about the founder
As a child, I wasn't encouraged to speak or write.
Now photography is a visual language for the things
I feel; and, poetry is a way for me to add words
to that language.
david ting-cheung pang
founder & executive director
started his artistic career in pristine, nature photography, Pang evolved his work to revolve around people, in the context of environmental and social backgrounds. In 1995, integrating photography, art, and poetry, he launched Tea Party Magazine as a platform to provide inclusion for emerging artists. It was one of the oldest, diverse, art/word print magazines in the country. It was distributed predominantly in the States and in Canada for 14 years. After exhibiting his own work in Shanghai, China, Pang evolved the magazine into Tea Roots as an non-profit arts organization. Pang has joined with artists from many other disciplines and other arts organizations to branch Tea Roots into visual exhibition, poetry, and music.
In addition to his photography, Pang has been actively involved with poetry and art in the Bay Area for over 20 years. He co-curated the Artship Wordsmith Series on a 500-ft long former Officers' Naval ship, and was on the Steering Committee for the Artship Foundation in Oakland for five years during the late 90's.
Also in conjunction with Artship, Pang curated the Artist's Alley for the Annual International Dragonboat Festival at Jack London Square, Oakland during the early 2000's. Most recently, Pang is well known for his participation in the Altered Barbie exhibits in San Francisco where Tea Roots artists presented literary and music performances during 2009-2014.
Also in conjunction with Artship, Pang curated the Artist's Alley for the Annual International Dragonboat Festival at Jack London Square, Oakland during the early 2000's. Most recently, Pang is well known for his participation in the Altered Barbie exhibits in San Francisco where Tea Roots artists presented literary and music performances during 2009-2014.
Pang was also on the Political Action Committee ('17-'19 term) for Local 21 IFPTE, a member for 19 years, where he participated on two MOU contract negotiations with the City of San Francisco. He is an official
photographer for the Chinese Community United Methodist Church in Oakland Chinatown, which he attended for over 40 years. He is a Professional Engineer with specialties in geotechnical, structural, earthquakes, building code, and architecture. His passion is organizing group camping trips by driving into remote, pristine wilderness areas for a week with artists/writers to create work related to thematic art shows by Tea Roots.
Pang was born in Montreal, Canada, and grew up in the Bay Area. He lived in Oakland during '98-'04 and established the Tea Party House--an art/literary magazine collective featured in the East Bay Times, "Room for More: Nontraditional roommates become norm in Bay area", published on 6/13/04. He has lived the past 13 years in the Mission District of San Francisco, establishing an art collective with Shotwell 50 Studio, and a Tea Roots administrative office, and still lives there today. His long-term plan is to create the Tea Roots Foundation to own and manage the Oakland Tea Party House and Tea Roots Mission SF properties, so that the mission and art/word activities of Tea Roots may continue to unify the social justice of art and word around the Bay.
david t. pang highlighted works
Greeting cards are available as a fundraiser for Tea Roots. To order greeting cards, email: david@tearoots.org.