The BoldBrush Show

83 Calvin Liang — Paint Your Personal View of the World

Calvin Liang Season 7 Episode 83

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To kick off season 7, we sat down with Calvin Liang, a successful landscape artist from China based in southern California. He tells us all about his youth starting with going to one of the most prestigious art academies in China, to when he moved to the US and began a career as an illustrator for projects such as The Little Mermaid and SpongeBob SquarePants, to finally being able to live full time from his paintings. Calvin reminds us of the importance of always keeping a high quality level for your work and why that would help galleries and collectors trust you more. He also advises that your work should always speak to you first before putting it out into the world, and also that it should show your own personal vision and not just be a copy of reality. Finally, he tells us about the pieces he will be sending to a show at Pepperdine University in Malibu with the California art club this month and his upcoming workshop in October!

Calvin's FASO Site:
https://www.calvinliangfineart.com/

Calvin's  Upcoming Workshops:
https://www.calvinliangfineart.com/workshops

See Calvin's Paintings at the California Art Club Show:
https://www.californiaartclub.org/event/malibu2024/
https://shorturl.at/adgkS

Calvin Liang:

The paintings I make are not only a sample; not only Laguna Beach, it's a Calvin Liang eyes' sample. It's a"Calvin Liang's eyes Laguna Beach." Yeah, that's the major thing I learned from animation the design oh! the idea. So, basically with my paintings when I teach a workshop I tell the

people:

painting is not painting the subject, it's painting the idea; you put your idea inside the painting to let people know about the mood, and thinking that's a major thing I learned from animation.

Laura Arango Baier:

Welcome to BoldBrush show, where we believe that fortune favors the bold brush. My name is Laura Arango Baier, and I'm your host. For those of you who are new to the podcast. We are a podcast that covers art marketing techniques, and all sorts of business tips specifically to help artists learn to better sell their work. We interview artists at all stages of their careers as well as others are in careers tied to the art world in order to hear their advice and insights. To kick off season seven, we sat down with Calvin Liang, a successful landscape artist from China based in Southern California. He tells us all about his youth starting with going to one of the most prestigious art academies in China. So when he moved to the US and began a career as an illustrator for projects such as The Little Mermaid and SpongeBob SquarePants, to finally being able to live full time from his paintings. Calvin reminds us of the importance of always keeping a high quality level for your work, and why that would help galleries and collectors trust you more. He also advises that your work should always speak to you first, before putting it out into the world. And also that it should show your own personal vision and not just be a copy of reality. Finally, he tells us about the pieces he will be sending to a show at Pepperdine University in Malibu with the California art club this month, and his upcoming workshop in October. Welcome Calvin to the BoldBrush show. How are you today?

Calvin Liang:

Yeah, really good! Thank you so much. I'm so excited, I can interview and I can talk. You're in Norway!

Laura Arango Baier:

Yes, I'm all the way in Norway and then you're all the way in? I believe California, right.

Calvin Liang:

Yeah, I'm in, Southern California. Right between San Diego and Los Angeles. Right in the middle. Wow. That's

Laura Arango Baier:

a beautiful area. It's really nice.

Calvin Liang:

Yeah, yeah. Sunny on most days. Sunshine.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah, a lot of sun. And it's nice and fresh, which is good. Yeah, I'm really excited to have you on because your career is a fascinating one to me. And also because of course, I grew up watching Spongebob and The Little Mermaid, which you worked on both of those projects, which is so awesome. And then of course your work right now. Your paintings are absolutely breathtaking. They are gorgeous. I love the colors. You're welcome. Yeah, I love the way that you capture scenery. And it's very interesting because whenever I look at your paintings, I do see the bit of you that was in patchy the pirate right in the painting that you did for SpongeBob. I do see the colors and I love it. I love it so much. But before we talk more about your career, do you mind telling us a little bit about who you are and what you do?

