Teresa’s passion for art was influenced by her father Hong-Zhang Dong. From the age of five, he taught her both calligraphy and traditional Chinese art. She continued to study under Professor Zhong-Zhou Cheng from Tong Ji University in Shanghai. In 1980, the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai was so impressed with one of her Chinese paintings, that he granted her a visa to study Western art in the United States. Once in the U.S. in order to achieve financial independence, Teresa developed a revolutionary washable silk product for her first collection of women’s apparel under the label of “Usagi”. Living in California provided her with a rich landscape for her plein-air oil paintings which invite the observer to see a subject portrayed forever at a particular moment in time. Teresa’s use of color in her work is sensitive, and her interpretation of life’s details and nature is evocative. Teresa studied at the Hong kong University, The Academy of Art University, San Francisco, and also with Professor Boris Kokhno from the St Petersburg Art Academy. She is a member of California Art Club and Oil Painters of America. Teresa’s work has been shown throughout the United States and she has been recognized with many awards. Her art resides in collections internationally.