Raised in China, Mary Qian was enrolled in the traditional education system there, with a focus on the sciences. However, while attending school she pursued the study of Chinese painting and calligraphy on her own. She came to realize that though she admired the ancient Chinese painters, her true leanings were toward western artists. Mary attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where she earned her BFA in Fine Arts and Illustration in 1998. She worked in the field of animation until 2008 when she began to paint on a full-time basis. --courtesy of Saks Gallery, Colorado To refine her life drawing skills Mary Qian both attended and taught at the Pallet and Chisel Club of Chicago. He studio sketches of nudes are sought after by collectors just as much as her still life and portrait paintings.