Asian art and calligraphy since 2002
Chinese & Japanese Art, Calligraphy & Wall Scrolls
I have spent more than two decades working directly with artists and calligraphers in China and Japan. Some pieces here are ready to ship, while others can be created or mounted to your specifications.
Serving collectors since 2002 · Ready-to-ship and custom artwork · San Diego, California
Start With What Interests You
You do not need to know the right Chinese character, Japanese kanji, artist, or art style before you begin. Browse the gallery or start with a custom calligraphy idea.
Ready-to-Ship Artwork
Browse original paintings, calligraphy, woodblock reproductions, and finished wall scrolls already in stock.
Browse in-stock art »Custom Calligraphy
Choose a word, philosophy, name, martial arts title, or phrase and have it written and mounted as a wall scroll.
Search custom calligraphy »Browse Chinese & Japanese Art Categories
Popular Artwork & Calligraphy
Why Oriental Outpost Exists
I'm Gary Westergren. I started Oriental Outpost in 2002 after living in Beijing, and the business grew out of something fairly simple: I kept meeting artists, calligraphers, translators, framers, and craftspeople whose work I thought people outside Asia would appreciate.
Over the years, many of those working relationships became friendships. That is why this site sometimes feels more like a notebook or small gallery than a conventional online store. I try to explain who made a piece, what the writing means, how a tradition developed, and what I learned while finding or commissioning the work.
I am not trying to be Amazon. Oriental Outpost is intentionally small. If you email with a question about a scroll, translation, artist, or mounting choice, I am the person who will answer it.
Jinni at the Studio
My daughter, Jinni, works at the studio on weekends, helping with photography and inventory. She has grown up around the artwork, packing materials, camera setup, and the general controlled chaos of a small family business.
What Makes the Artwork Different?
Much of the artwork here comes directly from independent artists and calligraphers I have worked with personally. Some pieces are one-of-a-kind originals; others are traditional reproductions or custom works. I try to be clear about which is which.
The wall scrolls are not simply posters rolled into tubes. The artwork is mounted with silk brocade and traditional scroll hardware, and many custom pieces can be adjusted for color, size, or mounting style.