The Orange County Chinese Artists Association held its 2023 annual meeting on July 15 at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center. Dr. San-Pao Li, a professor emeritus from California State University Long Beach, was invited to give a keynote speech titled "Scent of Ink Amid A Gentle Breeze: My Perspectives on Chinese Calligraphy." The event also featured an exhibition of artworks by association members, and over a hundred guests participated in this gathering to exchange their creations and inspirations.
Dr. San-Pao Li, who offered the first Chinese calligraphy course at California State University Long Beach, had previously organized and chaired the 2nd International East Asian Calligraphy Education Conference in 2000. He pointed out that Chinese calligraphy is an art form rich in cultural heritage, encompassing history, philosophy, poetry, and literature, expressing deep emotions, reflecting social customs, and highlighting the spirit of the times.
On his 80th birthday celebration last year, Dr. Li wrote a piece of artwork themed around dreams: "Life is like a dream, often imperfect. Life must not be without dreams. Dreams can be fulfilled, but there are also times of brokenness. Always handle it with a calm heart." Unexpectedly, his cat scratched the rice paper while playing and smeared the wet ink. At first, Dr. Li wanted to discard the damaged work, but upon second thought, he decided to keep the accidental effect. After mounting and framing, the piece even better embodied the realization of accepting life with an open mind.
Orange County Chinese Artists Association was founded in 1991. The founding president, Vena Chen was among the artists attending and received a special award for her contributions. The association has over 200 members and frequently organizes outdoor sketching trips, art exhibitions, and online shows. They are also invited to participate in the annual Irvine Global Village Festival, using art to promote the exchange of diverse cultures.
橙縣華人藝術家協會2023年會7月15日在南海岸中華文化中心舉行，加州州立大學長堤分校退休教授李三寶應邀主講「清風墨香：中國書法之我見」，現場並展出會員作品，逾百位來賓參加了這場交流藝術創意的盛會。
在長堤州大開設第一門中國書法課的李三寶，曾於2000年策畫並主持第二屆國際東亞書法教育會議，他指出， 中國書法是文化底蘊豐富的藝術形式，綜合歷史、哲學、詩歌、文學，流露至深感情，反映社會習俗，也彰顯時代的意義。
去年慶祝80 歲生日時，李三寶教授寫下一幅以夢為主題的作品：「人生如夢多殘缺，人生不可無夢，夢可圓，亦不無破碎之時，總應以平常心處之。」沒想到家裡的貓在玩耍時抓破了宣紙，渲染了未乾的墨汁，李三寶本想丟棄殘破的作品，轉念之間，將意外的效果留下來，裝裱後反而更能體現以平常心接納人生的領悟。
橙縣華人藝術家協會成立於1991年，創會會長鍾維娜也應邀出席年會接受表揚。橙縣華人藝協會員約200餘人，經常舉辦戶外郊遊寫生、藝術聯展及線上展等活動，每年並應邀參加爾灣地球村展出，透過藝術促進多元文化的交流。