Calvin Liang:

Yeah. And I think from the beginning, from childhood talking about that. And when I was very young, about five or six years old I was really interested to draw, to draw the little cartoon everything and I kept drawing all the time. And I was really interested in painting too and then since I was about 8 about 13 to 12 Then I started the watercolor and acrylic so no, gouache at the time no acrylic only gouache. I'll show you a photo there was

Laura Arango Baier:

oh my gosh

Calvin Liang:

it was a long time ago, I was 13 years old. This here. The way I'm still painting. Yeah. I painted in oil I think at about 12 or 13 then started with the oil to paint. Then after I graduated from high school, then I go to the north China to the Shanghai Academy of Fine Art to study set design. I was a set designer, you see for the opera, then after that I went back to Canton I worked on the Canton Opera Institute and as head of set design I paint the big paintings you see, Yeah, so, and I worked for several years at the Canton Opera Institute, then I got the foreign student visa from China Canton, China. Then moved to San Francisco because I get a student visa in Academy of Art College in San Francisco. Yeah, and so after that, and I met my wife in San Francisco. And we got married in San Francisco. So I stayed, I came to California from China in 1987. Long time ago. Yeah. And after I got married and had to get a job. So finally I think at that time cartoons were really popular. You see the Lion King? Yes, it was really popular at the time, even still didn't know about it yet at the time really popular. Then I moved all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles. And because I was looking for a job in animation, they said animation is really good and they pay really good. And so then I come to Los Angeles. Then I take a one semester, the quarter to study the animation. Learn the technique, how to paint the background they use air brushes to learn. Then finally I get a job in Disney. The first project I worked on in Disney animation: The Little Mermaid. Yes, underwater. So I'm working for Disney and after The Little Mermaid I saw that Nickelodeon's SpongeBob Squarepants started to hire people. So then I moved from Disney to Nickelodeon. I worked on the beginning as the background painter. And saw the were maybe very happy about it and so you see the pirate I show you Yeah, want me to show it again?

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah you can show it again and then I can add the image later.

Calvin Liang:

The pirate gives me really good memories when working on? Yeah. Yeah, the people see it. Yeah. Yeah, now they use it for every beginning from the show they see Yeah, maybe really good memory. So I was working for five years in SpongeBob. And because they wouldn't work along the animation or the for the whole life, and never, ever stop drawing and painting. And even when working on the Disney or working on Nickelodeon, every weekend, evening, holiday, vacation, I try to keep painting all the time. Then I submitted a painting into the gallery at the time my painting in the market was selling really good. They wanted more paintings, they sold and made me really really busy. And I remember at the time in the first one man show is in 2000. I did a one man's show for the gallery. Finally, more and more galleries they want me to join them in the gallery then at that time the Trailside Gallery in Scottsdale and in Wyoming have two location then they are really good galleries. And they gave me a one man show also and Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, Texas and became a one man show each year, two one man shows is a whole lot for each year, then I think I can hold it for two one man shows for the galleries and SpongeBob. Finally, I quit SpongeBob the animation. Yeah, because the time will be 24 hour every day for people. So I don't have too much time to handle those three things. That's why I dropped the SpongeBob and I worked on fine art because basically, when I was child, when I was young, I really wanted to be at an artist, that's a painter thing I want. Yeah, because when I'm working on the animation, you kind of follow the idea, you see the script and everything, yeah. But a fine art painting all the painting ideas, I can make my own, I can control everything 100% This is the way I wanted it, that's why I quit animation, then I do the fine art. And I do it now. So I, how many years in 2002, full time, in 2002. That was my final day, I quit SpongeBob and it's more than 20 years now, then build that and do fine art. And sometimes I teach a warkshop too, because basically, I love the teaching. And because of when I'm teaching, I can lead the people also, I learn a lot from the people. Yeah, because the other thing is really good when doing a workshop where I can get a very good balance. And most of the time, I was in my studio, my wife and my kid is videotape is very busy, most of the time to stay by myself. And when I'm doing a workshop, then I can balance some alone time in my studio. So that's another thing. Yeah. So yeah, basically that's the, from the beginning to now so

Laura Arango Baier:

yes, wow, that is quite a journey, because you've been doing it for very long time. And your work is again, it's absolutely gorgeous. And it's, you're welcome. I think it's, it's amazing how, you know, you really never put the paintbrush down. And you can tell because like I can tell that in your work. There's a lot of love. There's a lot of joy that goes into it. And you're welcome. Yeah. And then of course, having gone to one of the most, I think it's one of the most prestigious schools in China actually, for fine art. That's also really awesome to have worked on opera and like on these theater sets. Do you think that the work you did in theater sets? Has it affected how you work and also like your illustration?

