Exploring Happiness and Passion on Canvas, Transforming Moments into Eternity

From September 8 to November 19, 2025, the National Chung Cheng University (CCU) Library is presenting "Brushstrokes of Time: An Exhibition of Oil Paintings by Artist-in-Residence Liu Ting-Se." The exhibition is being held at the Exhibition Hall (1F) and Art Corridor (B1) at CCU Library. The quiet and elegant atmosphere of the venue accentuates the interplay of light and shadow in the paintings. Visitors can sense the artist’s refined emotions and inner world through her layered brushstrokes, while also experiencing the sincerity, vitality, and passion that infuse her art. This exhibition is not only a visual feast but also a moving narrative of life experiences transformed into artistic expression.

About the Artist
Liu Ting-Se is an outstanding alumna of the Department and Graduate Institute of Political Science at National Chung Cheng University and is regarded as one of Taiwan’s promising emerging oil painters. She graduated from the Department of Law at Tunghai University and later obtained her Master’s degree from CCU’s In-service Master Program of Government and Public Affairs. In 2024, after retiring from her position as Section Chief at the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office, Liu made the courageous decision to fully commit herself to the world of art, focusing on oil painting creation and teaching. She is currently the director of Eleele Studio and also serves as the Artistic Director of When Flowers Bloom Art Space.

Her career transition itself is a story of courage and pursuit, shifting from the rational rigor of judicial professionalism to the creative freedom of artistic expression, transforming the depth and breadth of her life into flowing colors on canvas. Starting from scratch without any formal training, she relied on her passion, perseverance, and sensitivity to beauty to gradually expand her artistic horizons. Within just a decade, her works have been widely exhibited and frequently recognized. In 2023, her painting “The Bird Shop II” won the Taiyang Award and the Yang San-Lang Prize at the 86th Annual Taiyang Art Association Exhibition. This honor not only marked a milestone in her artistic career but also symbolized the value and meaning of her perseverance in pursuing her dream. In recent years, she has held exhibitions at the Yang San-Lang Art Museum in New Taipei, the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, and the Meiling Art Museum in Chiayi, all of which received enthusiastic acclaim, showcasing the depth and distinctiveness of her artistic style.

Artistic Philosophy and Inspirations
Her artistic philosophy is simple yet heartfelt, “The world is so beautiful. I wish to preserve every moment with my brush. A moment is eternity, and an instant can last a thousand years!” For Liu, art is not merely a visual representation but also a profound contemplation and response to life. Her inspirations come from her deep connection to urban spaces, rural landscapes, and human stories. The ancestral home of her childhood, the seasonal changes of the countryside, and the many life encounters from her judicial career have all served as nourishment for her art. These experiences intertwine to form a resilient vitality, allowing her works to carry not only lyrical beauty but also a sense of historical and cultural depth.

Artistic Style
Liu’s paintings show tendencies of Impressionism: her brushstrokes are free and expressive, yet retain delicacy and refinement. She excels at using bright and warm colors to capture emotional moments from everyday life, transforming the ordinary into poetry. Her works often convey a sense of gentle but steadfast strength, as if reminding viewers that although time may pass swiftly, art has the power to preserve eternity.

Exhibition Highlights
This exhibition showcases several captivating series:
• Milk Bottle Series: Featuring vivid red flowers set against milk bottles, these works use strong contrasts and warm tones to express vitality and serenity, celebrating the simple beauty of life and nature’s coexistence of passion and calm.
• Travel Series: Abstract brushstrokes document the beauty of the world: layered green mountains and shifting light in Huangshan, shimmering waters and dreamlike reflections in Venice, cherry blossoms and old streets in Kyoto woven together under pink morning light. These paintings are not merely depictions of landscapes but dialogues between the soul, nature, and culture experienced during journeys.
• Four Seasons Series: Depicting the changing rhythm of spring, summer, autumn, and winter through transformations of color, this series invites viewers to experience the poetic flow of time on canvas.

Associated Events:
In addition to the exhibition, a series of events will be held during the exhibition period:

• Artist × Curator Dialogue
　From the Scene of Justice to the Studio: The True Journey of a Legal Professional Becoming an Artist
　Date & Time: September 23 (Tue), 14:30–16:30
　Location: The Theater at CCU Library (B1)
　Liu Ting-Se engaged in an in-depth dialogue with curator Chuang Yu-Ming, Secretary-General of the Taiyang Art Association, sharing how she progressed from a beginner to an award-winning artist within a decade, and how she discovered passion and happiness through her art.

• Exhibition Tea Reception and Painting Donation Ceremony
　Date & Time: October 13 (Mon), 14:30–15:30
　Location: Creative Classroom at CCU Library (1F)
　Artist Liu was present to share her creative reflections with the audience and donate one of her works as an artistic gift to her alma mater.

• Oil Painting Workshop
　Date & Time: November 14 (Fri), 14:00–17:00
　Location: Art Studio at CCU Library (B1)
　Guided by Liu, participants will explore the layers and textures of oil painting and create their own artworks.

Exhibition Hours
• Exhibition Hall (1F) at CCU Library: Mon-Fri between 08:30-17:00; Sat and Sun between 10:00–16:00.
• Art Corridor (B1) at CCU Library: Mon-Fri between 08:30-17:00 (closed on weekends and public holidays).

Closing Note:
This exhibition is not only a heartfelt homecoming presentation by an alumna artist but also an important demonstration of CCU’s dedication to promoting art education and enriching humanistic values. The public is warmly invited to step into her world of colors and let the brushstrokes of time leave an eternal impression on the soul.