J.A. Tan describes himself as an artist with autism. He moved from the Philippines in 2006 and attended Emily Carr University of Arts and Design, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2010. Since then, he has been working as a visual artist in Vancouver, mounting solo shows and doing group shows in Vancouver, Canada, California, New York, Miami, San Diego, London, U.K., Beijing, China, and Manila, Philippines. He has also been commissioned to create works for offices and residences in Vancouver and Manila. A high point in his young career was having one of his paintings chosen from among 200+ submissions, issued as a United Nation's stamp in April 2012. J.A. even traveled to the United Nations in New York for the release of the stamp and met then-Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon.