highest recommendation.

Drawing and Painting Department
Ontario College of Art and Design
Professor. Peter Mah

I am responding to your request for a letter of recommendation for Mr. Alex Tsung Chien Wu. It is a pleasure for me to have this opportunity to support so worthy a candidate. 

I met Alex almost ten years ago when he was a student in my drawing and painting studios. We have kept in touch ever since. His performance in my classes always demonstrated a high level of achievement and personal energy which inspired many of his fellow art students.  At the time, he produced work which demonstrates an originality of personal vision. This encourages me to include him as one of two graduating students in a retrospective exhibition of four generations of instructors and graduates of the Ontario College of Art and Design which I was asked to guest curate in 1996 for Bau-Xi Gallery, a commercial gallery in Toronto. I have seen his recent work, and he continues to pursue this personal vision with energy and sensitivity.

He has a strong traditional drawing and painting foundation coupled with interest in contemporary means of self-expression. He has an excellent grasp of handling virility of drawing and painting materials, specifically in the depiction of human figure. 

Mr. Wu is a high intelligent and verbally articulate individual with good English language skills. He demonstrates a personal maturity with suits him to the position in question. He proceeds with dedication towards his goals as an artist. In my 28 years as art instructor at OCAD, I view Alex Wu as one of the few unusually talented students who has passed through my classes.

I highly recommend Alex Wu to you as a very appropriate candidate for your posting without and reservation whatsoever.

School of Art
Washington University in St. Louis
Professor. Belinda Lee 

Alex Wu was my teaching assistant in the spring of 1998. His knowledge of the fundamentals of art practice is deep and solid. His ability to work with students is exemplary; I gave him more freedom and responsibility than normal for a teaching assistant. He goes above and beyond for students. I recommend him highly for a teaching position.