American Fine Art Magazine Award / Sheng Xinyu Art Award

‘Venice Symphony 2021’ has the singular distinction of winning four awards in the 16th International ARC Salon Competition, including Best Watercolor, The MEAM Purchase Award, and two separate publication awards. The artist – first-time entrant, Chung-Wei Chien –has won a total of eight awards in this year’s competition. This is only the second time in the ARC Salon’s history that any artist has won this many awards in a single competition.

Chung-Wei Chien was born in 1968 and earned a master’s degree in fine arts at the National Taiwan Normal University. Over the years, he has won many awards in international competitions. In addition, he is the first artist in Taiwan to become a signature member and Dolphin

Fellow of the American Watercolor Society. He now teaches watercolor in Taiwan and has been invited to instruct watercolor workshops worldwide. About ‘Venice Symphony 2021’, Chien says, “The deciding factors in my mind while painting are not the scenery coming and going in front of my eyes, but the critical elements of a well-composed painting such as tempo, variation, rhythm, balance, coordination, etc. The composition and structure are the decisive factors of the completion of a picture. As long as you perfect the composition and structure, the painting is completed. Know what you want, figure out the sequence and direction, and concentrate on doing it. Acknowledge every trace and value left by your every movement. This is watercolor as well as life.”