Joe, pastel, 19 x 25 inches, 1975
The Poet, pastel, 18 x 24 inches, 1978
Elena, pastel, 19 x 25 inches, 1976
September, oil on linen, 36 x 32 inches, 1995-96
Radiator at One Sherman, oil on linen, 24 x 30 inches, 1989
Winter's Window, pastel, 17 x 23 inches, 2017
Self-Portrait with Veil, pastel, 24 x 18 inches, 1977
Mirrored Afternoon, oil on linen, 48 x 38 inches 1997-2000
Hallway with Lantern, pastel, 34 1/4 x 22 1/2 inches, 1983
STATEMENT
For many years, I pursued art that was calligraphic, a logical solution for a young painter who was exposed to both Chinese and Western traditions. But I developed a relationship with light when I lived in the Middle East.
The steady sun and the hours I spent each day gazing into the distant scene of my window, and the scene of an interior of several doors letting in light from different sources–some cool, some warm–gradually led me to read into light as if it had moods, as if it had been sculptures of time. By using middle-tone colors and colors that are almost white, I jot down momentary responses to what is in front of me. I look for the maximum of tonal variations in a minimum range of contrasts. In the atmosphere of light, I try to construct space. As I question the lines and planes of my subject, I let the spontaneous markings of the brush play an integral part on the canvas. Many years after my days in the Middle East, as I sit down in the studio in the afternoon, I can still feel their impact on my art.
Pages of Light
by
Vivian Tsao
Phone 718.788.6931
17 Fuller Place, Brooklyn, NY 11215-6006 US Citizen
viviantsao@earthlink.net
Education:
| MFA | Painting, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh |
| BA | Fine Arts, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei |
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
| 2018 | Invitational show Rhythm of Light: From Jeddah to New York at Tenri Cultural Institute, NYC (Reviewed in Blouin Artinfo) |
| 2009 | Invitational show Paintings by Vivian Tsao at National Museum of History, Taiwan |
| 2005 | The Mark of Time: Words & Images at Ceres Gallery, NYC (Reviewed in World Journal) |
| 2003 | Exhibition of Paintings at Ceres Gallery |
| 1997 | Rhythm of Light at Ceres Gallery |
| 1991 | Interiors in Afternoon Light at Ceres Gallery (Reviewed in N.Y. Times) |
| 1987 | Exhibition of Paintings at Anna Swenson Gallery, Brattleboro, Vermont |
| 1981 | Invitational show of pastels at Long Island University, NYC |
| 1979 | Exhibition of pastels at National Museum of History |
| 1978 | Exhibition of oils and pastels at Chinese Cultural Center, NYC |
| 1976 | Exhibition of oils and pastels at Hewlett Gallery, Carnegie Mellon University |
| 1973 | Exhibition of paintings at National Taiwan Museum, Taipei |
Selected Group Exhibitions and Presentations:
| 2020 | Exhibiting Artist Members Annual Exhibition at The National Arts Club, NYC Group show “Life as It Is Now” at Ceres Gallery |
| 2019 | Exhibiting Artist Members Annual Exhibition at The National Arts Club, NYC |
| 2018 | Exhibiting Artist Members Annual Exhibition at The National Arts Club, NYC |
| 2014 | Exhibition Taiwanese American Arts Council TAAC Recognition: Taiwanese American Artists, curated by Luchia Lee at Queens Museum, NYC |
| 2012 | Presenter on panel “The National Arts Club Authors’ Showcase” at The National Arts Club Exhibition “Inside/Outside” at Ceres Gallery |
| 2006 | “100% Centennial” 100th anniversary exhibition of the College of Fine Arts at Miller Gallery, Carnegie Mellon University |
| 2004 | Invitational Exhibition of Painting & Sculpture of The American Academy of Arts & Letters, NYC (Reviewed in N.Y. Sun) |
| 2003 | Pastel Society of America Invitational Exhibition at The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio Curator Series of Pastel Society of America, curated by Jimmy Wright and Diane Rosen at The National Arts Club |
| 2002 | Curator Series of Pastel Society of America, curated by Jimmy Wright and Diane Rosen at The National Arts Club “20/02” 20th anniversary invitational show at the Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn |
| 1999 | Exhibition of the collection from Sun Ten Museum of Los Angeles at Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan |
