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Chen, who spoke through translator Katherine Lin, said he’s also looking at entering the watercolour into the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest Chinese scroll painting by a single artist.

Roughly translated, the title of the work is North American Landscape: Falling in Love With the Rocky Mountains.

Photo by Kevin Griffin / PNG

He has been invited to show the painting in an exhibition in Beijing in May, following an invitation by the Chinese minister of culture. Chen plans to bring the scroll painting back to Vancouver for the official 150th Canada Day birthday celebration on July 2.

Chen, 76, is from Taipei. He said he was influenced to become an artist because of his mother. As a child, he admired her detailed compositions in thread as she embroidered in clothing and material.

During the course of his career as a teacher and artist, he’s had more than 50 solo shows in Taipei, Singapore and Vancouver. Paintings by Chen have been listed for sale at $30,000 and more at the International Arts Gallery in the International Village Mall by Gastown.

On Saturday afternoon, starting at 2 p.m., members of the public will be able to see the scroll at the International Arts Gallery.

During a teaching tour of Germany 30 years ago, Chen was described as a “magician with a brush” for his ability to quickly create scenes with a few deft strokes.

He said he initially wanted to create a scroll of 150 metres in length to match the 150 years since Confederation. But he said he was so taken with what he was doing, he couldn’t stop at 150 and kept going until he added another 102 metres.