“Nee-how. Huan-ying.” “Hello” and “welcome” to the website of world-class artist Lihua Zhao (Lee-wah Zhow). Dedicated to giving visitors an opportunity to experience her artwork and learn more about her, this site is an anthology of both sold and new works. May it bring you joy, beauty, and inspiration.

Born to be an artist, Ms. Zhao’s paintings began attracting admirers by the time she was 5. By the age of 7 she earned the attention of several Chinese masters and at 20 years, she was the star protégé of international Chinese master Cheng Sh-Fa. Along the way she amassed best of show awards, secured museum placements, and was shown throughout Asia and Europe. By 1990 she had admirers and supporters around the world including the United States. One such notable and highly respected collector is Steven Spielberg who sought her out in China. Other supporters held several shows in her honor along the west coast of the U.S. and in 1996 The City of San Diego as well as the San Diego County Board of Supervisors honored her as “The Outstanding Female Artist of the Year”.

Today Ms. Zhao is a permanent resident of The United States and is without question a master in her own right and one of the finest contemporary Chinese ink/brush artists in the world. Her journey from then to now is as poignant and compelling as her art. Fine art painting is her calling and she is consumed by it. “I am a quiet person but my imagination roars in me like a volcano. Americans like to say still waters run deep. I believe this is true.”

It was an ink that Mr. Spielberg purchased. Throughout the world and history many sophisticated collectors, and perhaps most, have regarded ink art, especially Chinese and Japanese inks, as the highest, most spiritual, most historical, and most disciplined of the painting arts. The art form began in China. Most would agree that China, and then much later along with Japan, is where this art form was perfected and continues to reach its highest expression. Via the links on the Home Page you can learn more about Chinese ink. Picasso believed art students should not go to Europe but rather China to learn how to paint. In fact, when Ms. Zhao served as a professor of art many students from Europe and around the world went to Shanghai to learn from her. Her most popular classes included not only ink and art history but also European impressionism and cubism. Regarding the latter, note for example her ink #87010. “Woman with Dove” and “Female Buddha” shown on the Home Page are other excellent non-traditional examples of this art form. “Woman with Dove” is on cotton paper! If you’ve ever spilled ink on a blotter then you have some idea of what ink on cotton paper does. The more you learn about the strict discipline required for this ancient art form the more impressive Ms. Zhao’s inks will become.

Most of Ms. Zhao’s other artworks shown on this site are mixed media, usually acrylic, oil, and ink. These works have a broad appeal to the western taste for color. They can be viewed via the link “To See Oils & Acrylics”. Most of her paintings are on rice or cotton paper while others are in keeping with the western preference for canvas. Some of her inks are also in the ancient style of being draped from a scroll. Regardless of style or medium, her art usually evokes feelings of joy and passion. By far, music and dance serve as her muses.

“While my paintings always begin in solitude and quiet stillness, they find life through music, which infuses nearly all of my art.” The universal languages of music, dance, and passion, and our spiritual longing for harmony and oneness are primary themes. She believes these themes can reveal the longing of our souls for the better angels of our nature to be realized, or if you will, for the word/art to become flesh in us. “ I live, I find life in this circle, and want to serve and bring joy to others through my art.”

And there is no doubt that the women in Ms. Zhao’s art not only bring joy but convey a strong and serene sense of delight in being female. They possess majesty, mystery, power, wisdom, and beauty. The unifying, healing, and inspiring nature of the feminine is another predominant theme in her art. In a word her women are divine.

Ms. Zhao accomplishes this with such a delicate touch and fluidity of stroke that her technique can be described as divine. Note also the attention to purity of line and employment of significant ancient and modern references. Themes of transcendence, transformation, harmony, and peace are evident in “Woman with Stallion”, “Temple Guardian”, or “Dancing Peacock”. “At art shows I hear people say my art is about spiritual principles like oneness of spirit, love, and joy. I like this.”

If this is your first visit we trust it will be memorable. One of Lihua’s most remarkable characteristics is that she is very much like her art. There is not a single cell in her body that harbors any of the typical negativity of this world. Perhaps your initial encounter with her art will be similar to Nicola Milicvic’s first meeting with Lihua in person. He noticed her in the distant corner of his business parking lot. Heavy loud traffic was streaming by just 10 feet from Lihua, but she was oblivious, singing softly to herself, absorbed in doing ballet-like movements. Enthralled, Nick said, “She is not of this world is she? … An angel that one is.” Nick is now the proud owner of three Zhao artworks.

As you may be able to see via the photographs here, Lihua personifies the joy, beauty, and grace so evident in her art. Not that she hasn’t witnessed or experienced terrible things. Thus, it is all the more remarkable when this seemingly frail, innocent, and young appearing lady says, “I love life so much. I feel so much joy and oneness with life.” May you too experience this feeling that “flows from my heart to my art”. Enjoy.