Jacksonville Review – February 2026

THE COVER of this month’s Jacksonville Review is an image taken from a painting by renowned artist, Kevin Yeh. Kevin’s father, Yeh Fei Pai, was our cover artist for the February 2014 issue, whose immense talent has passed to his son. Kevin grew up in the 1980’s and 90’s and struggled with his identity. “My family, predominantly college-educated immigrants, raised us on Chinese cultural traditions, values, and expectations; however, things changed when I started attending school. I was surrounded and immersed in American culture; not hearing Asian voices on the radio, seeing Asian faces on television, or reading Asian stories in books.” Despite years of attending Chinese school, he says he still lost connection with his first language and culture, and instead gained a growing sense of dissonance.

February 2014

“By the time my 20’s rolled around, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere; I was too Asian to be American, too American to be Asian.” At that point, his father, Yeh Fei Pai, a musician and artist, returned from overseas. It was the first time Kevin had seen him in a decade. “With my mom, they embarked on a mission to share our family legacy. A visceral sense of belonging sprang up where previously there was none…It wasn’t just uniquely Asian; it was uniquely mine.”

The younger artist reveled in the stories about how his grandpa, General Yeh Tsui Pai, created the family splash ink style, drawing inspiration from calligraphy techniques and pushing the properties of the brush to create dynamic and spontaneous strokes, coaxing the essence of freedom and power. Kevin notes, “He was respected as a Guo Bao (National Treasure), and at his funeral, a ceremony was held to honor his cultural contributions.”

In 2005, “My dad held his first performance at the World Journal in San Mateo, California. I observed the oft-overlooked but crucial behind-the-scenes work—the work my mom did, juggling logistics while also promoting to broader audiences.” In 2006, at SOCCA’s invitation, the family traveled north, holding a performance at the Schneider Museum of Art in Ashland, Oregon. “For the next few years, my mom found locales all over Northern California and New Mexico. During this time, between shows, I trained in our techniques and went to museums to draw inspiration from traditional Asian art and motifs.”

In 2014, the family returned to Jacksonville for SOCCA’s Year of the Horse celebration at the US Hotel. “It was here that I got to taste the terror and exhilaration of live performance. I felt ready to put on my own show, and in 2015 my chance came from the Sherwood Gallery in San Francisco. By this point my dad had returned to Taiwan. Like a pilgrimage up an ancient mountain to consult with the wise hermit, I trekked to gain insights on my pieces and performance.”

Keving continues, “My dad passed away during the pandemic. After that I didn’t—couldn’t—touch a brush. Last year I realized that if I let our art die, then he would truly be gone. I made a promise to myself that I would continue our family’s legacy and preserve it for the next generation.”

Kevin notes his gratitude for SOCCA and Art Presence Art Center for inviting him to join the 2026 Lunar New Year of the Horse Celebration. This is a full circle moment for him, being able to share his family’s art here in Jacksonville, following in the footsteps of his father from twelve years ago.

ARTIST PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

Art Presence Art Center
Artist of the Month:
Kevin Yeh (Yeh Hao Pai)
February 4 through March 1, 2026

SOCCA’s 2026 Lunar New Year Celebration
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Art Presence Art Center

Performance: 11am – 30 minutes
Live performance of the Yeh splash ink style Free Admission

Painting Class: 3pm – 45 minutes
Introduction to Chinese Brush Ink Painting
 An introduction to traditional brush techniques with ink on Xuan paper. Students will learn to
paint a bamboo composition. Pre-registration required at https://art-presence.org
Number of participants: 15

Art Presence Art Center is located at 206 N. 5th Street, Jacksonville

Artist Biography—Kevin Yeh is a first-generation Asian American, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BS degree in Molecular Biology. After working at various biotech companies for 8 years, he changed his career to work as a UI/UX designer. He is currently a design consultant with a focus on pharmacy and healthcare technology.