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Interview with Mr. Tzong-song Chao
The Learning Procedure of Mr. Chao Mr. Chao lived in the countryside of Shetou. His father was an art teacher of an elementary school, and believed that painting could touch people. He learned painting from his father since he was little, and won many awards during elementary school. When he studied at Yuanlin High school, he established a painting club and devoted himself into the painting world. He was admitted to Fine Arts Department of Chinese Culture University later. He likes to express the inward world by painting. He had been an art teacher in Liberia in West Africa for more than 7 years, and engaged in the advanced studies of a local sculpture school. |
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No Bright Future for Painting
Every country in Europe and the United States paid attention to art education, and their art market dealing prosperously developed. Taiwan was far behind in this area. Art and physical education gave people the impression of no future, plus his teaching salary was very low, so his parents worried about his future. However, he still insisted on his interest, and painted every day.
Became Processional by Ability and Attitude
“It indeed requires talent to become a professional artist. An artist needs a sharp and emotional mind, and works hard to absorb knowledge seriously and to devotionally blend his affection into his works.” Mr. Chao taught in art classes of Changhua County Ming Lun Junior High School and Ta Tung Junior High School. He always taught kids: “The sense of beauty is different from one person to another, so do not care about others’ opinion too much. However, an ignorant person cannot create profound work, so we need to extensively absorb world-wide knowledge.” He thinks the most important abilities and attitudes needed for being an artist were making serious, careful observations, and persistency.
Free Calligraphy for Purchasing Painting
He taught in Africa for more than seven years. Since the coup happened in Liberia and the situation was not safe, he hid in the ceiling to escape from being killed by machine-gun fire and hurriedly fled to Taiwan. He lost his teaching qualification after coming back to Taiwan. Fortunately, Dah-Chin Commercial & Industrial Vocational High School was hiring an art teacher, so he got the job. After coming back, most of his friends liked calligraphy, so he started to learn calligraphy. Since he had the foundation of art, he easily caught the line structure of calligraphy, and created his personal style. In his learning procedure of calligraphy, he liked unrestrained momentum of Huai-Su from Tong Dynasty. He said: “Huai-Su’s calligraphy refreshes me, and gives me immeasurable happiness and freedom.” He made friendly contact with many people through calligraphy, and made many good friends. Since it takes less time to write calligraphy, he likes to give his calligraphy works for free when customers purchase his paintings.
Painting Words, Not Writing Words.
He paints words and does not write words. He simply moves his paintbrush to show the sense of spaces, turns, empty or full of words. He said: “Calligraphy and painting are from the same family. As long as you do it in cooperation with life, with love and emotion, you can produce as beautiful of calligraphy as you like.” In his concept, calligraphy is not created by hand, but is written with mind and thinking. Moving paintbrush with intention is the best way for him to communicate with others.
Creation from Freak
Many competitions Mr. Chao participated in in Japan impressed him the most. He insists on the creative idea of painting words but not writing words, so his hands and body are tools of his creation. He likes to throw off ink with his hands first. He once used his body as a paintbrush. He often adds alcohol into ink to show his particular style.
Nature Is His Teacher
Natural scenery, changing weather, and warm feeling among people are the best inspiration for Mr. Chao. He likes to paint everywhere. He treats nature as his best teacher. The emotion among people and warm feelings are worthy of being created and recorded. Mr. Chao said: “It is not a bad thing for a person who likes to cry, since a sensitive mind easily brings warmth to the person.” People live very cautiously under social regulation, but everyone needs to relax to drain one’s emotion.” Mr. Chao used to drink a cup of wine to relax before creation, so that he could create his work by his feeling.
Thanks for Family Support
For people who work on art, they need family support the most. Even though his wife does not like him working on art, since she worries about his drunkenness every time, she gradually accepted it when she watched how hard he worked and the results slowly accumulated.
