NILSON GALLERY EXHIBITION:
MILTON & MIKE QUON
ART RUNS IN THE FAMILY
June 22, 2025 - August 31st, 2025​​
Opening Reception
Sunday, June 22nd, 2025
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Nilson Gallery & Gift Shop Hours:
Tuesdays - Fridays: 10am-4pm
Saturdays - Sundays: 10am - 2pm
Mondays Closed
EXHIBIT STATEMENT
This summer, the Monmouth Museum invites art lovers, families, and curious minds to step into a vibrant story of legacy, imagination, and the lifelong dialogue between a father and son. Milton & Mike Quon: Art Runs in the Family opens on the scenic campus of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ—offering visitors a colorful journey through two generations of artistry.
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This unique exhibition celebrates the powerful connection between Milton Quon, a pioneering Chinese-American artist whose work ranged from classic Disney animation to groundbreaking advertising, and his son, Mike Quon, a contemporary artist known for his bold lines, graphic style, and urban vibrancy.
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At its heart, "Art Runs in the Family" is more than an exhibition—it’s a visual conversation between father and son. It’s where Milton’s gentle brush meets Mike’s dynamic line. Where tradition meets reinvention. And where every canvas becomes a meeting place for memory, movement, and meaning.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Milton Quon’s legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of American art and culture. As one of the first Chinese-American animators at Walt Disney Studios, he contributed to beloved classics like Fantasia and Dumbo. Later, he made history again as the first Chinese-American art director at BBDO, a major advertising agency during the Mad Men era. His watercolors and illustrations quietly told stories filled with charm, detail, and heart. Milton lived a long artistic life and left us at 105 years of age, in 2019.
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Mike Quon grew up surrounded by his father’s creative spirit. Inspired but determined to forge his own path, he developed a distinct style grounded in spontaneity, urban energy, and joyful expression. Mike Quon was raised in Southern California, and educated at UCLA. After studying with his mentors abstract expressionist Richard Diebenkorn, and pop artist Ed Ruscha, he relocated to New York City. After stints with Young & Rubicam and J. Walter Thompson, he opened his own design firm which created graphics and illustration for advertising agencies, publishing companies and leading corporations. His works have graced city banners in New York and Tokyo, Olympic and World Cup campaigns, and can be found in the collections of the Library of Congress, The New York Historical Society, and The New York Times.
Art has always been central to Carol’s core. When her children were small, it was as if no single medium of art could contain her. Children’s book illustrator, mural painter, custom stationery designer, magazine artist–-to name a few​
In the perspective of Mike Quon
A LEGACY IN BLOOM
"My father, Milton Quon, had a quiet, graceful way of capturing nature. He loved painting en plein air, immersed in the landscape, brush in hand. His watercolors radiated a gentle beauty—delicate blends, nuanced palettes, and a calm elegance that reflected his thoughtful spirit. Each bloom he painted carried a sense of reverence and feeling. He rarely worked from photographs; instead, he drew and painted directly from life. Even late at night, I’d call him around midnight and find him starting two new paintings from sketches he’d made earlier that day. That was his passion—steadfast, soulful, and deeply rooted.
My own artistic path has followed a very different rhythm. I’ve always been drawn to architecture, cityscapes, and the poetry of everyday objects. Working in acrylics and pen & ink, my approach is more spontaneous—splashy, bold, and immediate. I’m captivated by the energy of color and gesture, inspired by the Pop Art movement of the 1960s. In contrast, my father was classically trained in the 1930s at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.
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Though our styles diverge, we are both part of a shared artistic lineage. Flowers, long a favorite subject for artists from the old masters to the moderns, have now become part of my own exploration. After years of avoiding the natural world as a subject, I find myself turning toward it—for the first time. In a way, it feels like a return. My father saw the soul in every petal. Now, I’m beginning to understand why.
Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a fan of animation, or simply someone who appreciates family and creativity, this show offers something special: a glimpse into how artistic passion can be passed down, reinterpreted, and celebrated anew."​​