| 1998 | Curated and exhibited in two-part show entitled The Autumn Forum at Ceres Gallery |
| 1994 | Purchase Program Exhibition of The American Academy of Arts and Letters The Linear Power: Contemporary Drawings by Chinese Artists from New York, Beijing and Hong Kong at The Artland Company Gallery, Hong Kong |
| 1990 | The Young and the Beautiful: Paintings and Sculpture curated by Barbara Ingber for Museum at Ceres Gallery |
| 1987 | Chinese Art in Transition at City Gallery, NYC (Reviewed in N.Y. Times) |
| 1986 | Pastel shows at Pen and Brush Club, NYC Ten Chinatown show at Asian American Arts Centre, NYC |
| 1985 | Ten Chinatown show at Asian American Arts Centre, NYC |
| 1984 | Pastel shows at Pen and Brush Club, NYC Brooklyn ‘84 exhibition at Brooklyn Museum, NYC Interiors exhibition at Rotunda Gallery |
| 1982 | Pastel shows at Pen and Brush Club, NYC Midyear Show of Paintings at The Butler Institute of American Art |
| 1981 | Midyear Show of Paintings at The Butler Institute of American Art |
| 1980 | Midyear Show of Paintings at The Butler Institute of American Art |
| 1979 | Invitational exhibition by overseas Chinese artists at National Gallery, Taiwan |
| 1977 | National Cape Coral Art Exhibition, Cape Coral, Florida |
| 1970 | Annual Juried Exhibition at National Taiwan Museum |
| 1965 | Annual Juried Exhibition at National Taiwan Museum |
| 1964 | Annual Juried Exhibition at National Taiwan Museum |
Selected Publications and Grants:
| 2019 | Essay and nine artworks featured in Pratik, a contmporary literary magazine published in Nepal |
| 2016 | Essay “A Pearl in Disquieting Times: On French Portraitist Vigée Le Brun in the monthly Bulletin of National Museum of History in Taiwan |
| 2014 | Essay “The Unexpected Lesson: On Dr. Catherine Yeh” in the anthology on Dr. Yeh published by the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan |
| 2013 | Essay “The Studio: On the Art and Teaching of Sun To-Ze” in the exhibition catalogue of Prof. Sun To-Ze published by the National Museum of History in Taiwan |
| 2009 | Essay “Mirrored Afternoon” and artworks in the bilingual book Paintings by Vivian Tsao published by the National Museum of History Essay “Mirrored Afternoon” and images of my art in Bulletin of National Museum of History |
| 2007 | Essay “On Revisiting the National Palace Museum” on the newly reconstructed Museum of classical Chinese art in Taipei and its exhibitions in United Daily News, Taiwan |
| 2003 | Book of art and essays in Chinese The Mark of Time: Dialogues with Vivian Tsao on Art in New York published by Hsiung Shih (Lionart) Art Books in Taiwan (111 plates, 84 in color) |
| 2000 | Present: Photo essay “Vivian Tsao: Artist Who Meditates on Light” at Biddington’s internet gallery “Black Velvet at Dusk,” essay in a Chinese-language book published by China Times, Taiwan |
| 1999 | “Poetic Reflections: An Essay on the Criticism by Hilton Kramer and by W.S. Di Piero” in the literary section of China Times (Chinese language) |
| 1989 | “The Mark of Time: An Interview with Spanish master Antonio Lopez Garcia in Hsiung Shih Art Monthly, Chinese-language magazine published in Taiwan |
| 1985 | “Artist-in Residence” grant ($9,000) from New York State Council on the Arts, NYC |
| 1975 | Scholarship grant ($1,000) from Art Department of Carnegie Mellon University |
Work Experience:
| 1976 – Present | Painter and writer on art at Vivian Tsao Artist |
| 2009 – Present | Contributing art writer, Bulletin of National Museum of History |
| 1990 – 2006 | Adjunct Assistant Professor of Fine Arts in Department of Fine Arts, Pace University, NYC |
| 2000 – Present | A selection of my art is represented by Biddington’s internet gallery |
| 1990 – 1996 | Program auditor, free-lance reviewer of exhibitions for New York State Council on the Arts |
| 1980 – 1996 | Correspondent for Hsiung Shih Art Monthly |
| 1985 – 1987 | Worked on consignment for The Art Collaborative, NYC |
| 1985 – 1986 | Worked in my studio and at Asian American Arts Centre as recipient of Artist-in-Residence grant from New York State Council on the Arts |
| 1979 – 1980 | Worked on consignment for Nardin Galleries, NYC |
