Mr. Liu Guo, alias Peng Sheng, was born on March 1st, 1956, in Fuyu country of Jilin Province. Graduating from the Department of Fine Arts of Northeast Normal University in 1980, he had continued studying art at the Art Academy of China. He is presently employed as the Principal and Senior Artist of Changbaishan Art Academy, Art Researcher and Associate Professor in the Educational Institute of Jilin Province, Professor of Yan Bian University and the Teachers’ Training College of Jilin Province, Visiting Professor of the College of Fine Arts in Beijing, Art Director of the New Era Arts Centre of Singapore and Art Consultant of “Celebrities World” of Guangzhou, China.

　　As a council member of the Fine Arts Research Centre of China, member of the China Industrial Design Association, Artists’ Association of China and Artists’ Association of Jilin Province, Mr. Liu is noted as an artist in “The Modern Notable Men in the Art Circles in China”, the artist who produced the world’s longest scroll painting entitled “The Majesty of Changbaishan”, one of the artists depicted in the book “The Hundred Elite Artists of China”, and the author of the book “Mew Techniques in Chinese Landscape Painting”.

　　Mr. Liu started learning painting at the age of six, as early as at age 10, he was granted permission to paint several portraits of Chairman Mao. Because of his exceptional talent for painting, he had often been selected to participate in the art shows held in conjunction with the festive celebrations organized by “Agricultural University”, “Industrial University” and “Class Education” on completion of his high school education, he stayed behind as its art teacher. Later he was admitted to the Northeast Normal University to further his studies in fine arts. On graduation, he was engaged in training art teachers, compiling teaching materials and producing his own artworks and making industrial design.

　　For many years, Mr. Liu has led a simple life, devoting most of his time to the study of art of both the East and West, past and present. He was fortunate to have been taught by the various masters like Lu Li Shao, Liu Hai Shu and Wu Zuo Ren. He has often journeyed deep into the famous mountains of China, especially Changbaishan, where he has perfected his skills in landscape painting. In the process, he has developed twelve new techniques of painting with ink. In 1990, his book “New Techniques in Chinese Landscape Painting” was published. The contents of this book were published in the widely circulated “Chinese Education Daily” for its readers. Known as the “twelve techniques of Liu Guo’s landscape painting”, his techniques were promoted among universities, high schools, elementary schools and other art institutions throughout China. With these techniques he has produced large volume of artworks that fully reflected the spirit of the times. His unique painting style has won him high praises from all over the world.

　　Mr. Liu has held many art exhibitions locally and abroad since 1984. Many of his paintings have won important awards and some has become a part of the collections of Harvard University and Waseda University. In 1988, he held an exhibition in Hong Kong where his works were well received and publicized by the local media. In 1989, 40 of his paintings were exhibited in Taiwan along with those of the other masters. All his exhibits were snapped up by the private collectors in Taiwan. In July 1991, he completed a 60-meter scroll painting on Changbaishan, which has been acknowledged as the world’s longest. The unique painting techniques developed by him were highly commended in the “Chinese Exposition”, which placed him in the ranks of elite artists of China. The Xinhua News Agency, the Central TV of China, and the media of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who followed his works commented that his style has achieved a breakthrough with these new techniques. In an exhibition in Guangzhou, the numbers of visitors reached a high of 84,000. In February 1992, he became the Art Consultant of the “Celebrities World”. Mr. Liu has also successfully staged two exhibitions in Singapore, in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, at the invitation of the US-China Culture and Art Centre, he held an exhibition in San Francisco. The event was well covered by the media and his first exhibition in the United States has met with resounding success. In April 1996, an exhibition was held in his honor in Johor, Malaysia where his works have won praises from other artists and collectors. In June 1996, he opened an art exhibition in New York where his works have won admiration from the art circles and the media. Overall, Mr. Liu has held ten grand exhibitions in different countries, involving some 2000 pieces of artworks. Many of his works have been collected by the art institutions, museums, renowned universities and private collectors from different parts of the world. Mr. Liu has published several books, namely, “A Collection of Liu Guo’s Paintings”, “Liu Guo’s Landscape Paintings” and “New Techniques in Chinese Landscape Painting”. He has also written several articles and theses on fine arts and edited a few instructional books on the teaching of fine arts.

　　Mr. Liu has spent years in research into art education and training art teachers. Although already an accomplished artist and gentleman, he is constantly seeking to improve and renew himself and his art. He believes that artworks should nourish one’s mind and at the same time reflect the spirit of the times. His students are almost all teachers of art, and they can be found not only in China, but also as far as Japan, South Korea, the United States and Southeast Asia. With his works gaining acknowledgement worldwide, his name has been placed in the databank of Chinese artists and his biography included in publications like “Celebrities of The World”, “The Modern Notable Men In The Art Circles In China”, “Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Artists and Calligraphers”, just to name a few.

　　The exhibition staged at Chijmes Hall Singapore, during 3-11 January 1998 is Mr. Liu’s 11th grand exhibition and his third in Singapore. It features his recent paintings capturing the scenes of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and the famous mountains of China. On display are also his artworks on the Grand Canyon and the Singapore Botanic Garden.

　　THE STRAITS TIMES, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1992