Talk About Surprising Encounter
A group of aged people like us has one common habit – writing calligraphy. We called good friends to form the calligraphy club NPH since we admired the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou. We hoped to improve ourselves through communication. After joining the club, I was often invited to perform calligraphy everywhere, so we could introduce NPH to more people, and hence we could work on this road more happily.” “It is an art to change cold things into life through calligraphy, and promote calligraphy into lives. It makes family, community, and school more vital.” This was their common goal.
Every country in Europe and the United States paid attention to art education, and their art market dealing prosperously developed. Taiwan was far behind in this area. Art and physical education gave people the impression of no future, plus his teaching salary was very low, so his parents worried about his future. However, he still insisted on his interest, and painted every day.
Became Processional by Ability and Attitude
“It indeed requires talent to become a professional artist. An artist needs a sharp and emotional mind, and works hard to absorb knowledge seriously and to devotionally blend his affection into his works.” Mr. Chao taught in art classes of Changhua County Ming Lun Junior High School and Ta Tung Junior High School. He always taught kids: “The sense of beauty is different from one person to another, so do not care about others’ opinion too much. However, an ignorant person cannot create profound work, so we need to extensively absorb world-wide knowledge.” He thinks the most important abilities and attitudes needed for being an artist were making serious, careful observations, and persistency.
Free Calligraphy for Purchasing Painting
He taught in Africa for more than seven years. Since the coup happened in Liberia and the situation was not safe, he hid in the ceiling to escape from being killed by machine-gun fire and hurriedly fled to Taiwan. He lost his teaching qualification after coming back to Taiwan. Fortunately, Dah-Chin Commercial & Industrial Vocational High School was hiring an art teacher, so he got the job. After coming back, most of his friends liked calligraphy, so he started to learn calligraphy. Since he had the foundation of art, he easily caught the line structure of calligraphy, and created his personal style. In his learning procedure of calligraphy, he liked unrestrained momentum of Huai-Su from Tong Dynasty. He said: “Huai-Su’s calligraphy refreshes me, and gives me immeasurable happiness and freedom.” He made friendly contact with many people through calligraphy, and made many good friends. Since it takes less time to write calligraphy, he likes to give his calligraphy works for free when customers purchase his paintings.
Painting Words, Not Writing Words.
He paints words and does not write words. He simply moves his paintbrush to show the sense of spaces, turns, empty or full of words. He said: “Calligraphy and painting are from the same family. As long as you do it in cooperation with life, with love and emotion, you can produce as beautiful of calligraphy as you like.” In his concept, calligraphy is not created by hand, but is written with mind and thinking. Moving paintbrush with intention is the best way for him to communicate with others.
Creation from Freak
Many competitions Mr. Chao participated in in Japan impressed him the most. He insists on the creative idea of painting words but not writing words, so his hands and body are tools of his creation. He likes to throw off ink with his hands first. He once used his body as a paintbrush. He often adds alcohol into ink to show his particular style.
Nature Is His Teacher
Natural scenery, changing weather, and warm feeling among people are the best inspiration for Mr. Chao. He likes to paint everywhere. He treats nature as his best teacher. The emotion among people and warm feelings are worthy of being created and recorded. Mr. Chao said: “It is not a bad thing for a person who likes to cry, since a sensitive mind easily brings warmth to the person.” People live very cautiously under social regulation, but everyone needs to relax to drain one’s emotion.” Mr. Chao used to drink a cup of wine to relax before creation, so that he could create his work by his feeling.
Thanks for Family Support
For people who work on art, they need family support the most. Even though his wife does not like him working on art, since she worries about his drunkenness every time, she gradually accepted it when she watched how hard he worked and the results slowly accumulated.
Talk About Surprising Encounter
A group of aged people like us has one common habit – writing calligraphy. We called good friends to form the calligraphy club NPH since we admired the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou. We hoped to improve ourselves through communication. After joining the club, I was often invited to perform calligraphy everywhere, so we could introduce NPH to more people, and hence we could work on this road more happily.” “It is an art to change cold things into life through calligraphy, and promote calligraphy into lives. It makes family, community, and school more vital.” This was their common goal.