Growing up in China, Calvin Liang was ordered to work on a farm when he graduated from high school, but kept up his obvious talent of drawing and painting. He later had a job painting sets at the Canton Opera, and then studied at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. In 1987, he left China for San Francisco where he worked at menial jobs and saved enough money to buy oil paints and other supplies. He also painted cartoons for Marine World and worked as a sidewalk portraitist. He joined the Artist Guild of San Francisco and exhibited with them.

In 1997, he moved to Los Angeles and worked in the animation studios of Disney and then Nickelodeon. His animation credits include "Little Mermaid", "Cinderella Stories" and "Sponge Bob Square Pants."

He is a member of the Plein-Air Painters Association, the California Art Club, the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, and the Oil Painters of America. Liang's awards include the Oil Painters of America Award of Excellence, first place award at the Golden Years exhibit at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, and Best of Show at the American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition.

Source: American Artist, February 2002; Art of the West, November/December 2003

Calvin Liang, b. Canton, China

After completing his education at one of China's most prestigious and competitive art academies Liang skills as a fine artist were applied to the theatrical industry where he designed and created sets for operas and musical dramas for the Canton Opera Institute. Liang moved to the United States in 1987 and continued his profession as a full-time artist. He had a long and successful career creating visual art for the entertainment industry in animation, which included the Walt Disney Studios and Nickelodeon Studio where he worked for the Little Mermaid and Sponge Bob Squarepants. In 2002, Liang left his animation career to pursue a full-time career as a fine artist, painting themes of his choosing.

Education
• Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai, China
Selected Exhibitions
• Autry National Center, Master of the American West, Los Angeles, CA, 2012, 2013, 2014
• Trailside Galleries, East Meets West, Scottsdale, AZ, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
• Oil Painters of America, 2005
• Bowers Museum, Annual Laguna Plein Air Painting Exhibition, 2002
• American Impressionist Society, 2002
Selected Press
• Art of the West, Los Angeles, CA, 2014
• Art of the West, Los Angeles, CA, 2012
• American Art Collector, Scottsdale, AZ, 2006, 2007, 2008
• American Artist Workshop Magazine, Loveland, CO 2007
• Southwest Art Magazine, Broomfield, CO, 2005
• American Artist Magazine, Loveland, CO, 2002, 2007
• Artist's Magazine, Loveland, CO, 2005
• Art of the West, 16th Anniversary Edition, Cover, Los Angeles, CA, 2004
Affiliations
• Oil Painters of American, Master Member, Crystal Lake, IL
• American Impressionist Society Master Member, Vero Beach, FL
• California Art Club, Signature Member, Pasadena, CA
• Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, Signature Member, Laguna Beach, CA
Awards
• C.M. Russell Museum, Best of Show, 2006
• Oil Painters of America, Award of Excellence, 2005
• Laguna Plein Air Painting Event, People's Choice Award, 2002
• American Impressionist Society, Best of Show, 2002

Calvin Liang was born in Canton, China. He began painting in high school and completed his art education at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, recognized as one of China’s most prestigious and competitive art academies. In China, his skills as a fine artist were applied to the theatrical industry where he designed and created sets for operas and musical dramas for the Canton Opera Institute.

In 1987, Liang moved to the United States where he began a long and successful career creating visual art for the entertainment and animation industries, which included the Walt Disney and Nickelodeon Studios. In early 2002, he diverted his career from animation to fine art and has received vast recognition.

Professional Memberships:

Master Signature Member, Oil Painters of America; Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association; Signature Artist Member of the California Art Club

Awards and Honors:

2015 Edgar Payne Award for Best Landscape in California Art Club 104th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition
2015 Artist Award in Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale
2006 Juror’s Best of Show-38th Annual C.M. Russell
2005 Art-Talk Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America Juried Exhibition
2002 People’s Choice Award, 6th Annual Laguna Plein Air Painting Event in Bowers Museum
2002 “Best of the Show” American Impressionist Society’s 4th Annual Juried Exhibition

Publications:

Magazines: American Art Collector, Art of the West, Southwest Art and American Artist Magazine

Calvin Liang was born in Canton, China. He began painting in high school and completed his art education at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, recognized as one of China's more prestigious and competitive art academies. In China, his skills as a fine artist were applied to the theatrical industry where he designed and created sets for operas and musical dramas for the Canton Opera Institute.

In 1987, Liang moved to the United States where he began a long career creating visual art for the entertainment and animation industries, which included the Walt Disney and Nickelodeon Studios. In early 2002, he changed his career focus from animation to fine art.

Museum exhibitions in California include: Pasadena Museum of California Art, Laguna Art Museum, Pasadena Museum of History, Frederick Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University and the Coos Art Museum in Oregon.

Calvin Liang is a Master Signature Member of Oil Painters of America and a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, California Art Club, and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.