Exquisitely detailed and vibrantly personal, the imagery of Denver-based artist Jie Wei Zhou radiates the passion he feels for his subject matter, as he fulfills his mission to preserve the history and traditions of his Chinese homeland—one image at a time.

From his earliest days, it was obvious that the young Shanghai native was destined to become an artist. With a sketchbook as his constant companion, the daily entries he made helped him to refine his understanding of form and light. When he was 14, he was one of only a few students singled out to receive individualized instruction at the Shanghai Normal University. From there, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the prestigious Shanghai Institute of Drama. Although those studies honed Zhou’s skills in replicating techniques employed by the French and Russian masters, he would not be free to incorporate that training into his own style until the dictates of the Cultural Revolution were rescinded following the death of Mao Zedong in 1976.

Jie Wei Zhou

Little Helper
Oil
30″ x 24″

“It’s always a delight to paint children. This girl’s favorite chore is weaving the red pepper.”

Jie Wei Zhou

Flowers From My Garden
Oil
30″ x 30″

“My wife loves flowers. One day, when she was arranging the flowers, it captured my eyes, so I asked her if she could put on the Miao dress to be my model.”