Calvin Liang:

That's what a good question. You see where they're working on the animation, they really want to get the idea put into the painting. So that's a good thing that helped me because every, basically the painting, they make it up by the shape, color, value, edges, and to put that kind of stuff, you got to have the idea. That's a really major thing I learned from animation, because every painting, you're gonna follow the layout, you got to follow the idea how the Scripture leader, you can think the thing you want and you got to follow the idea. Now when I'm working on my own my painting, the thing I learned, oh that's a better way I can put my idea in my painting, like the way I paint the sample, or the landscape like I go to Laguna Beach and I paint, the painting I make is not only the sample, not only the Laguna Beach it's a Calvin Liang's eyes sample, it's a Calvin Liang's eyes Laguna Beach. That's the major thing. I learn from the animation, the design oh the idea. So, basically with my paintings when I teach a workshop I tell the people: painting is not painting the subject, it's painting the idea; you put your idea inside the painting to let people know about the mood, and thinking that's a major thing I learned from animation.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah, yeah, that makes perfect sense. Because you know, it's a little bit boring to just copy something. It is much nicer to enhance it right to have that idea, like you're saying and really translate it on the canvas and capture that idea instead of just copy which is it's okay to copy. But the the idea is more exciting,

Calvin Liang:

Yeah it's more exciting, more interesting for me. Yeah. So that's why when the magazine the interview made a long time ago and finally, and most of the people that interviewed me and the editor they asked me the last question. Calvin, could you tell me who is the artist in the world, you favor. The first word that pops in my head is Sorolla, the Spanish painter, Sorolla. Sorolla is a really good painter and not only the technique, not only the shape, the color, everything is perfect for him. But the amazing thing, Sorolla's paintings speak to me because of the happy mood. Every painting I see is really happy. That's the happy mood I really want to put into my paintings. And I want to people see my painting feel happy. That's the reason why. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier:

I think you definitely accomplished that. Because I look at your paintings and the colors make me smile, it makes me feel like I'm in, in the painting. And I'm viewing a beautiful, you know, maybe it's the beach, or beautiful landscape. Or I saw your painting of the church at I think it's I can't remember where but there was, it was a church that you painted. And the front of it is it has all these beautiful architecture. Do you remember which one it is? Yeah,

Calvin Liang:

That one's in San Antonio, San Jose Mission. Yeah, the people and the sunbathing

Laura Arango Baier:

Gorgeous. Gorgeous. I love the high chroma orange. That's just seeping underneath. It's glorious. I love it. Of course,

Calvin Liang:

I've really enjoyed what a refreshing warm light with a brown. Thank you. Yes, it's my favorite painting too. Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier:

So I wanted to ask you also, what advice would you give to an artist who wants to improve at painting? Like what's a tip that you think would really help?

Calvin Liang:

I think basically, and I want the people, who want to be artists, you got to keep studying, all the whole life. Because if you don't study, you don;'t know. That's, why you gotta stay interested, and you gotta keep studying. And you've got to... Maybe you've got to go to school, maybe you've got to pick different people's workshops to learn the technique. And to enjoy the process of painting. Yeah, that's it, everything, you've got to enjoy. And also you got to keep studying, because if you don't study, you don't know the thing. Yeah, like at a drawing. When you draw the figure, most of the things are inside out, if you don't start inside out technique, everything you don't know how to handle the figure. So that's why everything if you don't study, it's hard to look at a thing you want to Yeah, that's why one thing that I suggest to people when I'm teaching a workshop, you gotta keep studying all the time. Yeah, that's the basic important idea for the artists. Yeah. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier:

