"I use the language of design to express a message. The result is supposed to make the viewer think and act."
- Luba Lukova
Blue Christmas - Pencil, ink and digital, 24 x 31 in.
"Art is born of the observation and investigation of nature." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
Anson Liaw is an illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. Upon graduating from the Ontario College of Art from the Communication & Design Department Design Advertising Program, his versatile illustrations have been an integral part of many projects ranging from magazines, book publications, corporate, packaging and advertising communications.
His illustrations take on critical views; both light and heavy about life in the world around us and that deals with social, political, cultural issues and lifestyle subject matter.
He enjoys combining various everyday life objects, scenes and situations from life, memory and imagination and then combines and fuses them together to manufacture new and unexpected yet familiar meaning that ignites a spark to drive discussion and encourages people to be engaged to see, appreciate and learn something new every day about the world around them.
He has garnered recognition and awards for his illustration work from American Illustration, Society of Illustrators West (SILA), Applied Arts Magazine, 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration, 3x3 Pro Show Illustration Awards Annual, The Creative Quarterly, Luerzer’s Archive “200 Best Illustrators” Worldwide Special Editions, Luerzer's Archive "200 Best Digital Artists" Worldwide Special Edition, Hiii Illustration International Illustration Competition, Circle Foundation for the Arts, and COW International Design Festival ILLUSTRATION exhibitions & events.
Some of his clients have included Time Magazine, McDonald’s, FedEx, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Nestle, Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Harvard Business Review, Loblaws Branding Ltd., Second Cup Coffee Company, Mercatto restaurant, Simon & Schuster New York, The National Ballet of Canada, and Frangelico Liqueur, to name a few.
Anson shares his love and passion for the communication and design arts by teaching at OCAD University and Virtute Innovation and Art Education Inc. (VIA Secondary School) in Canada.
Giving Peace a Chance Day and Night Everyday (version 3) - Pencil, ink and digital, 28 x 40 in.Cut Now and Forever, Women Life Freedom (version 4) - 23.4 x 33 in.
Inseparable Separate Ways (version 2) - Pencil, ink and digital, 22 x 30 in.A Cohesive Whole, Harmonious Co-Existence (version 2) - Pencil, ink and digital, 30 x 42 in.
Dreams to Reality - Pencil, ink and digital 16 x 24 in.Cold War, The Storm Before The Calm (Version 3) - 16 x 22 in.Down But Not Out - Chalk pastels and compressed charcoal on archival print-making and drawing paper 20 x 30 in.Abdul Khaliq, The Flying Bird of Asia - Pencil, ink and digital 21 x 28 in.
Journey - Chalk pastels, ink, Conte and charcoal drawing sticks and pencils on archival print-making and drawing paper 20 x 30 in.Before the Rose (Version 2) - Pencil, ink and digital 16 x 20 in.Mercatto - Ink on paper 16 x 20 in.Méliès' Magical Illusions - Pencil, ink and digital 35 x 46 in.
Destiny (Version 2) - Pencil, ink and digital 12 x 15 in.Blues Vocalist - Chalk pastels on archival print-making and drawing paper 22 x 26 in.Silent No More - Pencil, ink and digital 18 x 24 in.H2O 4 ALL Winter Holiday - Pencil, ink and digital 16 x 22 in.
My Sun Shower Goddess - Chalk pastels, Conte and charcoal drawing sticks & pencils on archival print-making & drawing paper 18 x 21 in.Youthful Ideas for Healing the Earth - Chalk pastels on archival print-making & drawing paper 20 x 30 in.The Cycling Utopia (version 4) - Pencil, ink and digital 15 x 21 in.Lifelessly Living - Pencil, ink and digital 30 x 40 in.
Part of Us (Version 3) - Pencil, ink and digital 12.5 x 21 in.Her Time in the Sun - Chalk pastels on archival print-making and drawing paper 20 x 24 in.A Partridge in a Pear Tree (version 3) - Pencil, ink and digital 12 x 21 in.Our Children are Our Future - Pencil, ink and digital 20 x 28 in.
