“From a very young age, I always liked to be an artist, so I’m glad after all these years, I’m still a single, simple artist.” – Stan Chan
About inkLink
The Chinese name for the studio is written in three calligraphy characters. The top character means “ink” (墨), the middle character means “an affinity or a connection” (緣), and the bottom character means “a studio” (軒).
Stan has creatively translated this into the English “inkLink”. He explains:
“The name repeats the word ink and links the two words together with an ‘L’. My hope for the studio is that it will link people who use ink for painting or calligraphy together and we will become friends because we share the same interest.”
inkLink is more than a gallery or a teaching studio. It is a place of connection — between cultures, between artists, between people who share a love of the brush.
Stan’s story
Stan Chan was born in China. When he was four, his family moved to Hong Kong, where he fell in love with both Chinese brush painting and Cantonese opera. He studied art through his school years, at age 23, made the move to Aotearoa New Zealand.
In Wellington, Stan built a career first as a commercial art director — working for Ilott Advertising, the Tourism Department, and the Evening Post, before establishing Stan Chan Graphic Ltd as a freelance studio in 1979. He ran it for twenty years as a full-time artist and freelance art director, all while continuing to paint and exhibit.
In 2000, Stan opened inkLink, a studio, gallery, and workshop space. From day one, it has been a place where anyone can walk in: to watch, to talk, to buy, to learn. The studio exhibits Stan’s work across different styles of Chinese brush painting, Chinese calligraphy, and Western-style drawings and paintings.
Stan practises and teaches traditional Chinese brush painting and calligraphy, as well as Western oil and watercolour techniques. His students range in age from under 10 to over 60. He has participated in both group and solo exhibitions throughout New Zealand, and has given demonstrations and workshops at some of the country’s most respected arts institutions.
Teaching & Demonstrations
Stan has taught at the Inverlochy Art School, Kapiti Coast WEA Inc., WHS Community Education Centre, Hutt Art Society, Wellington Art Club, Karori Arts Centre, Masterton Art Society, Tauranga Art Centre, and Warkworth Art Society.
He has given painting demonstrations at art groups, schools, and at Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand.
Memberships & Affiliations
- NZ Academy of Fine Arts
- Wellington Society of Watercolour Artists
- Wellington Art Club
- NZ Oriental Arts Society
- Wellington Chinese Operatic Society Group
Featured In
Curators of Wellington · Satellites Magazine · Asian Aotearoa Arts Huì · Kiwese · Fish & Swallow Productions