The legacy of Steven Ericson (1943-2024). Acquired from American Auction Center in the spring of 2025.

Steven Moran Ericson's love for Chinese culture and calligraphy runs deep. In the summer of 1984, Mr. Ericson was among the first group of American students to travel to Hangzhou to study Chinese painting at the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (now the China Academy of Art). Twenty-four students from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where they learned the charm of Eastern aesthetics, were immersed in the vibrant brushwork and sonorous art of renowned teachers such as Lu Yanshao and Sha Menghai (1900-1992). Perhaps still unsatisfied, or perhaps finding a deeper appreciation for Chinese painting, Mr. Ericson returned to Hangzhou in 1986, returning to his passion for Chinese painting. He subsequently traveled back and forth between China and the United States. He frequently entertained visiting Chinese artists at his Seattle residence, including Xu Bing, Gu Wenda, and Wang Dongling. In 2018, the China Academy of Art held the exhibition "Artists from All Over the World 1978-2018: 40 Years of International Education at the China Academy of Art," and invited Mr. Ericson to deliver a speech as a representative of the early international students who came to China. Returning to his alma mater, Mr. Ericson was filled with emotion. In July 2024, Mr. Ericson passed away at the age of 81. The China Academy of Art published a memorial in his memory. [Note 1]