About the Artist

 

Ni Zhu turned to painting after studying law at Beijing University and pursuing graduate studies in the U.S. and Canada. Changing her career path, she honed her passion for the media by attending classes at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and taking workshops with master painters, ultimately earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in 2020. Ni’s academic and creative pursuits from law to art and personal transition from China to North America have informed her practice as an artist. 

 

Ni is a signature member of Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, and National oil and acrylic painters society. Recent recognitions include the Impressionist Award of Excellence at the OPA 34th National Exhibition in 2025, Best of Show Award in the Women Artists of the West 54nd National Exhibition in 2024, Best Impressionism Award in the National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society Best of America Exhibition in 2023, First Place Award in the Landscape category of the 37th Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition in 2020, and the Outstanding Composition and Technique Award of Excellence at the OPA National Exhibition in 2017. She is represented by Reinert Fine Art in Charleston, SC. 

 

Education

2020 Master of Fine Arts in Painting, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California


Professional Membership 

Signature Member, Oil Painters of America

Signature Member, American Impressionist Society

Signature Member, National Oil and Acrylics Painters Society 

Artist Member, California Art Club

Artist Member, Women Artists of the West

 

Select Awards

 

2026 Parade in the Rain, First Place in Painting, Salon at the Triton 2026: Statewide 2D Competition & Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, California

2025   Girl with Paper Dragon, Nancy Seamons Crookston Impressionist Award of Excellence, OPA Thirty-Fourth National Exhibition  

2024   The Watermelon Vendor, Best of Show, Women Artists of the West 54th National Exhibition, Phippen Museum of Western Art, Prescott, AZ

2023  Golden No.3, First Place Award, NOAPS 2023 Fall International Online Exhibition

2023   Breakfast in the Street, Best Impressionism, NOAPS Best of America 2023, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA 

2022   Once upon a Time in Egypt, Award of Excellence, NOAPS Best of America, Wilcox Gallery, Jackson, WY

2020   Under the Shade Sails No.2, First Place in the Landscape category, 37th Artist Magazine Annual Art Competition 

2017   The Light, Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Outstanding Composition and Technique Award of Excellence

2016   Leaving for Work, Director’s Choice Award, Academy of Art University Spring Show

 

Solo Exhibitions

 

2025 Colors of Memory: Celebrating Chinese New Year, Lightspace Gallery, International Art Museum of America, San Francisco

 

Select Group Exhibitions

 

2026 Salon at the Triton 2026: Statewide 2D Competition & Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, California (Parade in the Rain)

2026 California Art Club 115th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University, Orange, California (Against the Light) 

2026 NOAPS Best of America Small Works National Juried Exhibition

2026 American Impressionist Society 9th Annual Impressions Small Works Showcase

2025 American Impressionist Society 9th Annual Impressions Small Works Showcase, Fallbrook Art Center, Fallbrook, California (Harry No.2)

 

2025 Women Artists of the West 54th National Exhibition, Customs House Museum, Clarksville TN (Twirl, Women in a Renaissance Faire, Girl with Hat)

 

 

2024 California Art Club 113rd Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University, Orange, California (In the Meat Market) 

 

2024 Salon at the Triton 2024: Statewide 2D Competition & Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, California (The Woman Who Sells Fish)

 

2024 Women Artists of the West 54th National Exhibition, the Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ (The Watermelon Vendor, Lemon Green)

2023 Golden No.3, First Place Award, NOAPS 2023 Fall International Online Exhibition (Golden No.3)

2023 De Young Open 2023, De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA (They Say He’s Homeless No.2)

2023 NOAPS Best of America, Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA (Breakfast in the Street)

2023 California Art Club 112nd Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, CA (In a London Tapas Bar) 

2023 Salon at the Triton 2023: Statewide 2D Competition & Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, California (Sparkle, The Lioness)

2023 Figurative/Narrative Exhibition, Mills Pond Gallery, SAINT JAMES, NY (They Say He’s Homeless No.1, A Tibetan Grandpa, A Boy with Lantern)  

2023 Women Artists of the West 52nd National Exhibition, the Carriage Factory Art Gallery,  Newton, KS (Crossing London Chinatown)

2023 NOAPS 2023 Best of America Small Works National Juried Exhibition, Mary Williams Fine Gallery, Boulder, CO (Blue Street)

2023 American Impressionist Society 5th Annual Impressions Small Works Showcase, the District Gallery, Knoxville, TN 

2023 California Art Club 112nd Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, CA 

2022 Women Artists of the West 52nd National Exhibition, McBride Gallery, Annapolis, MD 

2022 NOAPS Best of America, Wilcox Gallery, Jackson, WY

 2022 MORE THAN: EXPANDING IDENTITIES OF ARTISTS FROM THE AMERICAN WEST, Tucson Museum of Art, Arizona 

2022 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Southwest Gallery, Dallas, TX 

2022 California Art Club 111th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, CA 

2021 American Impressionist Society 22nd  Annual National Juried Exhibition, Gallery 1516, Omaha, Nebraska 

2021 Oil Painters of America 30th National Juried Exhibition, California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum, Escondido, CA

2021   American Impressionist Society 5th Annual Impressions Small Works Showcase, Reinert Fine Art, Charleston, South Carolina 

2021   Women Artists of the West 51st National Exhibition 2021, The Museum of Western Art, Kerrville, Texas 

2020 Allied Artists of America 107th Annual Exhibition

2020 American Impressionist Society 21st  Annual National Juried Exhibition, Illume Gallery, St. George, Utah

2020 Oil Painters of America 2020 Salon Show 

2020 National Association of Women Artists, Small Works and Beyond 

2020 Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas

2020 California Art Club 109th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University, Orange, California 

2020 American Impressionist Society 4th Annual Impressions Small Works Showcase, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas 

2020 Women Artists of the West 50th National Exhibition Jubilee Celebration, Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, Arizona (Golden No.1, 2D Award of Merit and In Pursuit of Beauty Special Award)

2019 Favell Museum Art Show and Sale, Klamath Falls, Oregon 

2019 American Impressionist Society 3rd Annual Impressions Small Works Showcase, Crooked Tree Art Center, Petoskey, Michigan

2019 California Art Club 108th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Pasadena, California

2018 Salon at the Triton: Statewide 2D Competition & Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, California 

2018 American Impressionist Society 19th Annual National Juried Exhibition,  Peninsula School of Art - Guenzel Gallery, Fish Creek, Wisconsin 

2018 Pacific Art League, the Human Form, Palo Alto, California (Simone, Second Place)

2018 Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

2017 American Artists Professional League 89th Grand National Exhibition, New York,New York

2017 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Illume Gallery of Fine Art, St. George, Utah

2017 Oil Painters of America Spring Online Showcase (The Tibetan Monk Ngawang, honorable mention)

2017 Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Eisele Fine Art Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio

2016 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Marshall Gallery of fine Art, Scottsdale, Arizona

2016 American Women Artists National Juried Exhibition & Annual Members Show, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, Vermont

2016 Academy of Art University Spring Show, San Francisco, California

2015 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Wild Horse Gallery, Steamboat Springs, Colorado