Artistic talent demonstrated since childhood

It takes talent to be an artist. Dai has exhibited a talent for painting since her childhood by outperforming her peers. In pursuit of her dream of becoming an artist, she, after graduation from high school, was enrolled in Western Painting Section of Department of fine Arts, National Taiwan Academy of Arts (now known as National Taiwan University of Arts) with a major in oil painting. The Department, then chaired by Li Mei-Shu, boasted a diverse faculty of known and well-accomplished artists, including oil painters Liao Chi-Chun, Yang San-Lang and Hong Rui-Lin, watercolor painter Lee Tze-Fan, and drawing painter Chen Ching-Jung. Studying under direct guidance of such great masters allowed Dai of opportunities for honing her drawing and painting skills.

Pursue advanced studies abroad
Ascending to a higher level

Inspired by her passion for painting and longing for further studies abroad to be immersed in the artistic wonderland of New York, Dai left for the US in 1974 and stayed in New York for 15 years, during which she not only completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Stony Brook University but earned a Master of Fine Arts and a Master of Computer Science from The City University of New York. Dai worked her way through such higher studies by painting in Cape Cod.

Difficult days during the schooling years abroad actually benefited her life the most. On one hand she studied at schools under many American master portrait painters such as John Howard Sanden, Daniel E. Greene, and Joe Hing Lowe, on the other she put the knowledge gained at schools into practice when painting in Cape Cod building up strong image interpretation capabilities. The ability of depicting subjects in a quick and true to life manner paved the way for Dai to become specialized in the field of portraiture. In addition, color manipulation, one of her specialties, also contributed to the perfection of her artistic works and won her many commissions for creating portraits of celebrities.

Specialized in portraiture
Creating numerous portraits of dignities

Dai has created portraits for more than 2000 people, among them, many are notable figures and master achievers in business circles. One of her accomplishments in portraiture usually dwelled upon by New York artist circle was that she took a commission from Bermuda Historical Society Museum and spent two years to paint 80 portraits of local personages including Sir Edward Trenton Richards, the first black Bermudian Premier. The project was so successful that the Museum collected a self-portrait of Dai to show to visitors the painter of the 80 fascinating portraits. A recent commission from Gallery of National Taiwan University History adds more to Dai’s outstanding attainments in portraiture in which she portraited the nine Presidents of NTU since 1945.

Keeping up with the times
Combining traditional arts with computer technology

In addition to greatly praised and adored portraits and oil paintings, Dai’s background of computer science made her one of the few talents in our country being able to integrate computer technology with arts. With technological brains and emotional mind Dai has exhibited brilliant achievements in both fields of traditional arts and electronic arts.

Returning Taiwan to teach
Educating younger generations

With the ambition and enthusiasm to improve domestic artistic aesthetics, Dai returned to Taiwan to teach in Department of Applied Arts of Fu Jen catholic University. During the two terms as Chairperson, she devoted all her efforts in course design and arrangement and inviting the service of outstanding professors. In 1996, Dai returned to her alma mater, National Taiwan University of Arts, to serve as Director of Computing Center and she was a full-time professor in Graduate School of Arts and Humanities Instruction starting 2009. In view of the poor conditions of color aesthetics of general people in Taiwan, she dedicated more efforts to teaching with she had learned. The course of Color Theory that she offered were one of the most sought-after courses among students while other courses of Oil Painting, Principles of .Aesthetics, Computer Graphics Design, and Animation Production were also popular. Dai retired from teaching in 2013 but she remains active in the art circle as a full-time artist.