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Biography of Mian Situ, fine artist

Mian Situs' statement:


As John Keats, the great English poet said, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty, - that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”  Yes, all my life I have been a seeker of truth searching for it in some manifestation of ethereal beauty and yet, through the artist’s eyes, ordinary subjects in an unremarkable daily scene might have a significant, poignant meaning. 

As an artist, I have sought to reflect the ancestral beauty of my homeland and presently, the new, exciting spirit of the American West.  I have favorite subjects; nature unspoiled by human hand, the roots of our world cultural heritage or the lifestyle or native folks that may soon vanish from the face of this often achingly beautiful planet. ‘Time’ plays a pivotal role in all of my compositions on canvas.  A single moment might be captured on canvas encompassing a measure of ‘Time’ past, present and perhaps a glimpse into the future. ‘Time’ is inexorable with the absolute power to overcome all other life forces.  That is why I often seek to juxtapose, to intertwine, to link the old and the new generations of ordinary humans in different ethnic settings.  It seems to me with oil on canvas, each stroke melding the ancient and the new I can conjure up just the smallest insight into the mystery of ‘Time’ ever changing, ever escaping.

I am indeed privileged to be a working artist so I can devote my spirit and creativity to the search, as time goes by, for truth in ordinary commonplace beauty. Through my work to share a vision with those of like spirit and, when the viewer connects for one evanescent moment with what the artist had seen or imagined, that in itself sufficient reward for all the hard times that same artist may have had to reach that moment of ‘truth’.

2002 Master of the American West Award , Master of the American West Show, Autry Museum

2002 Thomas Moran Memorial Award, Master of the American West Show, Autry Museum

2002 Patrons’ Choice Award, Master of the American West Show, Autry Museum  

2001 Colonel Red H. Smith Award (artist voted Best of Show), Miniature Show and Sale, National Museum of Wildlife Art  

2001 Patrons’ Choice Award, Master of the American West Show, Autry Museum  

2000 Judges' Choice Award, Arts for the Parks

2000 Purchase Award, Arts for the Parks

2000 Honorable Mention, Laguna Plein Air Painting Competition

2000 Gold Medal, Carmel Art Festival

2000 Artists' Choice Best Painting, 90th Gold Medal Exhibition, California Art Club

2000 Master Signature Member Award, National Juried Exhibition, Oil Painters of America

1999 Corporate National Award of Excellence, National Juried Exhibition, Oil Painters of America

1998 Grumbacher Gold Medal, National Juried Exhibition, Oil Painters of America

1996 Corporate National Award of Excellence, National Juried Exhibition, Oil Painters of America

1995 Best of Show, Arts Patrons National Award of Excellence, National Juried Exhibition, Oil Painters of America

Master Signature Member Oil Painters of America (OPA) 

Signature Artist Member  California Art Club (CAC)
2002 Art Talk Magazine article; "Master Storyteller" 

2002 American Artist Magazine article; "Mian Situ"

2001 Exhibitor; 91st Annual Gold Medal Exhibit, California Art Club

2001 California Art Club Newsletter article; "A Master's Journey"

2001 Art of the West Magazine article; " East Meets West"

2000 Southwest Art Magazine article; "A Personal Revolution"

1998 Immigrated to USA

1981 Master of Fine Art Degree, Guangzhou Institute of Fine Art

1953 Born in Guangdong, China