The Betty Feves Memorial Art Gallery at Blue Mountain Community College will exhibit Chinese Brush Painting: A Progression by artist Tien-chu Loh from Feb. 10-March 10.
Nearly 30 ink paintings will be featured in this solo show. His subjects include landscape, animals, and calligraphy. The artist will be present for the opening reception at the gallery on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 4:30-6:30 pm. Masks and social distancing are required within Pioneer Hall; groups of up to 20 people will tour the gallery throughout the reception.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Tien-chu Loh attended Oregon State University, where he received degrees in microbiology and pharmacy. He worked as a pharmacist for more than 30 years, including a few years in Pendleton in the early 1980s. Now retired, he enjoys spending time on his creative endeavors, including photography and Chinese Brush Painting. Loh participates in exhibitions and demo sessions at local art shows, libraries, and the Lan Su Classical Chinese Garden in Portland.
Loh experiments with various Chinese Brush techniques.
“I prefer the Xieyi (expressive) over the Gongbi (meticulous and formal) style,” he said. He works with round brushes, ink, color, and Xuan paper, a traditional style of rice paper known for its fine surface.
“I enjoy working with my hands, thus I construct a lot of my frames and display my works in a non-conventional fashion,” Loh said. His paintings reflect both his heritage, as well as his immersion in western culture. The exhibition includes artworks that exemplify a range of technical skills and Loh’s refined artistic sensibilities.
The Betty Feves Memorial Art Gallery at BMCC is a nonprofit exhibition space connecting emerging and established artists and their work with students, staff and the general public in eastern Oregon. The gallery welcomes tours from schools, clubs and other organizations during exhibits. The gallery is open Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and is located in Pioneer Hall on the Pendleton Campus, 2411 NW Carden Ave. Admission is free.
