Zhiwei Tu is a Master's Master. His story is remarkable, his work masterful. He has a museum named after him.

For many, life is what one has made of it. One must work for fame and fortune instead of it being handed to them. One must execute their talents in order to reap their full benefits.

Born a Peasant

Master artist Zhiwei Tu has done just that. Tu was born in a village in the Guangdong Province in China. He was not born a rich man, his parents were peasants. Throughout his childhood he did just what the other boys in his village did...helped with various laborious tasks that the elders had passed down. His days had been mostly spent barefoot, herding sheep and doing things that were expected of peasant children at the time. In fact he had seen his life much the same as his ancestors of long ago.

One Day Everything Changed

One summer the city government sent a professional artist to Zhiwei's village to paint a portrait of Mao Zedong. On the first day, Zhiwei sat and watched this artist. At the end of the work day he had asked if he could borrow small samples of the artists' oil paints, an easel and a canvas. The artist complied.

Determination...The Making of a Master

The next day Zhiwei Tu set up his supplies alongside the government's professional artist and started to paint right along with him the entire time. They painted day after day. Finally, the professional artist had finished and so had Zhiwei. At the end, after seeing both Zhiwei's work and the professional artist's work, the people in the village were so completely impressed by the portrait that Zhiwei painted that the villagers chose his painting over the professional's painting. This was seen as a great honor.

After this, Zhiwei's career took off. In the forty years since, he has won awards all over the world and is recognized as a master artist worldwide. Today, Zhiwei is one of the greats.

American Impressionist Society Master Artist

Oil Painters of America Master Artist

Awards

• American Art Collector magazine's Master Award of Excellence, American Impressionist Society 12th Annual Juried Event, Mountainsong Galleries, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, October 2011
• Zhiwei Tu Art Museum opened by Shiaoguan City Government of China, February 2006
• Best Award in the National Exhibition for the Master Signature Members, the Oil Painters of America, USA, 2002
• Person of Outstanding Ability of « Light of the Century », China, 2000
• New Century Outstanding People by Chinese Outstanding-Artist Research Society, China 2000
• Master Signature, the Oil Painters of America, USA, 1999
• Best Award of National Show of the Oil Painters of America, USA, 1998
• Honorary Signature, the Oil Painters of America, USA, 1997
• Award of the President of the Oil Painters of America, USA 1996
• Best Award in the Midwest Show of the Oil Painters of America, USA, 1994
• Second Prize in the National Show of the Oil Painters of America, USA 1993
• Best Award in Show for the Exhibition Iowa College Salon XII, USA, 1990
• The Gold Prize at the World Cultural Convention, Algiers, 1987
• First Prize at Guangdong Artistic Work Show, China, 1980

Education

• M.F.A., Drake University, Des Moines, USA, 1990
• M.A and B.A., Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, China, 1981 and 1975

Professional

• President, the Oil Painters of America, 2004-2006
• Vice President, the Oil Painters of America, 2002-2004
• Jurying Chairman, the Oil Painters of America, 2000-2004
• Juror of Awards, the Oil Painters of America, 1994 and 2000
• Art professor , Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, China, 1981-1989
• Art professor, College of South China Literature and Art, China, 1982-1987
• Art professor, Teaching College of Shiaoguan, China, 1975-1978

Experience

• Tu has had more than 25 one-man shows and 50 group shows extensively in Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei and Guangzhou of China, Tokyo, Japan, Algeria, Singapore, Canada, England, France and the United States from New York to California
• Tu's name, his art and articles on him have been in many famous art magazines, newspapers and artist directories worldwide
• Twelve of Tu's art books have been published in China, Taiwan and the United States