Original paintings by Iris Chiu
A little closer
to the wild.
Quiet encounters. Curious souls. Wildlife paintings that bring the wonder of nature into your everyday.

Selected work
Guardian of Love
Explore the collection
Original Wildlife Paintings
Acrylic and oil on canvas — unique, one-of-a-kind works inspired by the quiet beauty of the natural world.
NewSilence Guardian of the Deep (Sperm Whale)
Oil on Canvas · 24x24 In
$1,000
NewEye of Serenity
Acrylic on Canvas · 20x20 In
$750
NewClimbers of the Quiet Forest
Acrylic on Wood Panel · 9x12 In
$420
NewGuardian of Love
Oil on Wood Panel · 12x12 In
$675
NewHummingbird's Nest
Oil on Round Canvas · 5x5 In
$250
NewStarlight Splash
Oil on Wood Panel · 11x14 In
$625
IRIS CHIU ART
NATURE · ANIMALS · HEALING THROUGH ART
The Artist
Every painting is a small celebration of being alive.
I was diagnosed with my first cancer in my twenties. By the time I faced my third diagnosis in 2015, I had spent years moving between hospitals and treatments. During those difficult seasons, art became my refuge — the one place where pain gave way to something beautiful.
In 2014, I took an illustration course in Hong Kong and discovered a community of artists who became friends and mentors. When the third cancer came, I picked up my brushes again — this time to paint my own story. I entered a local art competition with a self-portrait I had painted during chemotherapy. It won First Runner-Up at the Asia Society’s “Life is Only One” exhibition.

In 2016, I moved to the United States and continued exploring the world of art. What started as a way to heal became a small business, and what began as experimentation led me to my true passion: oil paintings of wildlife. I find deep joy in observing animals in their natural surroundings — hummingbirds hovering at feeders, squirrels guarding their acorns, whales moving through silent waters.
Living with the lasting effects of years of illness has changed what I can do physically. But it has sharpened what I see. When I paint, I am fully present — focused on light, texture, the particular tilt of a bird’s head. Every painting is a small celebration of being alive.
Award · 2015
1st Runner-Up, “Life is Only One”
Asia Society Hong Kong
Featured Artist
15+ Bay Area Exhibitions
Studio Gallery SF · Brassworks Portland · Capitola · Palo Alto
Exhibited at
Asia Society Hong Kong · Studio Gallery, San Francisco · Brassworks Gallery, Portland · Capitola Art & Wine Festival · Palo Alto Art Festival
Come see the work in person
Shows & Exhibitions
Upcoming
The Conjuncture Group Show
Brassworks Gallery, Portland, OR · June – July 2026
Recent
Capitola Art & Wine Festival
Capitola Village, Capitola, CA · September 2026
September 2026 (tentative)
Benefit Auction — San Francisco–Marin Food Bank
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, CA · February 19–22, 2026
The Third Annual Postcard Show
Brassworks Gallery, Portland, OR · December 13–24, 2025
tiny / HUGE
Studio Gallery, San Francisco, CA · November – December 2025
