While western art world is composed mainly of sculptures, paintings and architectural works, it is sculptures which are written in history as the oldest and firstly matured art form. This differs greatly from Chinese tradition, where studies of painting and calligraphy are celebrated while the art of sculptures is depreciated as an insignificant skill or merely as an attachment to architecture. The sculptor’s position is thus relegated to that of a craftsman and largely ignored by art history.

We were in for a number of pleasant surprises when we met Liu Daguang again after years apart. First, we were surprised at the pen-and-ink drawings he had finished in the past few years which appealed to us greatly. From his work, The Hint of Spring, we not only saw his fine and meticulous depiction of lines, light, shade, and spacing of scenery, but it also made us feel the quivering of the branches and leaves in the breeze as well as the warm breath of spring — we could not help but marvel at his superb techniques in drawing and his acute sense of perception.

Life is a journey; for an artist who loves life with sincerity after experiencing its ups and downs, the artworks will be a window into the artist’s heart that reveal the landscapes along this journey and will be the voice for communicating to the world. What is echoed in the heart may be warmth, tranquility, or even a touch of melancholy, yet the focus is entirely on what the artist can share through their art.

Developing a long-lasting friendship with Zhao Xiuhuan has been a precious gift in my life.

In traditional Chinese culture, the lotus is regarded as a flower of unique beauty. Under the graceful and delicate exteriors of lotuses, lies a dignified and proud soul — growing in the mud yet remaining untainted.

The artworks that an artist creates are a statement of their ego. These paintings which project a loud statement of the artist’s ego are the darlings of today’s art market in China and their auction prices have reached record highs in recent years.

Zhao Xiuhuan’s fine brushwork drawings constitute a portrayal of her life.

Zhao Xiuhuan, an artist from Beijing who now resides in the United States, is one of the most talented and accomplished artists to have emerged from the People’s Republic of China in recent years. This opinion—strong as it may seem—is nevertheless shared by several noted critics, scholars and collectors who have commented on her paintings in major art publications or presented them in exhibitions on an international level.