CHEN XIAOYAN

Chen Xiaoyan graduated from Yunnan College of Art with a major in Traditional Chinese Paintings in 1982. While studying at the Yunnan College of Art one of Xiaoyan's teachers was the famous Chinese artist Ding Shaoguang, who has been a strong influence on Xiaoyan's style.
Xiaoyan has also been influenced by her work for the Yunnan Modern Drama Troup designing stage costumes. This influence can be seen in her art depiction of many of the costumes worn by the various ethnic groups in Yunnan Providence.

Xiaoyan's artwork has been produced using what is referred to in China as "the Yunnan picture faction". This method is closely related to the traditional Chinese cloisonne technique. As a first step, the original drawing is reproduced on a board that can withstand repeated high temperatures. The sections of the drawing are then outlined with copper-strip inlay which is soldered into place. The next step, once the drawing is outlined, is called enamel-filling. In this step, color is added to the picture using a mixture of sand and colored ore. This material is obtained from the Beijing Cloisonne Factory.

There are 70-80 varieties of this material that the factory offers, but they can be mixed to produce new colors. The final step is enamel-firing. In this step the picture undergoes baking as each color is added. This step can take several weeks, depending on the number of colors in the painting, and does not require as high a heat as the traditional cloisonne process.

Her works have been exhibited in many nation and provincial fine arts exhibitions and have won many awards. She was invited to Bangkok, Thailand in 1992, and to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1995 and 1996 to hold art exhibitions. Her works have been exhibited in San Francisco, San Diego, Tokyo, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as many other cities. In 2005, four of her artistic works were a part of the "Kunming, Taibei Present Age Artist Exhibition" and in 2007; six of her artistic works were exhibited in the US in the South China Sea Arts Center exhibition.

Her works were chosen for the Chinese Art Florilegium, Traditional Chinese Paintings Florilegium of the 9th National Exhibition of Fine Arts, and the Florilegium of Kunming-Taipei Art Exhibition of Contemporary Artists. Her works were also chosen for inclusion in the World WHO'S WHO, Dictionary of Chinese Contemporary Celebrity in Arts Circles.

In 2007, her artistic work "Pilgrimage" won first prize in the Chinese fine arts show jointly sponsored by CCTV (China Central TV) and the Chinese Artist Association. In 2007 Tianjin Peoples' Publishing Agency published and released nationally a fine arts calendar, "Eastern Charm" using seven of her artistic works.

Visit Chen Xiaoyan's Painting Gallery