Z.L. Feng grew up in Shanghai and began painting at the young age of seven. After experimenting with all kinds of different mediums, he finally settled on a favorite – watercolor. The artist always revered the medium because of its level of difficulty. “With watercolor you cannot cover your mistakes, so you must know what you are doing,” he says.
One of Feng's favorite places to find inspiration is in the countryside of Virginia's New River Valley. “Usually I go around – to the river, the forest, the lake – to try and find interesting compositions.” One can only imagine the beautiful landscapes he must see during the fall season, when the leaves change colors.
Before coming to the U.S. in 1986, Feng received his BFA degree from Shanghai Teacher's University and taught in its art department for four years. He completed the MFA degree at Radford University in 1989 where he is currently a Professor of Art.
