Chronology

1937
Born in Guangdong, China.

1952
Immigrates to Canada.

1958
Begins studies at the Vancouver School of Art.

1959
Receives the Marie E. Lambert Pottery Prize for outstanding work in pottery.

1962
Receives 1st Prize purchase award at the BC Craftsman Exhibition, University of British Columbia.

1963
Graduates with Honours, Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr University of Art + Design).

Receives the A. W. Tickle Memorial Award ($1000) and the Ceramics Purchase Award.

1964
Canadian government permanent collection purchases for European showings.

1965
Solo exhibition of paintings, drawings, sculpture, and ceramics at the Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver. This is the gallery’s inaugural exhibition.

Studies in New York.

1966–1977
Conducts pottery workshops in various locations.

1967
Moves to Hornby Island.

1968
Studies painting, sculpture, and architecture in Europe.

1969
Participates in Canadian Ceramics; 1st Prize in Earthenware and Raku.

1969–1975
Builds Hornby Island home, studio and kilns at Downes Point.

1970
Solo exhibition at the Gallery of Greater Victoria.

1973–1977
Features in five solo exhibitions at The House of Ceramics, Vancouver.

1974
Studies and executes bronze sculptures and marble carvings.

Solo exhibition at the Potter’s Wheel, Victoria.

1975
Receives a Canada Council Arts Grant to experiment in Raku.

1975–1977
Teaches at Shawnigan Summer School of Art, Victoria.

1976
Receives 1st Prize from BC Ceramics for Salt Glaze Jar.

1977
Receives Governor General’s Commemorative Medal.

Studies Sung and Early Ming Pottery and architecture in China.

1978
Solo exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Works with a Japanese Master Potter, Yoichi Murakami, and travels with him to pottery centres in Japan.

1979
Solo exhibition at the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Sendai, Japan.

1980
CBC television program, Three West Coast Artists —Toni Onley, Gordon Smith, and Wayne Ngan. Produced by Nancy Riley.

1981
Solo exhibition at the Ontario Craft Council, Toronto.

Jurying with David Leach for the Ontario Potters’ Association on pottery and glass.

Pottery workshops in Montreal.

Solo exhibition at the Rubaiyat Gallery, Calgary.

1982
Studies painting and sculpture in New York.

1983
Receives the Saidye Bronfman Award for Masters of the Crafts.

Appears in Artspots, a CBC television program featuring winners of the Saidye Bronfman Award.

Conducts pottery lectures and workshops in Taiwan; the first time that the Palace Museum in Taipei exhibited a modern piece of pottery. Features in the Taipei newspaper.

Travels with Paul Wong to China. Visits ancestral home after 32 years of absence from his village in China.

Conducts two pottery workshops in Toronto.

Builds a new pottery studio on the north side of Hornby Island.

1984
Receives Canada Council Grant “A.” Uses it to build a 300 cu. ft. Sung Dynasty inspired wood-fired kiln. His design is based on a model seen at the Beijing National Museum.

Arts Profile Series on CBC television program, Seeing It Our Way.

1987
Participates in forum, Growing up Asian and Native Canadian. Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC, in conjunction with EXPO in Vancouver.

1989
Accepts special invitation to lecture and conduct “Arts and Crafts” workshops in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.

1994
Travels to Guangzhou, China for six months to build a 38′ long, wood-fired dragon kiln. Fires the kiln twice with good results before contracting pneumonia and returning to Canada.

1997
Participates in Throwing of Classical Pottery and Understanding Abstract Forms at Foothills College, Sunnyvale, CA.

1998
Fusion workshop in Toronto.

2001
Takes a work break after open heart bypass surgery.

2004
INK, choreography and dance performance by Andrea Nann set to gongs and living calligraphy by Wayne Ngan, Winchester Street Theatre.

Lectures at various art colleges in Taiwan.

Dismantles his Sung wood-fired kiln.

2005
Builds a painting studio in the place of the former kiln room.

2007
Documentary Glimpses of Heaven by Michael Aved Dayan plays at the Ridge Theatre, Vancouver.

2009
Spends six months in Guangzhou, China, to be close to family. Works with a foundry to produce several new works of bronze sculpture.

2010
Returns to Guangzhou. Works on ink paintings.

2011
Returns to Guangzhou. Produces more bronze sculpture and a collection of ink paintings.

2013
Receives the 2013 British Columbia Creative Achievement Award of Distinction.

2015
First exhibition in New York, at the Nathalie Karg Gallery.

2020
Dies at home on Hornby Island, BC, on June 12.