Patrick Lam was born in 1950 in Cholon, Vietnam.  His family originally came from Nanhai, Guangdong province, China.  His education began at home.  From an early age he showed an interest and understanding in the arts of painting, seal carving and the collecting of ancient and modern paintings.  At the age of twelve, he entered the Vietnam Academy of Eastern Art, where he studied the Lingnan school of Chinese painting with the renowned artist, Mr Liang Shaohang (1909-1975).  He then worked and gained experience as an art designer.  After he arrived at Hong Kong in 1979, he furthered his studies under Professor Chao Shao-an (1905-1998), the great master of the Lingnan style of painting.

Since 1980, Patrick has been teaching Chinese painting with the Department of Adult Education in Melbourne.  He has also established the Dongnan (south east) Art Gallery and the Nanguo (Southern Country) Art Academy.  Hence Patrick has taught Chinese painting to many students.  He has also organised more than fifty solo and group exhibitions and his works have been exhibited extensively in China, America, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia and other places. As the founding president of the Lingnan Art Association of Australia established in Melbourne in 1992, Patrick has provided leadership in actively promoting the Lingnan style of painting through such activities as teaching, holding exhibitions and publications.  He and the Lingnan Art Association have immensely enriched the artistic and cultural life of Australia.

Dr Mae Anna Pang
Senior Curator, Asian Art
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.