I would like to introduce myself to you. Throughout my life I have played many roles. I am a mother, wife, friend and artist. I have also been a student, scientist, teacher, career woman and performing Chinese opera singer (note 1). Now, through these YouTube tutorials, I am enjoying this completely new-to-me role in the drama of life.

I have always loved Chinese art and culture. Both my father and father-in-law fostered my interest in Chinese arts, including opera, painting and calligraphy. In high school, I learned to love Chinese Brush Painting. I graduated from college with my Bachelor’s degree in Taiwan. After I moved to the United States, I studied biology and earned my Master’s degree in New York and worked in hospitals. I married a good man and we had two wonderful sons. I also have the good fortune of having a precious granddaughter now.

After moving to California for my husband’s job relocation, I continued to work as a scientist in the medical field. I have retired from UCI Student Health Services position as the Lab Manager. For over 40 years, I worked in hospitals in New York and California. During that time, I was also able to continue my passion for art because I taught classes on Chinese Brush Painting.

While living in New York, I had the good fortune to study Chinese Brush Painting under Master Li Ling Jia / Ling Jia Lia and Master Nien-Tsu Hu. From them, I learned not only valuable art techniques, but also the Zen of Chinese Brush Painting. As I pursued my science career in California, I continued to immerse myself in Chinese painting wherever I could. I continued to correspond with and to learn from Masters Li and Hu. After a car accident claimed Master Li’s life, I still often made short trips back to New York to spend time with Master Hu to continue benefiting from his wisdom and teachings. I also went to Taiwan to visit Master Hu in the same pursuit. I am grateful to him for sharing his knowledge and insights. He is still one of the leading Chinese Brush Painting masters of our time, just having celebrated his 90th birthday by publishing a book and a large exhibition.

I have always been happy to share my knowledge and have a chance to serve the community. I taught classes at the Irvine Fine Arts Center for 30 years and to the parents of the Irvine Chinese School for 15 years, as well as other universities and institutions throughout Southern California. I have also been invited to lecture and demonstrate at numerous venues such as The Gene Autry Museum, Bowers Museum, and local libraries. I was pleased to be invited to Walt Disney to hold a workshop for Disney designers. And I was thrilled to serve as a consultant for the Walt Disney animated film, Mulan.

When I teach, I always like to give hand-outs to help the students have something to refer to and remember the techniques they learned in class. I received many requests from students to compile the hand-outs and create a book. By 1999, several of my students, (thank you Sally & Claire!), helped me publish a book of my basic painting techniques. The book, entitled “Loving Chinese Brush Painting”, included the Four Gentlemen and other essential components of the mystical Zen of this beautiful style of art.

Two years ago, I completely retired from both my career as a scientist that spanned more than 40 years and my secondary 30-year career as an art teacher. I am grateful to be able to stay at home to take care of my aging husband. With my newly-found free time, I have been able to spend time working on my own paintings. I realized that I still “love Chinese Brush Painting.” Over the many years, I found great joy in sharing my love for painting with my students. They, in turn, have inspired me to strive even harder in my own creative life. During those hectic years of working and raising a family, I sometimes wished there was more time in the day for me to teach and also to have time to improve my own skills as an artist.

In addition to teaching, I have held exhibitions, demonstrations, lectures and have participated in various festivals and fairs. For several years I have had the opportunity to celebrate and contribute to the University of California Irvine’s Chinese New Year Festival (note 2). After seeing the enthusiasm of the UCI students, who participated in the activities at my demonstration booth, several students and friends encouraged me to take my love of Chinese Brush Painting to another dimension: the internet. Tracy, Joe and Stacy have helped me to create these video tutorials. This new adventure is the first time for all of us. They have worked very hard. I follow them and learn a lot (I had no idea what creation process the programs for TV and movies and internet go through!!)

My wish through this new platform is to share my knowledge of basic strokes and simple equipment to make Chinese Brush Painting easy to learn. It would be my pleasure and I would feel honored to help students of the new generation or art lovers to enjoy this thousand-year old art form.

I would like to thank my family for their love and support! (Hi Summer!)

Finally, I would like to use this as a tribute to my teachers, my students, my friends, my sisters and brothers and my family, all of whom have enriched my life and my love of Chinese Brush Painting.

With kindest wishes,
Vena C. Chen

Note 1: My father liked to sing Chinese opera and play the traditional instrument, which in those times many Chinese enjoyed. It was not until I moved to New York that I was introduced to a Chinese opera club and I learned to sing and act. This art is a very important part of Chinese culture too.

While living in New York City, I had the honor to perform Chinese operas at many local institutions, such as Cornell University, Columbia University, in addition to the Lincoln Center, with special performances in Beijing, China and Washington, DC. After I moved to California, I also performed a few times in Los Angeles, CA. I stopped performing in 1996 and now only occasionally sing a little with my opera friends. I have forgotten some parts but still have many fond memories of my opera adventures.

Note 2: I would like to offer a special thank you to the students and friends who have helped me over the years, including Sally, Evelyn, Rose, Lindy, Christina, Tracy, Joe and Stacy. I am grateful to them because with their help to set up for (and pack and clean up after) the demonstrations and exhibitions, I have been able to share my love for Chinese Brush Painting.

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CLICK HERE to view my tutorials on YouTube at Loving Chinese Brush Painting