WEI TAI East Meets West

“Inspiration for art can be found everywhere,” remarks Wei Tai, a multitalented artist who works in many mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor and Chinese brush painting. Just as these mediums influenc and inform each other, Wei Tai expertly blends European and American art traditions, developing innovative techniques along the way. With a cache of finey designed brushes, he primarily works on canvas, creating layer upon layer of paint. His artistic arc covers a wide spectrum from buddhas to ballerinas, horses to humans, and action scenes to still-life.

It’s a joy to watch him work. He is easily approachable at art festivals, an affabl fellow, engaging in conversation. Listen carefully as he speaks about his work. Watch quietly as he creates. You’ll will be pleasantly immersed in his art.

In China as a youth, Wei Tai’s father taught him sculpting and painting techniques. Wei Tai graduated from the Shanghai Fine Art Institute, then went on to Shanghai College as an Assistant Professor of Art and

Fashion Design, serving as the Chief Designer of the China Silk Corporation for seven years. In this capacity, he traveled to Western European countries, was introduced to different cultures and developed a desire for new expressions in art.

Th history and culture of his homeland provided inspiration as well. Wei Tai was drawn to the expressionistic wall frescoes in the “Caves of the Thousan Buddhas” depicting the lively tales of Buddha. “I was searching and learning from the ancients, and the murals are a treasure warehouse of art,” he explains.

Wei Tai entered the United States in 1991 on a O-1 nonimmigrant visa, which is for individuals who possess extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who have a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and have been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements. He settled in Phoenix near his sister, who was an acclaimed concert violist, and began his own path to acclaim. Here in Arizona, the Southwest became his inspiration: the desert landscapes, the cowboys, the Native American Indians. Horses became a particular focus of motion, light and color. His style of East Meets West impressionism created a fresh look to this genre.

Wei Tai is a longtime participant in the well-known 2-hour QuickDraw competition at the Phippen Museum Western Art Show and Sale, in Prescott, AZ. In 2022, he was awarded 1st Place Drawing, just one of the countless awards and certifiates of excellence that he has received. Wei Tai is recognized as one of the leading Chinese artists of his generation and shares his gift in step-by-step painting tutorials on YouTube. Contact info: weitaiart@icloud.com