Vivian Tsao 曹志漪 www.ceresgallery.org/tsao.html
The Sycamore Tree， 1991-92
Oil on Canvas
40x30 inches
ARTIST 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.
Education
MFA Painting, Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh
BA Fine Arts, National Normal Univ., Taiwan
Selected Solo Exhibitions
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, Taiwan
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
2014 - Exhibition Taiwanese Amercian Arts Council TAAC Recognition: Taiwanese American Artists, curated by Luchia Lee at Queens Museum, NYC
2012 - Prescenter on panel “The National Arts Club Authors’ Showcase” at The National Arts Club,NYC
2012 - 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
2003, 2002 - Curator Series of Pastel Society of America, curated by Jimmy Wright and Diane
Rosen at The National Arts Club, NYC
2002 - "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
1994 - Purchase Program Exhibition of The American Academy of Arts and Letters, NYC
1994 - 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, l984, l982 - Pastel shows at Pen and Brush Club, NYC
1986, 1985 - Ten Chinatown show at Asian American Arts Centre, NYC
1984 - Brooklyn '84 exhibition at Brooklyn Museum
1984 - Interiors exhibition at Rotunda Gallery
1982, 1981, 1980 - Midyear Show 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, 1965, 1964 - Annual Juried Exhibition at National Taiwan Museum, Taipei
Selected Publications and Grants
2014 - Essay “ The Unexpected Lesson: On Dr. Catherine Yeh” in the anthology on Dr. Yeh published by
the Chinese Culture Universiy 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,” chronicle of my artistic development and images of my painting
in the bilingual art book Paintings byVivian Tsao published by National Museum of History
2009 - Essay “Mirrored Afternoon” and images of my art in the monthly Bulletin of National
Museum of History published by 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 essays in the Chinese language: The Mark of Time: Dialogues with Vivian Tsao
on Art in New York published by Hsiung Shih in Taiwan, presented in 2011 Taipei
International Book Exhibition, Taiwan (192 pages with 111 plates, 84 in color)
(Reviewed in Xinhuanet, China)
2000 - Present: Photo essay "Vivian Tsao: Artist Who Meditates on Light" at Biddington's
internet gallery
2000 - "Black Velvet at Dusk," essay in a Chinese-language anthology 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, Taiwan (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” award ($9,000) from New York State Council on the Arts, NYC
1985 - Essay “Corners and Waves: Interpretations of Space” in catalog Triangular Landscape published
by Asian American Arts Centre, 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
2003 - Present: Contributing writer in USA, United Daily News: Literary Page, Taiwan
1990 - 2006: Adjunct assistant professor of drawing and design in Department of
Fine Arts, Pace University in New York City
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, Taiwan
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
1994, 1995, 2000 - Presented paper and slide show of art by my student at the annual conference of the Society of Fellows of Dyson College, Pace University
1996 - 1999: Juror on panel, New York State Council on the Arts
1997 - Reviewer, Transactions, journal of Society of Fellows of Dyson College, Pace University
1995 - Inducted Fellow of the Society of Fellows of Dyson College
1995 - 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
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 Biography)
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 (Biography 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 - 2011 (Biographical
Sketch)
“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)