Cao Yong
Garden Pond
Twilight by the Fountain
Evening in Venice
In 1962 at the height of the great famine in China, an extraordinarily gifted child was born in Xinxian, a small town in Henan province. Cao Yong's family, struggling to find enough food to eat, was suspected of disloyalty to the government. A great-great grandparent once owned land, real estate and banks, and a great grandparent was a warlord. In the Cultural Revolution, this singled the family out for harsh treatment by the Chinese authorities. The family were ostracized, denied food and residency permits.
It was drawing that brought peace and consolation to Cao. At age eleven he started studying with the noted artist Yu Ren from Beijing, who worked briefly in Xinxian.
In order to buy art supplies he pawned his winter cloths in summer and his summer cloths in winter, and often skipped meals. He painted on any material he could find: used wrapping paper, newspaper, discarded wooden boards.
Many years later, upon graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Hanna University, he took a position as Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Tibet.
During his seven years in Tibet, Cao Yong immersed himself in the spare beauty of the remote and isolated land, and embraced the distinctive Tibetan culture. In order to copy the remains of ancient Tibetan wall paintings, Cao Yong, accompanied only by a horse, a dog, and a gun for hunting, lived alone in primitive mountain caves for nearly one full year. Cao Yong's legendary experience in Tibet enabled him to develop a deep understanding of the connection between the natural and the human, as well as between the secular and spiritual.
In 1989, Cao Yong took up residence in Japan. While he continued painting his Tibet series, he also accepted commissions for the painting of numerous city murals.
In 1994, Cao Yong came to the United States. Since then, his work has been displayed in prominent galleries.
In 1999, Cao Yong established his publishing company Cao Yong Editions, Inc. and released three series of limited editions: Venice, the Golden Coast and Romantic Gardens.
What sets Cao Yong apart from other artists is not only his radiant palette, his inviting compositions, or his masterly brushwork. It is the deep humanity engendered by Cao Yong's extraordinary life that has enabled him to develop a rare understanding of the connection between light and shadow, the natural and the divine. This profound understanding breathes life into Cao Yong's paintings.
Currently living in Los Angeles, Cao Yong is just reaching his artistic maturity. Since 1999, he has released several different series on varied themes: From the dazzling California coastline to the peaceful canals of Venice, and the fragrant vitality of romantic gardens, Cao Yong continues to capture the timeless romance and beauty that surround us-- and which are, after all, our most precious human possessions.