I completely agree. I think, you know, it's, it's very easy to stop studying. I think that's, for a lot of people, you know, you paint and you're, you're satisfied. But I think for sure, you know, to improve, I completely agree. You have to keep studying and you have to, you know, there's so much to learn. There's so much about painting, even just, you know, transparent versus opaque pigments and how they behave in a painting or anatomy, like how you were saying with the figure, right, and understanding more anatomy because that helps inform the painting better. Like there's so much even brushwork, you know, like, wet into wet versus painting in layers, like, so much that has to be learned. I completely entirely agree. Yeah, um,

Calvin Liang:

that's why sometimes when people ask me when I taught a workshop with Calvin when you think about a painting is finished, I think basically for me, the painting never, ever finish. Because why? Because when you study you can improve when you can improve the see the PowerPro see, the dependent never ever finished, because keep studying. Yeah, that's the important thing.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah. Yes, definitely. I agree. I think no painting is ever finished. It's just abandoned or you reach a point where I don't know how to improve this anymore in this moment, like how you're saying, and then you know, in the future, you see it again, you're like, Ah ha, yes, that's right. Could have improved, but I didn't know. So It becomes like a memory of the things you knew and how you know you've improved after. Yeah. Which is really great. Yeah.

Calvin Liang:

Because if you don't learn, you don't know, you can see. Yeah, see, when I go to outdoor the premiere, so many information. So which information you're going to capture to make a painting? You got to learn. Yeah, we don't learn. You don't know what kind of thing you got to capture on a painting. That's why don't keep practicing. Yeah

Laura Arango Baier:

BoldBrush we inspire artists to inspire the world because creating art creates magic. And the world is currently in desperate need of magic. BoldBrush provides artists with free art marketing, creativity, and business ideas and information. This show is an example. We also offer written resources, articles and a free monthly art contest open to all visual artists. We believe that fortune favors the bold brush. And if you believe that to sign up completely free at BoldBrush show.com. That's B O LD BRUSH show.com. The BoldBrush Show is sponsored by FASO. Now more than ever, it's crucial to have a website when you're an artist, especially if you want to be a professional in your career. Thankfully, with our special link faso.com forward slash podcast, you can make that come true. And also get over 50% off your first year on your artists website. Yes, that's basically the price of 12 lattes in one year, which I think is a really great deal considering that you get sleek and beautiful website templates that are also mobile friendly ecommerce print on demand in certain countries, as well as access to our marketing center that has our brand new art marketing calendar. And the art marketing calendar is something that you won't get with our competitor. The art marketing calendar gives you day by day step by step guides on what you should be doing today, right now in order to get your artwork out there and seen by the right eyes so that you can make more sales this year. So if you want to change your life and actually meet your sales goal this year, then start now by going to our special link faso.com forward slash podcast. That's s a s o.com. Forward slash podcast. Yeah, and plein air is definitely one of the best ways to really practice in a really challenging way. I think printers so hard. I've actually never done plein air because I'm terrified.

Calvin Liang:

You know, the premiere and really important why? Because even the people that think about the painting in the studio, and the people that really enjoy the painting, the color, everything look like outdoor. That's why you gotta understand the color relationship from the nature. That's why you gotta go out to paint. So even me now, all the time, sometimes when I got out of the pain, if you don't go out of the paint, pretty soon you lose everything. They let you out and in, out and in. Yeah, so outdoors very important.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, especially for painting those nice landscapes. You know, like I've seen a lot of painters who they'll do a plein air study and like you're saying they'll come back into the studio and they'll do the bigger version and then they'll go back out and they'll come back Yeah, and and continue and maybe change a few things. But yeah, I think plein air for sure. It's something I'm considering trying but I'm very scared. Very scared. Yeah, um, by the way, since you work mostly with galleries, right? And it seems like that's the way that has been the easiest for you. I wanted to know what are some of the ways that you have been able to maintain a relationship with galleries like how has that been for you? Yeah,

