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Click here for the video replay of the memorial service on Jan. 7, 2023.
Chris and members of KSW, 1970s
Crystal K. D. Huie 
I remember as leland wong, terry chow crystal and I drove and parked nearby his family store in Dark Hollow. I could see chris’s eye tear up a bit. There was HUIE by the second floor of the building. The quiet was broken when someone called out Chris! It was LB his childhood friend. They chatted for a taste ad reminesced jokng of all the pranks they pulled off back in those days. The night we rolled into chelsea in manhattan to his old apartment where we all crashed out. We met gene moy that day. I am reliving the memories of our all night pierfishing at fort mason. Chris was all heart… we were family.. all of us. Visiting him in mid october, i saw all the photos surrounding his bed. They were us. He had touched everyone he met. And of course there was a loving pride from him to his wife and children. Thanks Chris your spirit is in all of us!
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Nancy Hom: Bob and I first met Chris in 1974 at Kearny Street Workshop in Chinatown. The Workshop had just opened the Jackson Street Gallery at the I-Hotel. I helped to curate and mount the shows. Our second exhibit was called, “Neighbors,” and we invited Asian American photographers to participate in the group show. After the show, they continued to hang out at KSW, teaching photo workshops, leading photo field trips, and sharing techniques and information.
We were so impressed with Chris because he had a book published and he was the recipient of a Guggenheim Award. His experience was so unique, being a Toisanese from Little Rock, Arkansas, and he spoke with a Southern drawl. But he didn’t put on any airs. In fact he was the most down to earth person I know, always willing to listen, always willing to help, and always willing to go somewhere, whether it’s a local fishing trip or a trip across country with some of the guys. He was always game to try something new. He invented a technique for creating big photo blowups for our exhibitions. I remember he built a four-foot trough so we could have huge photo-murals on the wall. We filled the trough with chemicals and with 2 people on each side we sloshed the giant photo paper back and forth to get the image.
Chris was deeply interested in history and he didn’t mind bending the rules to get what he needed to. In 1976 Jim, Chris and I went to Angel Island to explore the Angel Island Immigration Station. We had learned that the immigrants were detained there, sometimes for years, before being allowed to enter the U.S. and we wanted to see for ourselves. At the deserted detention center, we discovered the carved poems on the walls and made rubber casts and charcoal imprints of them for our Angel Island exhibition. He also took lots of photos. We were so intent in our work we forgot about the time. We missed the last ferry back and had to be picked up by the coast guard. Chris enjoyed our little adventure.
He was so full of life. I will never forget his laugh, his passion, and all the good times we had at KSW and at other non-profit organizations in Chinatown and elsewhere. We had so many late nights at Reds, Li Po, and other bars, where over shots of Scotch we’d bounce ideas off of each other. We had many dinners and parties together, each of us inspiring each other creatively.
When we became parents, he and Sharon came over for our daughter’s early birthday parties, bringing little Nathan in a baby carrier. Then came Erica. He was so happy to be a father, proudly showing off their pictures. I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend as much time with him in later years, but whenever we did see him he always treated us with such warmth. We will miss him and cherish the times we had. As a Buddhist I know that his spirit lives on through the deeds he has done in his lifetime. His laughter echoes onward. And all the love he has given remains in our hearts and ripples forward into the world.
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Condolences to Chris’ family. Matt and I have fond memories of Chris. He was sensitive, talented. We lost touch with Chris when we moved from San Francisco in the mid 80s. Matt (who was working for Evening Magazine then) used to go drinking with Chris and George Leong in Chinatown. I was working at KQED at the time and got to know Chris when he was cast in the Paper Angels production during its run at the Chinese Culture Center, but knew of his photography work and his involvement with Kearny St. Workshop. I still have his book, Dark Hallow, that he autographed, “ Gei, Gee thanks! CHuie”. Rest in Peace, Chris.
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Can’t believe I forgot to mention that Chris took my wedding pictures! 💕
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Crystal was a dear friend of mine and has a special place in my heart. For many years I fell out of touch with him, after I moved to Hawaii, and missed his milestones with his marriage and children.
At Kearny Street, he was my photography instructor, he encouraged me to do many things that I probably would not have otherwise done, and I always loved hanging out with him.
Crystal used to always say photographs or records of history. He not only recorded history, but also left a legacy through his craft in Little Rock, San Francisco, and even New York. His memory will live on.
I send my heartfelt love and thoughts of peace to his family, friends, and his spirit.
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I met Chris while I was working for the SF Recreation Department. He was a director at Helen Wills PG for many years. He was a pretty good Table Tennis player also.
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My Remembrance
Crystal (Chris) was a dear friend and my shutter bug buddy. I remember many all-nighters with Chris in the darkroom and gallery preparing for exhibits. I have fond memories of traveling, camping and fishing adventures together.
I first met Chris in 1974 at Smokey’s old “76” gas station across Jackson and Kearny when I noticed him setting up his 4×5 view camera to photograph the I’Hotel mural as KSW members were painting. I struck up a conversation with Chris about his equipment, the mural, the International Hotel and about the Kearny Street Workshop & Gallery. Chris told me he was in Chinatown the day before shopping with his mom and observed the creative community activities happening around the KSW and had to return with his heavy equipment to document it. A mutual artistic bonding sprung during our conversation and Chris enlisted himself to help with the KSW photography workshops. Chris also came back the next days in his coveralls to help paint the mural. Crystal generously gave his time and energy in his sharing of his photographic knowledge. His insightful photo work of his old Little Rock neighborhood and the sensitive iconic portraitures of I’Hotel tenants all helped establish the standard every KSW photographer upholds. To visually communicate to the widest possible audience, Crystal’s execution of his visionary skills broaden our scope of the art & craft of photography.
Time does not diminish Crystal’s legacy as it continues to magnify as each new viewer is captivated by the dignity and humanity in his art.
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I too regret not keeping in touch with Crystal. He was always just there at all our various Asian American events. I too didn’t realize how accomplished he was.
One of my fun memories of him was dancing with him. He was a great dancer and so fun to dance with. He made total eye contact as we made up movements and copied and followed each other back and forth.
When the Asian American Theater was shut down by SF (along with 3 other small theaters) our group sort of dispersed some to LA and Hollywood and made their mark in cinema. Where did Crystal go years later? I wish I had kept in touch. I also hail from the south and loved that he was too. Peace and blessings to Chris and his family in this transition. Chris, you were loved by us all.
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I first met Crystal in 1977, along with Sachiko Nakamura, Nancy Hom and Bob Hsiang, Jim
Dong, Al Robles, Leland Wong, Presco Tabios, and others from Kearny Street Workshop.
Crystal’s friendly, down-home demeanor gave no clue to his brilliant talent as a photographer. He was a Rockefeller Fellow, and awarded NEA, CAC, and MLK fellowships. Crystal’s photography book on life in Arkansas was published, and he was a photographer for Look magazine before coming to San Francisco. I was lucky enough to snag him to photograph my portfolio, some theater productions at Asian American Theater Workshop and the Eureka Theater.
When Crystal married Sharon, I remember seeing them in the Marina Safeway – he was so happy and proud, and was showing her how to shop for groceries. I regret not having kept in touch with him and meeting his family over the years, but I would hear how happy and devoted he was to his family. His sweet generosity and huge talent will always be remembered.
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