A new seal created by a new friend

Written By Laura Beaton

My New Seal Carved by Phillip Xu

LauWa - Translation: Laura (Working Baby)

A few months ago I met a wonderful gentleman by the name of Phillip Xu. We started chatting about Chinese Art, China, and our mutual love of Kochuchang Chicken (my recipe was courtesy of Chef Lynn Crawford). The rest, as they say, is history.

Phillip is not only a Master Chinese Brush Painter, but a Master Stone Carver of chops - used to generate the red seal on Chinese art. Phillip Xu recently created 108 chops/seals for the Beijing Olympics and he is also an Artistic Director on many movies made in China.

Phillip (commonly known as ‘Stone Man’) generously agreed to create a new chop for my painting, ‘Road to Golden Mountain’ for the Asian Arts and Culture Trust exhibition in May 2022. When we met to hand over the new chop (and of course we met at a Tim Hortons’), we discovered that the stone for the chop was purchased when he was in Beizhen. That was one of the cities where I exhibited in 2018 and it is such a lovely area in the NE region of China.

In Chinese, my name is Lau Wa, translated to working baby. It means I was born working and I will die working (my friends laughed when I asked about the ‘retirement’ issue).

This seal is a horizontal design, right side is Lau and the left side is Wa.

The character of this style is rooted/based on the ancient style in Qin dynasty  (B.C. 230- B.C. 215 +-) which most of the seal carvers use as the standard.

Phillip Xu and Laura Beaton

Phillip Xu gifting Laura with a copy of his book of seals

Laura Beaton

Laura Beaton is a Canadian visual fine artist working in Chinese Brush Painting, Sumi-e, mixed media, and Western contemporary abstraction. Her practice brings together Eastern brush traditions and expressive Western abstraction through colour, movement, atmosphere, and intuitive composition. Using earth tones, vibrant accents, organic forms, and layered gestures, she creates works that feel both grounded and expansive, inviting calm, reflection, and emotional connection.

 

Her abstract compositions often suggest natural rhythms, trees, landscapes, and structures of growth without relying on literal representation. Through a thoughtful balance of stillness and energy, soft tones and bold movement, Laura creates visual harmony across the surface. Her work reflects an ongoing interest in presence, coexistence, resilience, and the relationship between nature, culture, and personal experience.

Laura has exhibited in Canada and internationally, with work shown in galleries, museums, juried exhibitions, cultural institutions, and community arts initiatives. Her paintings are held in private, corporate, and public collections, including collections connected to Canada, China, and international patrons. In addition to her studio practice, she contributes as a speaker, juror, consultant supporting artists through mentorship, professional strategy, and community engagement.

https://LauraBeaton.com
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Road to golden mountain
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