Calvin Liang:

and I think it's a really good question. When a gallery want to work along for the gallery for a long time for many years and I have basically the idea, you've got to paint one thing you got to keep the high quality painting, do the best you can so make it up every good painting you You see you cannot be really lousy when sending to galleries think the gallery not only not only the gallery happy even the the client, the collector, they don't like it. That's why. The first thing is you gotta keep the high quality painting, because if you can do high quality painting, you enjoy it too. You got to enjoy yourself first. Then you send it to the gallery. The first thing the second thing I think with galleries is the connection if they have a show they have a group show, everything if they want you to join them in, you gotta agree. Don't say no. Because, like if the gallery has a group show, and you said, Oh, no, I don't want to do it. I think that's not a good idea and have to follow. Yeah. Listen, some idea that gallery, oh, they have a group show, and they have the ta ta ta that you gather to build a good relationship with them, then you get the idea. And also, you gotta make up your own style. Your own idea, just have to way like, so many, like a canyon in a gallery. So many artists that bring the canyon you gotta paint your Calvin Liang's eyes canyon? Yes. That's the important thing for the gallery because I call the icon. You're going to pick up your own icon in the gallery. That that's an important thing for the gallery too. Because the gallery they say, Even so like with a gallery in the show too, they want your signature style. That's an important thing for the soul and for the gallery. Yeah. The major thing?

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah, that's that's a very good point. Yeah, it's, I mean, I see your work and I know it's your work, right. I can look at a painting I've never seen before. That is yours. And I know it's yours. So because it has that Calvin Liang's eyes as you're saying, like it has yeah,

Calvin Liang:

those are signature style you want to create and even if I don't say the name. They're going to see the painting. Oh, that's who. That's who. Yeah. Do you recognize the artists? Yeah. This way? Yeah. Yes. That's the way, a really good way for the for the soul for the for the gallery. Yes. Yes.

Laura Arango Baier:

Definitely. Do you have any tips for someone who wants to find their own style? Or their voice? Like how can they find it?

Calvin Liang:

Yeah, I think basically, when I teach a workshop, I tell the people, you're going to train your eye, about how normal people look at the nature look at the thing, you gotta train it to have artists eyes, what else are they gonna paint? You're gonna paint, keep the eye on the shape, color, value, the edge. Because those four elements to make a painting just like a music, the music, every music they got do re mi fa so right, do re mi fa so then, every music, and in painting it's the same thing, shape, color, value, edges and make the portrait, still life, seascape, landscape. Everything this way, you get a process that I got to keep thinking about those four elements. Yeah, that's a really important thing to keep to learn how the way to be artist.Yeah. So also, they can go to the musem and take a workshop for the people get a different idea. Just like a building a house, you're going to learn the different people the different way to pick up their own house to finally you kept it that way. You're interesting. You can handle it that way you can build up your own house. That's the way to work along. The whole life or the style, that's the icon. Yeah. Do you like your own icons? Very important, I think even in your marketing, in the show in a gallery everything if even for you, by your own. This feel more happy about it. Because there's my eyes the world, my eyes and nature. There's the interesting part to be the artist. Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier:

That's very true. It's definitely like, a lot of exploration that you have to do a lot of experimenting and learning like you were saying, like you have to continue studying and you really have to take into account those, you know, those things, those elements that make up a beautiful painting. And that's a great point. Yes. Wow. Yeah, I love it because it's so simple. But it's so difficult at the same time. You know, it's very simple. It like set of things, you know, in the way that we say them, but then when you do it, it's a whole other thing. Okay, that's easy, but what a do it it's really difficult. it's easy to see got it? Yeah. Oh, that's so funny. But yeah, um, I wanted to ask you though because you mentioned you know, in your marketing, how have you, you know, tried to use your personal vision and your brand and put that into your marketing

