Recent seasons have shown increasing tributes to the art world through designer interpretations. Catherine Ka Wai Wong, a Fashion Illustrator based in Richmond, CA, has been returning that favor for over a decade through her artwork, which she describes as showcasing "the pursuit of motion, gestures and attitudes of fashion." "In high school, I was always drawing, but never thought of pursuing art as a profession seriously.  When I first saw a fashion illustration poster, printed by The Academy of Art College, at age 17(?), I was blown away by it.  That’s the first time I had heard of the profession fashion illustrator and realized I could draw for a living." Wong achieved her B.F.A. from the Academy of Art, San Francisco, where she studied under her mentor, Rob Corder, an instuctor of Fashion Illustration as well as the art director for I.Magnin.  "[He is] a very accomplished artist, extremely flexible and quick with solutions and ideas.  Yet he was always able to maintain his strong style in all his commercial work." Upon her graduation, Wong sketched illustrations for the first collection by Victoria Vitalie, a professional dancer whose collection debuted at Fort Mason.  In 2007, she also sketched Diana Lu’s first collection which debuted at The Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco and was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle. When asked why clients choose to work with her, Wong explains, "The process of our collaboration makes the client feel confident as I listen and am open to what their needs are.  I can take verbal descriptions of their designs and translate them onto paper, and do that quickly.  I complete each sketch by hand, not by computer, giving them more characteristics and making every sketch one of a kind." Wong finds inspiration for her art in photography, especially from her colleague, jewelry photographer, Ronnie Tsai.  She also looks to fashion icons, such as Audrey Hepburn, Christy Turlington, Isaac Mizrahi and Karl Lagerfeld.  "I think it’s how they managed success through their discipline that really inspires me." As her career advances, Wong looks to illustrate for magazines and fashion websites world wide and would presently like to see her collections showcased in Bay Area galleries who support local artists.  Several pieces of her collection are available at Fig Tree Gallery, 2599 Eighth St. in Berkeley. Please contact Catherine Ka Wai Wong through her blog, http://fashionartandeverything.blogspot.com/, or by email-kawaikat@aol.com for more information.

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