BI YUAN CHENG

RICHMOND, BC

Born: JINAN, CHINA

About Artist:
YUAN CHENG BI'S CAREER AS AN ARTIST OF VARIOUS MEDIUMS BEGAN IN HIS HOME COUNTRY. AT THE AGE OF ELEVEN BI WAS TAKEN UNDER THE WING OF ONE OF CHINA'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS ART PROFESSORS TO LEARN LANDSCAPING, WATERCOLOUR, AND OIL. THIS MENTORSHIP WOULD GO ON FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS AND PROVE TO BE A GREAT FACTOR IN BI'S LATER SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN ART.

BY 1975, BI HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AN ACCOMPLISHED ART INSTRUCTOR IN JINAN'S LOCAL ART CLUB. IN 1979, BI MOVED TO ATTEND THE ZIANGXI ART UNIVERSITY EARNING A BACHELOR DEGREE IN ART. HIS RENOWNED GIFT FOR ART CONTINUED TO BLOSSOM IN ZIANGXI AS A TOP STUDENT, DOZENS OF HIS PAINTINGS WERE COLLECTED BY THE UNIVERSITY'S ART MUSEUM.

AFTER GRADUATING IN 1983 BI WENT TO WORK IN LANDSCAPING AND SCULPTURAL DESIGN AT SHANDONG ARCHITECTURAL COMPANY. IN 1985 BI'S SCULPTURE TITLED "TEASING SWAN" RECEIVED SECOND PLACE IN A PROVINCIAL ART COMPETITION AND WAS RECREATED IN MARBLE, STANDING TWO METERS TALL FOR THE CITY OF JINAN'S CENTRAL PARK.

BI'S SUCCESS IN SCULPTURE CONTINUED TO THE NEXT YEAR WHEN HE WAS CHOSEN OUT OF OVER 100 COMPETITORS FROM AROUND THE NATION TO DESIGN THE SCULPTURAL LANDMARK FOR SHANDONG STADIUM - THE PROVINCES LARGEST SPORTS FACILITY. THE FINISHED PRODUCT WAS A METAL AND CONCRETE SCULPTURE STANDING 30 METERS HIGH, SYMBOLIZING THE UNIFICATION OF COMMON PEOPLE THROUGH SPORT. HIS WORK FOR THE CITY CONTINUED ON IN 1989 FOR CHINA'S NATIONAL DAY WHERE BI DESIGNED A FOUNTAIN STANDING IN JINAN CENTER SQUARE FILLED WITH WATER LILIES, THE CITY'S OFFICIAL FLOWER.

BI WAS AWARDED THE HIGHLY DISTINGUISHED AND RECOGNIZED TITLE "CHINESE ART MASTER" IN 1987.

BI WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE PRESTIGIOUS CHINESE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ART IN 1989.

BI MAKES HIS HOME IN EDMONTON SINCE 1990, FOR MANY YEARS HE HAS PAINTED MURALS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA WITH OVER 50 MURALS TO HIS CREDIT. HIS ORIGINAL PAINTINGS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH HARRISON GALLERIES.