A New Era for Decorative Painting

Showing us his work in the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Chen says, “This painted heart on the wall resonates with the heart of every visitor here.” The geometric shapes symbolize the flow of thoughts; the cigarette pack is suggestive of a locomotive, while the straight lines evoke a sense of velocity, recalling the railway that used to serve the site. When light falls upon the wall, the flora and fauna in bas-relief spring to life.

Chen Hsieh-chien and Lee Chun-chen’s Time in Wisps of Smoke in the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park not only commemorates the history of this former tobacco plant but also brims with the artists’ joy.

Laying the foundations

Chen Hsieh-chien says with a smile that he used to bury himself in work and wasn’t good at expressing himself. Specializing in art and craft in secondary school, at the suggestion of a teacher he also went to a vocational training center to learn how to paint walls. Since then, he has never looked back.

From representing Taiwan in the Painting and Decorating category of the WorldSkills Competition to mentoring other competitors and serving as a local and international judge, Chen has witnessed the transformations in Taiwan’s vocational education and industries over the last two decades.

Recalling his post-graduation life, he says that without professional contacts, he had to start by taking hourly jobs as a young novice among experienced painters. It wasn’t until he trained as an international competitor that he started to gain confidence. Capable and diligent, he persevered when so many other temporary-hire workers left. 

Then as now, Chen strove to achieve the best possible result in every project, big or small. By sharing his work online and by word of mouth, he gradually built a reputation and laid the foundations for his studio, Taiwan Decorative Painting.

This mural in the arrivals concourse of Taichung International Airport depicts a Mazu pilgrimage. Portraying palanquin bearers, divine guardians, and worshipers in a vibrant street scene, the work conveys a distinctively Taiwanese flavor. (photo by Lynn Su)

Chen Hsieh-chien’s mural for Kinmen’s Shuitou Pier features iconic local images such as Kinmen Bridge and the Wind Lion God (fengshiye), a guardian spirit that can ward off evil. (courtesy of Chen Hsieh-chien)

Decorative painting relies on five main tools: sponges, rollers, brushes, trowels, and airbrushes. With technical versatility, imagination, and creative use of color, the possibilities are endless.

Chen Hsieh-chien started learning painting and decorating while he was at school. He has spent nearly 30 years in the industry. (courtesy of Chen Hsieh-chien)

A creative medium

It was by sheer happenstance that Chen re­invented himself as an artist. To express gratitude to a customer, he painted a peony on a wall—which was so impressive that the customer urged him to consider developing his career in that direction. Combining his skills in painting and decorating with his background in art and craft, he started using trowels, rollers, sponges, and rags to simulate marble veins, aged surfaces, and ink-wash landscapes, and even to create bas-reliefs. He now views paint not merely as a basic element of house decoration, but as a creative medium that can alter the ambience in powerful ways.

Chen Hsieh-chien went through difficult times when he started out as a house painter. He represented Taiwan in international artisanship competitions and worked tirelessly on every project, gradually building his reputation. These days, he devotes himself to creative work that brings him joy.

Chen Hsieh-chien (fourth right), who has served as a teacher, judge, and head judge, rallies former competitors to train the next generation, nurturing talent in the industry and helping Taiwan win awards in international competitions. (courtesy of Chen Hsieh-chien)

Chen Hsieh-chien (center) has taught many talented decorative painters. Besides imparting technical skills, he sets great store by his students’ mindset and attitude. (courtesy of Chen Hsieh-chien)

Taiwan’s vocational education is going from strength to strength, with junior high school students being introduced to various career options. The photo shows Hong Jin-wei, who won Gold in Painting and Decorating at the WorldSkills Asia Competition in 2025.

Chen Hsieh-chien also offers vocational training courses, helping those re-entering the workforce, as well as current workers, develop their painting and decorating expertise. (courtesy of Chen Hsieh-chien)

Painting in the new age

Having been at the forefront of education for many years, Chen acknowledges that few parents would encourage their children to become house painters and decorators: the view of paint fumes being harmful, and of the job being grueling, is entrenched in Taiwanese society. However, Taiwan’s vocational education is becoming fully fledged. Eco-friendly and non-toxic coatings are also becoming popular, and more Taiwanese house painters are winning international awards. Tapping into these positive changes, Chen and his former mentor Chen Tien-li have sought to highlight the artisanal aspect of house painting by replacing the conventional Chinese phrase youqi (literally, “oil paint”) with qizuo (“paint work”) in the competitions.

Chen’s students now flourish in many places. By establishing painting and decorating firms, teaching, and taking apprentices, they’re contributing to the formation of a virtuous cycle across the industry. “Workers of the younger generation have forged a professional image for themselves. They’re polite, and their work environments are tidier than in the past,” says Chen, commenting on the noticeable improvements in the industry.

These days, Chen is more concerned about underprivileged children. “More than others, they need to acquire skills to fend for themselves.” House painting doesn’t require eye-catching qualifications, and the tools of the trade are simple. One can make a living from it as long as one is willing to learn, while the accumulation of experience and the development of aesthetic taste and creative ideas help enhance the value of one’s work.

“In Europe, there are colorful images at every turn, but in Taiwan, dull gray external walls are still very common.” This contrast, Chen believes, signals a market opportunity for painting and decoration. He hopes more people will embrace this opportunity and join him in making Taiwan a more beautiful place. 

For Chen Hsieh-chien, paint is not merely a basic element of interior decor. Rather, through creative imagination, it can shape the ambience in positive ways. The photo shows Chen’s Yushan-inspired work for a construction company. (courtesy of Panxing Construction)

Taiwan Decorative Painting has a wide variety of samples on display, showing the infinite creative possibilities of decorative painting.

Chen Hsieh-chien believes that the painting and decorating industry in Taiwan has great potential. He hopes more people will join him in making Taiwan’s cityscapes more attractive.