Calvin Liang:

um, most because most of my paintings, I have to submit to the gallery and when a painting is in marketing stuff, the magazine when a magazine interviewed me and depending on the market, it's really good chance for bigger promos by my marketing. So see the more and more during the show that the gallery and some gallery some the magazine interview me more and more that day, the market and the more clear the market, what else they need and everybody else is more interested for their part can make it easy to get into the good marketing stuff for my paintings. It's in the experience gotta take time to little by little to to learn so it will have to take time, you gotta to participate in for the reception to see the whole group, the people that see the people more interested and you're interesting, in your stuff. So everything together there's a little by little to array. Yeah, the marketing is really hard, because sometimes the market changes a little bit and it keeps changing. Yeah, so you got to keep the eye on everything. So some people are... They love it a little bit modern. And some people really traditional and a different market. You got to to get different marketing knowledge upon it. read a magazine, go to the online computer reception, talk to the people talk to the collector other artists The only thing you can do it. Yeah. So to take all the chances you can so you learn. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier:

yeah, it's the same as how you were saying with painting. It's a lot of exploration, a lot of going out there and asking and talking and investigating. Because it is definitely you know, a different beast, right as, you know, having to talk to complete strangers and you know, ask them hey, you know, what do you think about this or, or even like you said, you know, it's so important to go to like shows and receptions, especially the very first day of the group showed and meet other people because you never know, who you meet who might, you know, become your next collector or they might help you understand a little bit how the market has shifted. If there's a new sort of interesting type of painting that people are looking for, like there's so much that goes into the business of being a painter. Yeah, so do you have any advice for someone who maybe wants to start working with a gallery? who maybe doesn't know how to approach a gallery like how can they like do they just show up? Or do they like what do you recommend?

Calvin Liang:

I think basically I'm so lucky at the beginning because when a participant for the California art club show the gallery they knew about me at the show then they called me Calvin do want to join the gallery? then why not? Then since I went into the gallery and then they get me into the first gallery in Pasadena California, but now it's not around anymoore because they're gone and when I get into the galleries a lot of big galleries a lot of small galleries then they call me and want me to submit a painting to the gallery and getting sales and that can be really good promotion at the time they continue for whole years they put my stuff in the American Art Review for the magazine for whole year they were promoting me then since then, so better the better at that gallery and then the other gallery contacted me a lot of galleries contacted me so they made me so happy. Yeah. If I suggest to the new people now to work on the internet basically the because now there is that this is a different time than before. Now you can go to your own website or you can just from the website contact the gallery. So send the image of the painting to the gallery to let them to see if they feel interested. You get a contact them or maybe send a painting to them to see it too. Try it. Yeah this way but the way like, I am so lucky I haven't contacted the galleries but the gallery contacted me. So then I can basically I heard about a lot of people they looking for galleries now they just shoot them an email. to the gallery because every gallery has email, so send via email to them email then they can see if they're interested then you get a connection with them.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's so awesome though that they contacted you you know that's the ideal situation because that means the gallery definitely loves your work and definitely wants to promote it you know, there's a big difference you know, when it's a gallery who you approach them and maybe they're like a little bit but when the gallery really loves an artist's work it's so much easier for them to sell it because the gallery loves it you know, it's so important Yeah, so really great.

Calvin Liang:

