Aiqin Zhou is an internationally renowned Chinese artist, Calligrapher, and poet.  A living treasure of China who at the age of five began art and Calligraphy studies in Shanghai, China with renowned artist Pan Lan and Prof. Cheng Zenglian.  At the age of thirteen she won the Shanghai Art Museum award for brush painting and Calligraphy.  In 1983, at the age of 24 she won the highly competitive and coveted full scholarship award issued by the leading graphic art school of China, the Shanghai Art Institute. 

During the late 1980s Aiqin gained international recognition for winning top awards in Calligraphy competitions held in Taiwan, France, Japan, Germany, the USA, and Switzerland.  In 1988 Aiqin earned the honor to become an Artist Member of the Chinese Societies of Fine Arts and Calligraphy. 

Thereafter, in 1988, Mr. Nakajhima Moriari, the Chief Examiner of the Japanese Calligraphy Institute and private tutor in Calligraphy to the Japanese Emperor, invited Ms Aiqin Zhou to become an Artist Member of Japan’s Societies of Fine Arts and Calligraphy. 

Mr. Moriari has commented on Ms. Zhou’s work in a Japanese journal:  Article titled “The Private Collection of the Emperor of Japan.”

            “Aiqin Zhou…presents the style of Chinese artists.  Her Calligraphy is elegant, glorious, and looks like Prince Chen’s.  I am very proud of her success.  I expect her marvelous achievement       will be a stimulus to Japanese art.” ----Cosmos, (No. 52) October 1988(a Japanese arts monthly)

In 1994 Ms. Zhou received the degree of Master in Fine Arts from the Academy of Art University of San Francisco, CA (the largest private art and design university in the US). 

Among many other important accomplishments, Aiqin’s 2004 Chinese water color portrait of President Clinton and his wife, Titled “Visualize a Bright Future” now resides in the Clinton Presidential Library’s Private Collection.  And her art and Calligraphy has appeared in two PBS Documentaries Titled “Ancestors in the Americas” and “Qi-Gong” (Meditation), the CNN Documentary titled “Art of Calligraphy,” and a KTSF-TV Special on Aiqin Zhou, Artist (currently in production). 

During September of 2009, Aiqin’s art and calligraphy and her technique(s) were exhibited at the Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC which was held in Portland, OR. There, her art and Calligraphy were heralded by Mr. Wu Jianmin, member of the Diplomatic Policy Consultation Committee of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senior Diplomat, and Former Chinese Ambassador to France. (http://college.chinese.cn/en/article/2009-10/19/content_76590.htm)

The lifetime dedication of artist Aiqin Zhou has been the study of Chinese (Asian) and Western art, art history, and philosophy.  The purpose of this dedication was to culturally broaden her Chinese spirit and to enhance its discipline and balance to produce the talent she would call upon to complete her interest to merge the two classical art traditions with contemporary modern art.

Aiqin Zhou first met Mr. Jack Craciun, III, Chairman of the ITM Group in San Francisco’s China Town during early 2008. After attending several meetings held at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (http://www.asianart.org) (during an exhibition of Ms. Zhou’s first dragon, a Golden Fire Dragon), and at art galleries in that city’s renowned China Town, Ms Aiqin Zhou accepted the invitation to become an ITM Group Associate. 

In 2010 Aiqin became the ITM Group Fine Art and Calligraphy Advisor, and she has also joined the Board of Advisors of the ITM (US) Consumer Product Division. The mutual interest of Ms. Aiqin Zhou and Mr. Craciun is to enhance the faceted global cross cultural exchange impact potentials of The First Dragon™ news/Social Media consumer product sales and intellectual property branding enterprise being developed by the ITM (US) Consumer Product Division on behalf of ITM (China) Ltd.