Please find Dr Liu's most current information at her new website
https://www.drqliu-artscience.com/
Qinqin Liu is an interdisciplinary artist who holds her Ph.D in botany, and has continued her art education at universities and colleges. Dr. Liu creates interplay artwork drawing from over 30 years’ experience as an artist & scientist. She works primarily in drawing, Chinese ink, watercolor, acyclic, water-based mixed media and collage with natural materials and objects, and loves plein air painting and drawing. She was taught traditional Chinese ink painting and calligraphy before coming to the US. Integrating Chinese calligraphy and design elements into Western art styles and connecting art and science contribute to the unique character of her artwork. Transformation between the contexts of tradition and modernity creates her impressionist and abstract paintings.
As an environmental scientist and biologist, her art work is inspired by the natural beauty and limitless biodiversity of our Mother Earth. Her major artistic interest and lifetime goal is to create art with joy and a sense of responsibility for human health and a sustainable living earth. With her mind, heart and soul she couples her art with scientific experience to capture connections between key ecosystem elements, from white mountain snow to green forests and blue watersheds. She enjoys beginning her artwork by making observations, plein air drawings and paintings in natural environments such as the West Coast’s state and national parks, and then bringing those into her studio to create the final work.
Her work has been exhibited at museums and galleries, corporations and conferences, including in Yosemite National Park, art college and school in New York and Los Angeles, Duluth Art Museum, the Taiwan Science Museum, Intel Corporation, and American Ecological Conference, Berkeley Art and Friends, and California Water Color Association. She also served as a co-director for the GASES Network for Global Art Science Environmental & Sustainability in Sea Change (https://seachanges.org/gases-network/). Her current artwork reflects her deep concerns about changing climate and ecosystems affecting environmental and human heath based on science research.
Curriculum Vitae
ART RESIDENCY, HONORS and Awards
2020:
- Artist for public art education at Art & Natural Center of Yosemite National Park
2019:
- Art Residency for Fine Art at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.
- Inducted into Who’s Who of Professional Women for art and science.
- Watershed art work was selected as a logo for Conference of Applying Science for Changing Future in
Lake Tahoe CA.
2018
- Panelist and speaker for climate art-science nexus at California Delta Water Conference, Sacramento, CA.
2017
- Artist for public art education at Art Center of Yosemite National Park
2016
- Art Residency Program at School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
- Fluorescence Cell and Life, featured in SciArt in America magazine
2015
- Speaker for Climate and Watershed Art Exhibition at Science Museum in Taipei, China.
2008:
- Environmental art award from Sin-Eco Association.
- “Up Stream Salmon” selected for Book Cover in Green Career, Higher Education Press, China.
2007:
- “Enlightenment”, Honorable Mention Award from WASH, Sacramento Fine Art Center, CA.
2006:
- “Coastal Stop”, Merit Award, WASH Annual Open Show, Sacramento Fine Art Center.
ART EXIBITS AND PRESENTATIONS,
2020:
- “Troubled Water” for the “Endangered, Exploring California’s Changing Ecosystems” in California Art Center Museum, Escondido (invitational).
- Mixed media series “Year of Rat” group art at ACAI Gallery, Fair Oaks, California.
2019
- Climate Art Book and Eco Art Series at California State Leadership Program, Sacramento (invitational).
- Climate Art Book Show and Artist’ Talk with people of color at California Vision Summit, Sacramento (invitational).
- Climate art presentation for community engagement in Indian Tribe of Palm Spring, CA.
- Artist’ talk “Art-Science Nexus” and Open Studio Art at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA.
- Chinese ink “Perseverance” at ACAI Gallery, Fair Oaks, California (invitational).
2018:
- Climate Art-Science Nexus in Sacramento Convention Center, CA.
- Recycled Paper and Fiber Art, Upcycle, Sacramento, California.
2017:
- Watershed Series at Confluence to Influence Conference at the University of California, Davis.
- Environmental arts at Art Center of Yosemite National Park.
2016:
- “Living Life Series and Climate Art Rings” at New York School of Visual Arts.
- “Endangered” (donation) sold in art auction in California Water Education Foundation.
- “Connecting Climate and Watershed” Art Series at National Science Museum in Taipei (invitational). .
2015:
- Online Eco Art in Global Art-Science Environmental & Sustainability GASES Network (co-director)
- Artist Talk of Art-Science Nexus at Taiwan University and National Science Museum in Taipei (invitational).
2014:
- “Endangered” Art featured in California Department of Water Resource Magazine.
- “Endangered” for the Group Eco-Art Show in American Ecology Society Annual Conference.
- Group climate art show in California Adaptation Forum, Sacramento.
- “Living Watershed” for Group Art Show in Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California.
2012:
- Group arts in Fine Art, Food and Wine Festival, Folsom, CA (invitational). .
- “Silver Cascade and Moonlight Dream” Water Color at 48 Natoma Gallery, Folsom, CA.
2010:
- “Cascade #1” sold in art auction for donation to San Juan Education Foundation.
2009:
- Solo Environmental Art Gallery Show in Intel, Folsom, CA (invitational).
- “Safe Harbor” selected as Folsom Art Association Featured Artist.
2008:
- “Gateway” for group art show at 48 Natoma Galley, Folsom CA.
- Watersheds and Endangered ink and water color in Sin-Eco Newsletters.
2006:
- “Spring” group watercolor, Fine Artists Factory, Pasadena, CA.
1996:
- “Summer Joy” group art, Duluth Art Museum, MN.
1991 & 1992:
- Group Watercolor I &II for Art and Friends, Berkeley, CA.
1980:
- Figure drawing “Student”, Northwest A&F University, China.
1977:
- Group Chinese Ink Paintings, Xian Yang, Shaanxi, China.
1976:
- Large mural production and public art, XianYang, Shaanxi, China.
EDUCATION
- Ph.D.:1990, Botany/Ecology and Biology Studies, University of California, Davis.
- Art Education 1989-2002: University of California, Berkeley City College, Art Students League at New York,
University of Minnesota, and American River College. - 1965-1975 Chinese Art Education: Ink and Calligraphy, Xianyang, China.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Interdisciplinary Artist
- Senior Environmental Scientist, Natural Resources Agency, the State of California.
- Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota.
- Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Berkeley.
- Ecology Faculty, City College of San Francisco, CA.
ART EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
- Invited as an instructor at the Art Center of Yosemite National Park in 2017 and 2020.
- Served as a co-director for Global Art-Science Environmental & Sustainability-GASES Network since 2015.
- Served as an international
program volunteer for the Leonardo Convening of Art and Science at San Francisco
Art Institute in 2018. - Served as a lead artist and scientist to organize climate art show in California Adaptation Forum in 2014.
- Served as an art docent for San Juan school art programs in California from 2005 to 2010.
- Served as a steering committee member for the International Olympic Sculpture Art Show, Sacramento. CA in 2008.
- Served as a college professor to lead integrated art and science in biology classes.
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