When a gallery calls you then it's easier, then you take Yeah, it's a lot easier. Yeah. Yeah, I think in the beginning I think when I was in America a long time ago the moment... the time was in America in about one a couple of years beginning I was looking for a gallery too. I was looking for a gallery, but it's not easy because the people they don't know you, they're not interested in your painting. But finally, I had one agent the contacted me that because I get a show too from that time a long time ago I participated at a local show, then a one agent with another real agent. So the people they want to represent a couple of people they asked me Calvin, do you want me to be your agent will because I handled about couple artists. Every one I can be agent and I agree. Then they get me some gallery. I got before long time ago. Yeah, up until I was doing the animation, then I went into the fine art gallery, then I got lucky because the gallery contacted me. Yeah, I did it a different way and yeah, I knew that looking for a gallery is not easy. Yeah. Because the people just see the gallery is the only the wall. They still have a lot of artists. Why I gotta get in? Get you in because you gotta think you're really good in a gallery. That's why it's not easy for the new galleries, the new artists at this time and your students you chance we're gonna walk along, you have a good painting against your people. They want you. Yes, yeah, definitely. That's the quality paintings.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yes, exactly. The high quality work keeping up, you know, the really good, good work, because then that's, you know, that's what the gallery is going to expect and want. And like you said, it keeps the gallery happy, keeps the collectors happy. And it makes you feel a sense of pride as well in your work that you're always giving your best, which is so important. And I agree, you know, today it is a little easier, I'd say to to find galleries at least, also because of social media, and you know, having a website, all of that makes it a lot easier. I think back you know, even just 20 years ago, it was a lot harder to get with a gallery because he had to physically print out, you know, maybe images or maybe if you had like a CD with your images in it, right? If if you wanted to have a CD, and you'd have to go and you know, it was a lot more work. I think today everything is so much easier because of the internet for sure. Yeah. Um, so do you have any final advice for anyone who wants to become a full time artist?

Calvin Liang:

Keep studying, keep painting, practice, keep the high quality stuff. That's the only way to be the artist. Keep studying the whole life. Pick up the hype. Try to do the best of you can get a high quality stuff. Yeah, so the painting, you want to speak to the people, it needs to speak to yourself first. You see if the painting doesn't speak to yourself, then it's hard for it to speak to other people. Yeah, so

Laura Arango Baier:

yeah, that's a great point. Yeah, you have to like your work has to speak to you too, right? Yes, it's where you're even doing it. Yeah, or else it's just a painting. Yeah. It's missing the magic. It's some assume the that vision like you're saying that unique. Insight is very true. Well, Calvin, do you have a Do you have any galleries that you want to tell us about where people can go see your work?

Calvin Liang:

Oh yeah. And I will show uh next month I will be Sunday. There are two people for the letters of the California art club with the Pepperdine University. They make up a show and I'll be sending two paintings for their show. And next month I will drive all the way to Santa Monica oh not Santa Monica in Malibu. I'll show you the painting. Yes. Yeah, these two paintings this one of of this painting. Yeah, gorgeous That's in Malibu, local in Malibu. Yeah. One. There's a one of them. And the second one? Yeah. This one?

Laura Arango Baier:

Oh, that's so nice. Yes.

Calvin Liang:

Yeah. So I will submit those two paintings in may to the Pepperdine University. Yeah. For the show. Yeah. So maybe the California Art Club buys paintings for this year in August. The California art club every year they have the annual show. Yeah, I don't attend during the workshop. Yeah we have three workshops that comes out. One is in Malibu. Yeah. One is in Carmel, California. One is in Scottsdale, Pasco. Yeah, you want me to show the information?

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah. And I will also include it though in the in the video, and in the show notes so that people can go out and sign up. That's awesome. And then where can people go online to find your work?

Calvin Liang:

Yeah, you go to my website www.calvinliang.com Then you can check it out my workshop, workshop information. And the gallery I show there the gallery links you can see the work in the gallery you can see my stuff in the gallery. I have so some gallery that represent me, for every for every information then go to my website. And if you forget my website, you just go to Google look up Calvin Lang. Then you'll see my information. Everything. I think from Google, you can see everything.

Laura Arango Baier:

Yeah, Google is easy. Yeah. Yeah. Well, awesome. Thank you so much Kelvin for sharing all of this awesome information with us and for telling us about your your you know, your vision and how you really enjoy making other people happy with your work. That's wonderful. Thank

Calvin Liang:

you so much. Thank you so much, Laura. Thank you.

Laura Arango Baier:

You're welcome.

Calvin Liang:

Thank you so nice and have good evening. You.

Laura Arango Baier:

Have a Good morning.

Calvin Liang:

Thank you. Yeah, pretty, pretty happy for the interview. Thank you so much. Of course.