Xiao Yaocai was born in Yuanjiang, Hunan Province. She was a famous female painter in China. She served as a member of China Art Association, member of China Artist Association - Hunan branch, Deputy Chairperson of the Calligrapher and Painter Association of Hunan discipline inspection and supervision system. She was recruited by the Army for her art speciality in college. She had published a great amount of artworks in the PLA and the Armed Police presses and periodicals, mainly in the form of illustrations for the teaching materials. Her paintings were very popular among the soldiers.
After 20 years of work in the army and military institutes, Xiao Yaocai transferred to civilian work and started to attend exhibitions home and aboard. Her artworks focused on meticulous figure painting. The female figures under her brush were elegant, smart and delicate. She made innovations based on traditions, combining classicism and modernism, the West and the East.
肖耀彩,湖南沅江人,中国著名女画家,现为中华艺术学会会员、中国美术家协会湖南分会会员、湖南省纪检监察系统书画家协会副主席。读大学时因有美术特长被特招入伍,先后任放映组组长、军事院校教员、学员队副政委等职,教书育人。在解放军和武警部队报刊上发表了大量作品,《积极预防肠道传染病》获全军卫生宣传画一等奖,出版发行至全军各连队;为《轻武器射击手册》画插画300多幅,该书由解放军出版社出版,为全军部队军事工具书;为全国解放军部队和武警部队《战术教材》《射击教材》《擒拿格斗教材》绘制插图,教材颁发至全国陆军和武警部队的战斗连、排、班训练使用。其创作的插图人物生动形象,受到出版社、军事专家、广大指战员的高度评价。
在部队和军事院校工作20后,转业地方工作。2013年在美国参加当代名家书画作品邀请展。2018年由荣宝斋出版社出版画册《肖耀彩中国人物画》。2019年为庆祝中华人民共和国建国70周年,中国邮政等机构推选肖耀彩为中国艺术先锋榜样人物,将其中国人物画作品编入国庆主题的限量版珍藏邮册。2019年5月受美国国际文化艺术交流中心邀请,赴美国举办了个人画展,受到文化艺术界赞赏。
肖耀彩以工筆人物画创作为主,兼画写意,其画作注重人的精神面貌和内心活动的刻画,形与神的结合使她笔下人物生动,女性人物文雅聪慧,秀而不媚。肖耀彩在继承传统的基础上进行创新,尤其注重古典与现代、东方与西方的结合。用中国工笔画描绘西方女性,通过线描造型、墨色晕染,人物立体逼真,开辟了“中为西用”的新领域。