Chinese Artist Welcomed to Springfield

SPRINGFIELD � Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will welcome Chinese painter Liu Jungang to Springfield in a ceremony at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the State Capitol Blue Room

�Mr. Liu�s visit to Illinois underscores the important role that art plays in bridging cultural differences and reaching across borders," Quinn said

�We deeply appreciate his willingness to share this centuries-old tradition of landscape painting with young artists here in the Land of Lincoln

Liu, a traditional landscape painter, is currently serving as an artist in residence at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. During the welcoming ceremony, he will use traditional Chinese watercolor techniques to create a landscape painting for Lt. Gov. Quinn. Ten of the artist�s paintings will be on display in the second-floor hallway outside the Lt. Governor�s office from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24

Joining Quinn in welcoming Liu will be Dr. Ping Chen, emeritus professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, who coordinated the artist�s visit, along with state Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke and Illinois Board of Higher Education executive director Judy Erwin, who visited China with Dr. Chen

The Illinois arts community will be represented by Ann Frescura, executive director of the Springfield Area Arts Council; Gayle Norton, executive director of the Prairie Art Alliance; and Angie Dunfee, executive director of the Springfield Art Association

Liu, a member of the Beijing Artists� Guild, has been the artist in residence at the Beijing Hotel since 1980. His works have been exhibited throughout Japan, Germany, and the United States, as well as many galleries in China. In 1996, he was selected by the Chinese government to design a series of postage stamps.