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Art Exhibit - Lillian Seto - “Flora Exotica from Paradise Maui”
Chinese brush painting is a traditional art form with close ties to calligraphy. The current exhibition displays works by Lillian Sate and her students. These students have studied the painting style called xieyl, which means to paint an idea. The paintings are done with spontaneous brush strokes on very absorbent xuan paper. Under Ms. Seto’s instruction and guidance, the students have used their disciplined practice and learned techniques to capture the spirit and liveliness of the subject matter. Chinese landscapes are distinguished by their texture strokes and panoramic views. The current group of students is diverse in ethnicity, some have never painted before attending Ms. Seto’s classes, and others have studied western art. These paintings represent the results of a few months to several years of study with the artist. The current painting class is funded by the Cultural Awards program of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.
In the month of August, 2008, Sacramento artist Lllan Seto sojourned
to Maui, Hawaii in her search for fresh and interesting floral subjects
for her traditional Chinese brush paintings. During her month-long
stay, she encountered many species of tropical flowers unfamiliar to
continental North America.
The present exhibition provided yet another adventure and discovery for
Lillian. Her month-long stay in Maui enabled her to observe the
wonderful and exotic forms of Hawaiian plants/flowerssuch as Plumeria,
Heliconias. Proteas, Orchids, different varieties of Gingers, etc. The
brilliant and amazing colors of these exotic plants also present a
joyful challenge in their careful depiction.
Lillian Sate studied Western art, concentrating on sculptural ceramics
and painting, at the California State University in Sacramento. After
receiving her degree, she pursued advance studies in Chinese brush
painting for a total of six years at the Central Academy in Fine Arts
in Beijing, China, and with seven private masters in Taipei, Taiwan.
Lillian has been teaching Chinese brush painting in Sacramento for over
25 years as an Artist in Residence funded by the California Arts
Council and the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC). She has
also received two New Work award, and a Fellowship Award for Visual
Artists from SMAC. Over 600 students have participated through
Lillian’s classes and workshops. She has held formal exhibitions in
Taiwan, Beijing, Ohio, Alabama, and California. Many of her -students
have participated in art shows and competitions throughout the
Sacramento and Davis area. She has donated artworks for fundraisers
benefiting nonprofit organization, as well as provided countless
demonstrations to art groups schools arid colleges.