FINE ARTIST
Zimou Tan is a celebrated Chinese-American artist known for his remarkable talent and many accolades. As a classically trained artist, Tan mainly works in oils and charcoal and loves capturing unique characters and souls through portraiture. His admiration for Repin and Sargent, and their masterful portraits, inspired him to pursue portraiture himself. Tan infuses his own emotions into his artwork, which helps him communicate the subject's essence and create a perfect image that connects emotionally with the viewer.
Throughout his career, Tan has won numerous awards and recognition, including the gold medal for Best of Show at the North Valley Art League National show in 2002, followed by the grand prize in the Portrait Artist Society SF Portrait Competition, the second prize in
The Southern California American Society of Portrait Artists, and the city of Laguna Hills competition in 2003. His recognition grew with Awards of Excellence from The National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society in 2013 and finalist spots in the Art Renewal Center annual competition in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019.
In 2015, Tan won numerous awards, including the Grand Prize from International Artist Magazine, the Second Prize from Southwest Artist Magazine, the Second Prize from Oil Painter of America, and the Best Prize from the Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society. He was awarded the title of Associate Living Master of the Art Renewal Center in 2017. That same year, he won the grand prize in the National Oil and Acrylic Painter Society miniature painting national juried exhibition. In 2018, Tan won the Best of Show award at the NOAPS Holiday small work show, and in 2019, he won the Best of Show award at the Art Alliance Idyllwild and became a finalist in the Art Renewal Center annual competition. Most recently, in 2022, Tan was awarded the silver medal from the prestigious Allied Artists of America, cementing his position as one of his generation's talented and celebrated artists.
Tan's paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the United States, including the Butler Institute of American Art Museum in Youngstown, Ohio, the Mills Pond Gallery, and the De Young Museum in San Francisco. He has also participated in group exhibitions organized by various art associations and societies, such as the California Art Club, the Portrait Society of America, and the National Oil & Acrylic Paintings Society. His work has been featured in many publications, including the Art Renewal Center competition catalog, the International Artist Magazine, the American Art Collector, the Southwest Art Magazine, and "40 Portrait Masters" by a French fine art publication.
In addition to his artwork, Tan has also been involved in teaching and giving lectures on art. Taught at Academy of Art University from 2000-2013, Associate Dean for Olivet School of Art and Design from 2015-2021. Double degrees in Fine Arts and Illustration, expecting to receive his M-Div in Spring of 2024. He has conducted workshops and given talks on painting techniques and methods, and his lectures have been featured on wikiHow, Udemy, and Youtube.