West x East

Li Jiaduo, an artist from Beijing who is currently a visiting scholar in TTU's School of Art, has created a series of paintings in which the great American canyons of the Southwest — “upside down mountains” — inspire landscape paintings in the classic Chinese style. During a 9,000 mile journey across the western United States, Jiaduo captured in watercolor and ink the raw and rugged beauty of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Canyonlands National Park, among others. Jiaduo's residency was supported by The China Scholarship Council based in Beijing.

Chinese painting is seen as an extension of calligraphy and uses the same brushstrokes. The colors are restrained and subtle and the paintings are usually created in ink on paper, with a small amount of watercolor. They are not framed or glazed but mounted on silk in different formats such as hanging scrolls, handscrolls, album leaves and fan paintings. (Source: Chinese landscape painting)

Canyon Lands National Park Painting by artist Li Jiaduo

Bio:

Jiaduo Li is an assistant professor in the School of Art and Communication at Beijing Normal University. He has received his BFA and MFA degrees in painting, and currently working on his Ph.D. degree in Art History at Beijing Normal University. He is a member of Beijing Artists Association, and a member of the Ministry of Education Examination Center on Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Professional Committee.

Li's major research areas are in the traditional Chinese painting creation and studies (freehand brushwork in the Chinese landscape painting and flower-and-bird painting), and Art education. His artwork has been exhibited in both China and the U.S. Li is also authored several books, including Li Jiaduo Chinese Paintings (Hubei Arts Publishing House, 2011), Western Masters – Schiller (Anhui Arts Publishing House, 2010), and Illustrated Handbook of Chinese Painting Genre (China Light Industry Press, 2008). Li teaches in the painting department at BNU. His courses include Chinese landscape painting techniques, Chinese flower-and-bird painting techniques, Painting from nature, and Painting practice.

Sponsors: Office of International Affairs, School of Art, The CH Foundation.

Grand Canyon National Park Painting by artist Li Jiaduo