Exhibit draws crowd

The calligraphy of Taiwan Art Professor, J.C. Cheng's has made its way to Ottawa University's Mammel Art Center. The exhibit will be shown between Sept. 1-15.

J.C. Cheng has spent most of his life mastering the art of calligraphy in Taiwan, where calligraphy, a decorative writing, is considered a national art. In Taiwan, art also was part of the curriculum.

"Making lines is one of the basic things that we have to do, and just being more aware of what is actually going on--the acts, the performance," W.S. Cheng said.

W.S. Cheng was influenced by his father's placid life as an artist, a professor of art for thirty plus years, and his knowing when to isolate himself and focus on his work as an artist.

Frank Lemp, curator for OU's art gallery, has insight for how to understand an artist.

"I think you would have to start off with the beauty of lines, which are made by strokes, and the characters of the lines," Lemp said. "What qualities does it have? The way the words look express closer the intent of the mark than the way we write."

J.C. Cheng also grew up with many unfortunate happenings, such as the loss of his fingers as a young age, which leaves W.S. Cheng unsure of why his father chose calligraphy as his emphases as an artist.