Taiwan Today

Pharmaceutical factory owner-turned-artist Chang Ming-chi, who only began formally studying painting in his middle-age years, recently won a silver medal at Salon, the annual exhibition by Salon des artistes Francais, for his watercolor creation “Bicycle Days,” attaining an honor for which artists around the world have striven. Upon hearing the news of receiving the award one week ago, the 63-year-old Chang joyfully said, “All I want to do is grab my paintbrush and keep painting!” Chang has reason to be excited about his accomplishment. Since 1928, about 100 artists from Taiwan have participated in the exhibition, which has a history of more than two centuries, with only three of that total winning medals at the event. Chang’s pursuit of his passion has not been without obstacles. When he was young, he had to abandon his dream of watercolor painting because of his father’s opposition. After graduating with a degree from Shih Hsin University’s Department of Radio, Television and Film, he returned to his hometown to enter his father’s business, becoming the boss of a pharmaceutical plant. At the age of 40, Chang unexpectedly ran into artist Liu Wen-san at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. The chance meeting seemed to reinvigorate Chang’s passion for painting, and for the next five years, he would faithfully study the art form in his free time after finishing his day at work. However, his studies were later interrupted when the pharmaceutical factory decided to open a branch in mainland China. It was only a decade later that Chang, then 53, was able to take up painting again. He registered for a class taught by artist Hsieh Ming-chang at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. More than 100 people applied for the 30 slots in the class, and lots had to be drawn to select the candidates. Fortunately for Chang, his name was among those chosen. From that time forward, Chang has engaged in his genuine love of watercolor painting uninterruptedly and has entered his paintings in many art exhibitions. Near the start of this period, he soon noticed that almost every exhibition organizer and potential buyer of his works would ask the same question, namely: “What is your educational background in painting?” This made Chang realize that he would have to enter his works into art competitions in order to gain recognition of his talent in the field. The year 2003 would turn out to be one of Chang’s most glorious. He won top honors in a watercolor painting competition at a countywide art fair and then went on to take second place at a central Taiwan regional event later the same year. This early success led Chang to become completely engrossed in entering art competitions in cities and counties islandwide, with these efforts culminating in his recent French salon art exhibition triumph. On his new path as an artist, Chang expressed his greatest appreciation for his wife’s support. Nowadays, he often arranges outings with senior artists who have become his close friends to take photographs around the island in order to seek inspiration for their future works. (SB)