Yuehua He is a Chinese-American realist painter born in Beijing in 1959.
Yuehua He at a glance
- Born: 1959, Beijing, China
- Nationality: Chinese-American
- Known for: Realist figure and portrait painting
- Education: Central Academy of Arts and Design, now the Tsinghua University Academy of Fine Arts
- Earlier career: Painted large movie posters and worked as a curator at the Beijing Museum of Art and Design
- Moved to the U.S.: 2000, to paint full time
- Honor: Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master
“I think you cannot overthink a painting too much, have too many goals, ask for too much or spend too long on a painting. It is better to have a painting with a set size, target, and completion time.”
His mother was an art teacher who taught him to draw, and he later graduated from the Central Academy of Arts and Design (now Tsinghua University Academy of Fine Arts). After high school he served in the army, then worked painting large movie posters before working as a curator at the Beijing Museum of Art and Design. He immigrated to the United States in 2000 to become a full-time painter.
He is a member of the Portrait Society of America and Allied Artists of America.
His portrait work was selected for an exhibition in New York in 2009, and his painting “Travel” won the award for the advancement of American Art from Allied Artists of America in 2010. His painting “Daughter” was selected for exhibition at the Art Renewal Center in 2011. He organized the exhibition “Contemporary American Realism” with the Beijing World Art Museum in 2012.
He studied the painting methods of Rembrandt, Ingres, and Sargent, recreating many of their works.
He believes that a small painting can be more challenging than a large one, requiring rich attributes in a short time with few strokes. He enjoys engaging realism and abstract exploration, and is inspired by Sargent’s painting method. He continues to paint and teach from his studio in the United States.
Yuehua He is a celebrated Chinese-American realist painter whose work blends classical technique with modern sensibility. His journey from Beijing to New York, and his dedication to oil painting, have earned him recognition in both China and the United States. His portraits and genre scenes reflect his deep understanding of light, form, and human expression.
