Xu Weide

    XU Weide, a Shanghai native, was orn in 1951. Xu began to practice traditional Chinese painting at an early age under the instruction of Shen Yinmo. a renowned calligrapher and painner.During his teens when the “culturalrevolution” (1966-76) began, Xu went Anhui Province like most of his peers. in response to the government’s call for urban youths to toil the fields in reral and mountainous areas as a way to learn from the farmers and “gain practical experience.”

    Upon his graduation from Anhui Normal University, Xu worked at his alma mater as a fine arts teacher. Later, he completed a postgraduate program at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. In 1998, Xu returned to Shanghai with his family.

    Currently, Xu is a professor at the College of Art & Design and the vice president of the Shanghai University of Engineering Science. He is a member of several leading art organizations and institutes, including the China Artists Astists Asociation, and is also a council member of the Shanghai Science & Art institute and the general secretary of the Watercolor Painting Institute of Shanghai Artists Association.

    His expertise and great devotion to the art have earned Xu many honors over the past 30 years. Favored by both erperts and critics, his works have been exhibited overseas, including the UnitedStates, Canada, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

    For all his artistic achievements, Xu is never conceited. On the contrary, he gives off an aura of humbleness. Unlike some fickle-minded painters that seek only fame and fortune, Xu has put his life and heart into painting.

    “We’re now living in a materialistic world, but I always try to stay focused on creating rather than socializing or promoting. I paint because it’s my passion rather than as a way to earn money. For me, spiritual contentment is far more important than materialism. That’s also the reason why I’ve worked as a teacher over the last 30 years,” Xu says.

    Still busy with his works, Xu continues to hold a great love for painting. He spends most of his spare time creating pieces. Each series of his works typically takes him a few months or years to finish.

As a realism painter, most of Xu’s works feature beautiful landscapes, especially the rustic scenes of Anhui Province. Having lived there for nearly 30 years, Xu is familiar with every aspect of the environment around him, including the flowers, trees, rocks and creeks. “I，m so enchanted with the beautiful scenery of my second hometown —Anhui, where my inspiration comes from. I travel back at least twice a year with my students to do some outdoor sketches,” says Xu.