Niu Xiaozhen

Niu Xiaozhen, male, Han ethnicity, was born in 1982 in the hometown of Yu Chenglong in Lüliang, Shanxi. He graduated from the Correspondence Department of Jiangxi University of Science and Technology. He studied under Master Guo Xiangdong of Jinzhong, and was initially mentored by painter Cui Shaotang. He is currently a council member of the Fuan City Workers' Calligraphy and Painting Association, a member of the Fuan City Artists Association, and a council member of the Qingshan Wenbaozhai Association.
       Since childhood, he has been deeply passionate about calligraphy and painting. His works primarily focus on landscapes and ink bamboo. His landscape paintings are mainly inspired by Shi Yunxiang’s landscapes of the Dafeng Hall style, Shi Enzhao’s Northern School landscapes, and Zeng Gang’s colored ink landscapes, while also receiving guidance and assistance from Hu Aimin and other teaching assistants. His ink bamboo works are primarily based on the studies and references of Professors Jia Baomin, Huo Chunyang, and Zhang Dalin. Influenced by the authentic teachings of Master Guo Xiangdong, combined with diligent study and profound insight, his brushwork exudes elegance and refinement within a steady and composed style, with vigorous lines that display rigorous structural variations—bold yet disciplined, dynamic yet graceful. He outlines mountain peaks with strong, cold, and powerful strokes, textures of rocks are rendered through side-brush scraping, sometimes with light ink washes, sometimes with rich pigments; each stroke of outlining, scraping, and rendering is spontaneously generated, free and unrestrained, unbound by convention. Auspicious clouds and cascading waterfalls appear either tranquil and gentle, or majestic and magnificent; he freely and expressively captures layered mountains and ever-changing mists, revealing profound richness and ethereal charm.
       Letting his spirit wander freely among lofty mountains and flowing streams, he absorbs the spirit of nature, cultivates artistic sensibility, and embodies the joy of wisdom, rendering brilliant brushwork. Gathering the grandeur of righteous energy, accumulating extensive knowledge and talent, absorbing the essence of all things, he forges his own distinctive style, ultimately achieving modest success in landscape painting.
       In addition to landscapes, Niu Xiaozhen is also proficient in meticulously rendering ink bamboo. He frequently travels to southern regions for fieldwork and sketching alongside Feng Xiaoying, President of the calligraphy and painting association, and fellow artists. He feels the rhythm of mountains and rivers and the vitality of all things, transcending the mundane with unique craftsmanship, employing bright and moist tones that naturally evoke profound artistic realms. His bamboo paintings express the noble character of bamboo—tender yet resilient, soft yet sharp, elegant and refined, embodying lofty moral integrity. In Chinese culture, bamboo symbolizes integrity, perseverance, and steadfastness; countless virtuous scholars have praised, recited, painted, and written about bamboo for its humble yet upright spirit and graceful, towering demeanor. His works have been collected by numerous domestic enthusiasts, and some of his ink bamboo and landscape pieces have been collected by friends in Spain and Russia.
 
       His achievements:
       2016: Participated in the Fuan City Cultural Center exhibition with "Ink Bamboo," won an award and was included in the exhibition publication.
       2017: Appointed as a specially invited council member of the Fuan Workers' Calligraphy and Painting Association.
       2018: Participated in the Gantang Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition with "Ink Bamboo" and "Cinnabar Bamboo," won an award.
       2018: New Year’s Day exhibition at Fuan Cultural Center with "Yellow Mountain Pines and Clouds," won an award.
       2018: Participated in the Qingtuo Group’s 10th Anniversary Achievement Exhibition with 14 works including "Landscapes" and "Ink Bamboo."
       2019: Participated in the Fuan Cultural Center’s exhibition celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC with "Autumn Mountain Spring Melody," won an award and was included in the competition publication.