A painter of figures, florals, and people in landscape, Huihan Liu tries to express his sensitivity through his impressionist-style work.

Born in Guangzhou, China, he showed early artistic talent, but his life in the city was abruptly changed by the Cultural Revolution under Chairman Mao, as the government mistrusted educated people. It was decided that Liu’s father, a professor at a Christian college, needed to be “re-educated,” and the family was sent to a rural area to learn agricultural skills. However, Liu ran away to his sister’s home in Xinjiang, near Russia, and then returned home, working in a factory while always dabbling with paint.

In 1972, he was accepted into the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art where he earned a degree and taught for twelve years. He was commissioned to paint portraits of Chairman Mao and other government figures, in short becoming a propaganda artist–something to which he said he was oblivious because he just liked to paint.

In 1987, he came to the United States and enrolled at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, and two years later earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree there, bringing his wife, Wei, and son to the area. They settled in Concord, across the bay from San Francisco.

Recognition includes Best of Show and People's Choice in Oil Painters of America competitions, 2002 Gold Medal in painting award from the California Art Club Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, and 2002 Award for Master Signature Members from the Oil Painters of America.

Sources: Southwest Art; Art of the West.