About the artist
Born and raised in Guangzhou China, Simon Lok, [Saiping Lok] was interested in art when he was a teenager. He learned drawing and painting when he was early twenties through tutoring. He took the difficult five -day entry exams that includes drawing ,painting ,story boarding ,Chinese literature and Art history for a prestige art school in his home town for three times but all failed . When he found out that he reached his age limit, [ no application for art schools or universities is accepted when you are 25 years old] he decided to pursue his art career and moved to America in 1983. He was enrolled in Art center in Pasadena and Cal State Long Beach and studied illustration during late 80’s and early 90’s.
Simon Lok was hired as a visual development artist by Disney Feature Animation in 1993. He participated the making of many feature films, such as Planes, the Princess and the Frog, Bolt, Brother Bear and Mulan, [his movie credit name is Saiping Lok] just to name a few. It was working in Disney that his painting skills took off. in such competitive yet friendly environment, he not only learned as much design principle from his peer as he could, but also participated many painting activities of California Art Club, CAC, and workshops taught by well-known artists in the nation. His job was involved in designing the mood, the look of movies. He applied his understanding of light and color on his works which were admired by his peer. As written in one annual performance review by several of his peers, “his color keys inspire the whole background department.”
After an over -two -decade successful career in animation, Simon Lok turns his attention to his easel painting. Figure painting is added to his favor subjects. It is the relation between the figure and his landscape intrigues him.
Simon Lok is a signature member of CAC, and awards recipient of first place award of landscape of CAC Gold Medal Exhibition in 2012, and Museum purchase award of Bowers Museum landscape painting competition in 2004.