My name is Duane C. Mathes. I’m a 28 year old Alaskan boy living in Taichung, Taiwan. I’m fluent in Mandarin and of course, English, the universal language. I have a passable grasp of Spanish and Thai, and I am currently studying Arabic.

I am a 32° Master Mason and Senior Deacon of Sun Moon Lodge #13, Grand Lodge of China F&AM.

Hobby-wise, I sing and play guitar professionally in a band called Mostly Handsome. I’m a fairly accomplished artist (though it’s undoubtedly a lifetime journey). My paintings have been published in ImagineFX magazine, and in local publications here in Taiwan. I regularly have my work on display at various venues here in Taichung, and most of it is available for sale as high-quality professional lithographs.

I’m the Creative Director and co-founder of ili Design, a design and printing firm focused on corporate branding and market research.

I am very interested in personal development and evolving as a person, and so I intend to dedicate this blog to sharing my experiences, so that others can benefit from attempts, experiments, and mistakes.