Meet the Artists
MING GE is a Chinese ink painter, calligrapher, and seal carver whose work is deeply rooted in the literati traditions of classical Chinese art while reflecting a lifetime of personal experience across two cultures. Born and raised in Suzhou, China, a city celebrated for its refined artistic heritage, he developed a love for drawing in childhood that led to formal artistic training after graduating from high school.
He studied calligraphy under the renowned masters Xie Xiaosi of Suzhou and Lin Sanzhi of Nanjing. His training in Chinese painting was guided by Xie Xiaosi and Wu Yangmu, while his study of seal carving was undertaken with Jiao Yi, Sha Manwen, and Zhang Hanyue, all respected artists in China. This rigorous foundation instilled a lifelong appreciation for the expressive power of brush, ink, composition, and artistic conception.
The Cultural Revolution, changing social conditions in China, and later immigration to the United States required him to set aside active artistic practice for many decades. Although his passion for Chinese art never diminished, it was only after retirement that he was able to return seriously to painting and calligraphy. His commitment deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he devoted himself fully to artistic creation.
Now living in Irvine, California, Ming Ge creates landscapes and calligraphic works that draw inspiration from both classical Chinese aesthetics and direct observation of nature, often informed by his travels. His paintings seek to unite disciplined brushwork with poetic atmosphere, expressing the enduring spirit of the Chinese literati tradition in a contemporary context.
His work has been exhibited in Laguna Beach, California, is represented by Ink and Brush, and is available through the gallery's online collection.
YANG GE, born and raised in Suzhou, China, began writing large-character calligraphy at age seven, showing a bold and vigorous style. At thirteen, one of his calligraphy pieces was selected for inclusion in China Middle School Students' Youth Calligraphy Copybook, and he went abroad several times to take part in calligraphy exhibitions. At seventeen, he became a student of the renowned Chinese painting master Wu Dunmu, staying close by his side, and his brushwork gradually matured.
In 1981, he entered a four-year program of systematic Chinese painting study at the Suzhou Amateur Fine Arts School. He later studied at Fudan University's School of Cultural Heritage and Museology, majoring in museum exhibition design. He went on to work at the Shanghai Museum, the Suzhou Museum, and the Suzhou Stone Inscription Museum, holding positions in exhibition design and museum administration.
Over the years, he has never stopped painting, and his artistic style has steadily matured — light and unhurried as drifting clouds, carrying the spirit and mood of Song and Yuan dynasty literati painting. He has served as president of the Suzhou Traditional Chinese Painting Institute, and served as director of the Yan Wenliang Memorial Hall.
Later in his career, Yang Ge has incorporated his new painting style, combining traditional Chinese principles with contemporary and abstract painting methods. Raw silk is wrapped around a traditional stretched canvas, and he paints on the silk. The ink and colors bleed onto the canvas beneath, which is slightly separated from the raw silk. The method creates a holographic effect when viewed at different angles.