| 1976 – 1977 | Worked on consignment for Kingpitcher Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 1972 – 1974 | Art instructor at National Taipei University of Education, Taiwan |
| 1971 – 1974 | Asst. editor of monthly children’s art page for Central Daily News, Taiwan |
Selected Artistic Involvements:
| 1996 – 1999 | Juror on panel, New York State Council on the Arts |
| 1995 | Inducted Fellow, Society of Fellows of Dyson College, Pace University Judge, Eighth Annual New York City Court Employee’s Arts and Crafts Show at New York Supreme Court |
| 1989 | Panelist for Daughters of Accomplishment: Chinese Women Artists Past and Present at China Institute Gallery, NYC |
| 1985 | Interpreter for international symposium Words and Images at Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC |
Biographical Sketch:
| Born of Chinese parents from the Mainland, I am a native of Taiwan. Mandarin Chinese is my mother tongue. Since I began graduate study in the U.S. in 1974, I have used English as a primary language. After studying French for two years, I am comfortable conversing in that language. I lived in Taiwan, the Republic of China, from 1950 to 1974. In 1976, I was married to an American playwright. Now a resident of New York City, I have lived in the Middle East and have made extended visits to Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Madrid and Malaga, spending much time in the museums of those cities. Since 1977, I have also traveled through England, Greece, Morocco, Japan and Taiwan. |
Selected Bibliography:
| Brenson, Michael. “Vivian Tsao” New York Times, 1 March, 1991 (Review) | |
| Brenson, Michael. “Works by 12 Chinese-Americans in Show” New York Times, 28 August, 1987 (Review) | |
| Chen, Alice. “Painter Vivian Tsao Who Resides in the U.S. Exhibits Her Classics at National Museum of History” Beautiful Life TV, Taipei, 19 October, 2009 (Video and Review) | |
| Cohen, David. “Into the Light: The Paintings of Vivian Tsao” Paintings by Vivian Tsao. Bilingual catalog. Taipei: National Museum of History, 2009 (Essay) | |
| Cohen, David. “Gallery-Going” The New York Sun, 11 March, 2004 (Review) | |
| Chung, Kang L. “Painting by Vivian Tsao” Gallery (a Chinese-language art magazine) Canton, China, June 1989, pp.42-43 (Review and Reproductions) | |
| Dantzic, Cynthia Maris. Drawing Dimensions: A Comprehensive Introduction. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1999, page 314 (Reproduction) | |
| Dantzic, Cynthia Maris. 100 New York Painters. Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, November 2006, pp. 208-209 and jacket spine image (Reproductions and Biographical Sketch) | |
| Ho, Hwai Shouh. “Painting by Vivian Tsao” Ten Years by the Oil Lamp. Taiwan: Vast Plain Publishing House, August 1974, pp. 223-227 (Review) | |
| Huang, Chun Hsiu. “An Interview with Painter Vivian Tsao about the Art of Pastel” Hsiung Shih Art Monthly. Taiwan, April 1990, pp. 128-133 and 136 (Article and Reproductions) | |
| “In Painter Vivian Tsao’s New Book The Mark of Time, She Dialogues with American and European Art Masters” Xinhuanet, China, December, 2004 (Article) | |
| “Introduction of Overseas Chinese Artists” and “Works by Vivian Tsao,” Painter, Hunan, China, April, 1990, pp. 13, 22, 40 and 41 (Introduction and Reproductions) | |
| Pastel Society of America at The Butler Institute of American Art. Catalog. New York: Pastel Society of America, 2003, page 80 (Biographical Sketch and Reproduction) | |
| Sun Ten Museum Collection. Catalog. Taiwan: Taipei Fine Arts Museum, 1999 (Reproduction) | |
| “The Poet” by Vivian Tsao United Daily News: Literary Page, Taiwan, 21 March, 2005 (Reproduction) | |
| “Vivian J. Tsao” Who’s Who in America. New Jersey: Marquis Who’s Who, 2005-2016 (Biographical Sketch) | |
| “Vivian Tsao’s ‘Rhythm of Light: From Jeddah to New York” at Tenri Cultural Institute, New York” at Blouin Artinfo International, September 7, 2018 (Article and Slideshow) | |
| “Vivian Tsao’s Exhibition of Paintings” News, Taiwan Television Enterprise, Ltd., Taipei, 17 October, 1973, #new0255104 (Film) | |
| Without Ceremony. Anthology. New York: Ikon, Inc. January, 1989, pp. 40-41 (Reproductions) |