曹达立，1934年11月生，北京通县人。1941年随父母移居印度尼西亚。13岁即开始学习绘画。并在泗水举办个人画展。1956年考入北京中央美术学院油画系。1961年毕业后曾在北京美术公司工作。1979年入北京画院工作。作品有《巴厘魂》、《小舟》、《风车》、《蘑菇云》等。多次参加国内外画展。1987年在美国洛杉矶举办个展。油画《彼岸》、《小舟》首先运用超现实主义风格。旅美归来始用写实手法超现实的幻想及立体主义观念创作一批作品。现为北京画院专业画家、一级美术师。中国美术家协会会员。
曹达立是一个很纯粹的艺术家，他不善于社交也无心于社交，他只一心生活在自己营造的世界里，像一只蚕，用他自己吐出的丝将自己封闭起来，不屑于现存世界的眼花缭乱，他既不适应过去那个轰轰烈烈的革命年代，也不适应当前这个热闹非凡的市场环境，因为他是一个“不为什么目的”，只给“自己画画”。并能从中自得其乐的人，是一个喜欢安安静静沉思冥想、踏踏实实工作的人，但他却不是一个因循守旧的人，他总是在工作中思变，寻找新的语言，寻找新的可能性，他说：“最近我又在门头沟画了一幅画，就好像今天我才知道我该这么画一样，就好像我之前没画画一样，就好像我又找到了一种语言一样，我往往不知道自己明天要怎么画”。或许，这就是他之所以陶醉其中的真正原因，也是他以全身心投入的艺术劳作的全部魅力所在——贾方舟/文摘录
曹达立是一个诚挚、纯朴的人，我喜欢听他讲话。他讲话时绝不故弄玄虚或者翕腔弄调，当他不太流畅地用自已还不习惯的方式表达某种感觉时，常带着惶惑的微笑。在公众场合，他的讲话常被笑声打断，这种笑声里没有嘲弄或者讥讽，大家是被他的坦诚、率真所感染，为得到一个不加掩饰的独特见解而高兴。这时明朗、爽快的气氛就会代替原先的紧张和沉闷。于是，我想到他的画。他的画风采多变，艺术境界日新又新，但总保持着情感的真诚，如同清澈见底的溪流。它时而浮现宁静的涟漪，时而翻卷激湍的浪花，你尽可濯缨涉足，不会有如临深渊的顾忌。——水中天/文摘录
在曹达立众多的画幅中，尽管题材广泛，手法多样，意趣迥然有别，但却有着一种共通的东西，这不是那种僵化的程式，而是他作品中才具有的特殊情趣，曹达立的艺术风貌是在绚丽的色彩中，流转着一首首轻快明丽或深沉旷远的旋律。——陶咏白/文摘录

Unripe in November 1934, beijing tells prefectural person. Migrated along with parents 1941 Indonesia. 13 years old begin to learn brushwork namely. Hold individual art exhibition in Si water. Took an examination of Beijing 1956 canvas of central academy of fine arts is. After graduating 1961, ever worked in Beijing art company. Worked into Beijing imperial art academy 1979. Work has " cling to li fetch " , " bateau " , " the windmill " , " mushroom " etc. Enter domestic and international art exhibition for many times. Held in American los angeles 1987 exhibit. Canvas " the other shore " , " bateau " use surrealism style above all. Brigade beauty returns only then with realistically the illusion that gimmick exceeds reality and cubism idea create a batch of work. It is division of art of painter of major of Beijing imperial art academy, one class now. Chinese artist academician.
Cao Da stands is a very dinkum artist, he is not good at socialization inadvertently also at socialization, he in the world that the life is in an of one mind to his be built, resemble a silkworm, the silk that spits with him himself closes him rise, those who disdain existent world is dazzling, his both neither gets used to the past the revolutionary time of that dynamic, incommensurate also current this lively and extraordinary market environment, because he is " not why purpose " , give only " oneself paint a picture " . And can from which the person of be content with one's lot, it is a person that likes quiet and contemplative contemplative, dependable job, but the person that he is not a lockstep however, he always is thought of in the job change, seek new language, seek new possibility, he says: "I painted a picture in door head channel again recently, be like I just know me today this so the picture is same, like the picture was not being painted before be like me, like was like me to find a kind of language again, I often do not know I will want how to be drawn tomorrow " . Probably, this is he is intoxicated among them real reason, also be all glamour place that the art that he throws with systemic heart works -- Gu Fangzhou / article cento
Cao Da stands is a cordial, honest person, I like to listen to him to speak. When he speaks absolutely not be deliberately mystifying perhaps amiables and compliant antrum gets air, when him not quite when glibly is used from unaccustomed still already means to express some kind of feeling, often bringing the smile of perplexed and alarmed. In public circumstance, his speech often is interrupted by laugh, was not mocked in this kind of laugh or sarcastic, everybody is be affected by place of his openness, forthright and sincere, glad to get one does not sum palliative distinctive view. At this moment Anacreontic, frank atmosphere can be replaced former insecurity and depressing. Then, I think of his picture. His picture elegant demeanour is changeful, artistic state day is new new, but always maintaining affective sincerity, as clear the brook that sees an end. Its from time to time emerges halcyon dimple, from time to time turns over a spoondrift that stimulates rapid, you wash tassel sortie, won't be like those who face abyss to scruple. -- water culmination / article cento
Numerous picture stands in Cao Da in, although subject matter is extensive, gimmick diversity, interest far apart has not, but the thing that having a kind of applicable to both or all however, this is not the form of the sort of become rigid, some special interest just are had in his work however, the artistic scene that Cao Da establishs is to be in flowery colour, be on the move the air of first one light bright and beautiful or dark Kuang Yuan. -- Tao Yong is white / article cento