WAUChongFay2574.xml Guide to the Fay Chong Papers and Oral History Interview approximately 1933-1976 Chong (Fay) Papers and Oral History Interview Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries ©2007 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)
Allen Library BOX 352900 Seattle, Washington 98195-2900 Business Number: 206-543-1929 speccoll@uw.edu http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-09-14. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries Fay Chong papers and oral history interview Chong, Fay 2574 .24 cubic feet 2 boxes, 1 vertical file 1 sound tape reels approximately 1933-1976 Tape-recorded interview and other papers of a printmaker and watercolor painter discussing his art, his associations with the other artists in the area, the WPA program, regionalism and his own artistic philosophy. Collection materials are in aEnglish.

Fay Chong was born in Canton, China in 1912 and moved to Seattle in 1920. Chong began studying art with Hannah Jones at Seattle's Broadway High School along with classmates George Tsutakawa and Morris Graves. He studied informally with Mark Tobey off and on from 1939 through the 1950s. He also studied traditional calligraphy techniques during return visits to China in 1929 and 1935. In 1933, Chong and his associates formed the Chinese Arts Club, which began as an informal co-op holding shows in Seattle's International District, and eventually exhibited as an arts collective at the New York Chinese School.

In 1938, during the Great Depression, Chong worked as an artist with the Federal Art Project of the Works Project Administration, with whom he worked on and off until 1942. He mainly created linocut prints of federal buildings and public places, and also became interested in watercolor at this time. He earned a B.A. from the University of Washington in 1968, while already well-known as a nationally exhibited WPA artist, and went on to earn an M.A. in arts education in 1971. He taught at Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle Central College, Washington Senior High School, and Ingraham High School.

His painting fuses traditional Chinese painting style with American regionalism and other modern developments. He exhibited his art work in Philadelphia, Oakland, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Northwest Printmakers beginning in 1940. He was an artist with the Washington Art Project of the Works Project Administration. Chong was a member of the Chinese Art Club, Northwest Printmakers (served as treasurer and president), Northwest Watercolor Society (served as president), Puget Sound Group of Painters, and Washington Art Association. Chong was married to fellow artist Priscilla Hwang, and the paint exhibited together at the annual Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair for many years. Chong died of a stroke in 1973.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fay_Chong

Organized into 3 accessions.

Accession No. 2574-001, Oral history interview with Fay Chong, 1972 Accession No. 2574-002, Fay Chong papers, approximately 1933-1958 Accession No. 2574-003, Fay Chong papers, 1958-1976

Consult the scope and content information for each of the accessions listed below.

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

 Hoppe, Bill Bok, Hannes Chong, Fay--Archives Chong, Fay--Interviews Chong, Fay--Photographs Northwest Printmakers Northwest Watercolor Society Seattle Art Museum Seattle Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Chinese American artists--Washington (State)--Seattle Watercolorists--Washington (State)--Seattle Printmakers--Washington (State)--Seattle Fine Arts Sound recordings Oral histories Accession No. 2574-001: Oral history interview with Fay Chong, 1972 1 sound tape reels 1 vertical file

Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview conducted by William Hoppe.

Mr. Chong discusses his beginnings in art in Seattle in the 1930s, his associations with the other artists in the area, the WPA program, regionalism and his own artistic philosophy.

Restrictions on Access: The transcript is open to all users. No user access copy exists for the original analog tape. Users may obtain a reproduction of the tape for a fee by contacting Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Received 7/17/1972.

 Tape-recorded interview 1972 2574-001 VF0912 Transcript 1972 2574-001 VF0912 Accession No. 2574-002: Fay Chong papers, circa 1933-1958 .21 cubic feet 1 box

Scope and Content: Correspondence and exhibition catalogs, WPA photograph.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Priscilla Chong, 5/6/1976.

 Incoming Letters Series 1 Series 1 1939-1955 Bok, Hannes 1939, 1955 2574-002 Box 1 1 Cayuga Museum of History and Art 1942-1943 2574-002 Box 1 2 Miscellaneous A-R 1941-1942 2574-002 Box 1 3 Seattle Art Museum 1942-1948, undated 2574-002 Box 1 4 Miscellaneous S-Y, Unidentified 1943-1954 2574-002 Box 1 5 Exhibition Catalogs Series 2 Series 2 1933-1954 Northwest Printmakers 1933-1954 2574-002 Box 1 6 Northwest Watercolor Society of Seattle 1947-1952, undated 2574-002 Box 1 7 Seattle Art Museum, Northwest Artist Annual Exhibit 1940-1950 2574-002 Box 1 8 Miscellaneous 1939-1952 2574-002 Box 1 9 Catalogs Series 3 Series 3 1947-1958 YMCA Adult Hobby School 1947-1958 2574-002 Box 1 10 Miscellany Series 4 Series 4 1946-1949 Miscellany, Including Photographs 1946-1949 2574-002 Box 1 11 Accession No. 2574-003: Fay Chong papers, 1958-1976 .23 cubic feet 1 box

Scope and Content: Biographical features, Christmas card, gallery notices, list of exhibits, photographs, clippings. The Christmas card is an original work of art by Fay Chong. Many photographs are of his work, one is a portrait of him.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Acquisition Info: Received 1/1/1983.

 Biographical Materials 2574-003 Box 1 Exhibition Materials 1961-1976 2574-003 Box 1 Correspondence 1956, 1965 2574-003 Box 1 Photographs 2574-003 Box 1 Clippings 2574-003 Box 1 Holiday Cards (original) 2574-003 Box 1