陈兴华(1924.3—1997.7)山西清徐县人，生前担任西北师范大学美术系系主任，中国美术家协会常任理事，中国美术家协会甘肃分会副主席。历任《东北画报》社、中央新闻摄影局美术研究室、人民美术出版社美术创作干部。许多中老年美术爱好者，大概都记得五十年代在我国广泛发行的一本画册《朝鲜战地速写》，其中的《上甘岭组画》就是陈兴华教授青年时代的作品。著名战斗英雄黄断光牺牲以后，没有留下照片，唯一的得到黄继光母亲和战友们认可的油画《黄继光》就是由他执笔创作的。
陈兴华教授的成长过程与中国人民的革命事业是同步的。1942年2月他出生于山西省清徐县，1937年13岁参加了八路军120师，曾在贺龙同志身边工作，因酷爱绘画，1938年调入师政治部宣传队任宣传员，宣传干事。1947年初调入东北画报社任美术编辑、记者。1949年随部队进入北京。建国后，1950年调入中央新闻摄影研究室任研究员。1951年至1958年4月调入人民美术出版社从事美术创作。1958年调入甘肃省文化局群众艺术馆工作。1961年调入高校任教，文革中受到冲击。1978年恢复工作，担任甘肃省美术家协会副主席、名誉主席，西北师大美术系主任。为恢复、重建美术系做了大量艰苦细致的工作。1979年3月经省教委批准聘为教授，担任研究生导师。1979年加入中国共产党。1990年离休。1997年7月14日因突发性脑出血病逝。他在对真、善、美的追求中，走完了人生的历程。
陈兴华教授是经历过抗日战争、解放战争、抗美援朝战争的老战士。曾深入朝鲜战争前线，创作了“上甘岭组画”，收入《朝鲜战地速写》，由人民出版社出版，《人民日报》、《光明日报》、《北京日报》和苏联的《红旗报》刊登，全国美展展出。当时，全国舆论对这位年轻人的作品给予很高的评价，许多美术评论家认为，这套素描组画作品具有国内领先的水平。当时以苏联为首的社会主义各国都出版了这册画集，也给予了很高的评价。油画《黄继光》、《山海关会师》由中国革命军事博物馆收藏，《人民日报》、苏联《红旗报》先后刊登。
陈兴华同志是当代著名画家，1954年加入中国美术家协会，并担任常务理事，是新中国美术事业的开创者之一。他在艺术上不断攀登进取，由于革命事业的需要，他的宣传画、年画、连环画、油画、中国画、雕塑各擅其长。许多作品由人民美术出版社出版，参加一、二届全国美展，并在苏联等国发表，获得好评。作品收入《全国宣传画集》和大型画册《苏联艺术》，成为当时在国内外有影响的画家。他以自己艰苦的劳动，创作了一系列优秀的作品，为繁荣新中国的美术事业做出了突出的贡献。他在首都工作期间，曾经向许多美术界的名家学习过中国画，后来师从苏联专家马克西莫夫学习过油画。但是从本质上来看，他是一位民族解放战争的战场上培养出来的优秀画家，而不是画室里培养出来的画家。战地生活所磨砺出的耿直性格、娴熟的速写能力，过硬的默写功夫，简洁朴素的绘画风格一直保持到他的晚年。
陈兴华教授在甘肃辛勤工作四十年，他热爱大西北、热爱教育事业，热爱敦煌艺术，是位教学和创作成绩都十分卓著的美术教育家，为西北地区培养了大批优秀人才。离休前后，创作了工笔重彩画《丝绸之路》、《莲花山》、长卷《敦煌莫高窟》、油画系列作品“古道寻梦”、浮雕《解放兰州》等一系列巨型作品，临去逝前还在为他的宏大创作计划而忙碌，他不断攀登奋进，始终是时代前进的马前卒。
综观他一生的创作活动和艺术追求，只有一个中心，即各种形式的美术作品都是为民族事业的发展服务的。这种自觉的奉献精神，值得我们大家学习。他常对学生们说：“人要活得充实，首先就要把自己该干的活干好”。这是他对学生们的要求，也是他对自己的座右铭。

Chen Xinghua (1924.3, person of county of 1997.7) Shanxi clear Xu, hold the position of art of northwest Normal University to fasten department head before one's death, director of permanant of Chinese artist association, vice-chairman of branch of Gansu Province of Chinese artist association. Have successively held the posts of " northeast pictorial " art of publishing house of art of lab of art of bureau of photography of company, central news, people produces a cadre. A lot of in senile art-lover, a picture album that records so that issue extensively in our country the fifties probably " Korea battleground literary sketch " , among them " on Gan Ling group is drawn " the work that is times of youth of Professor Chen Xinghua. After famous combat hero fizzles out to sacrifice solely, did not leave a picture, the exclusive oil painting that gets afterwards smooth mother and comrade-in-armses are approbated fizzling out " Huang Jiguang " create by his write namely.
The revolutionary career of the growing course that Chen Xinghua teachs and Chinese people is synchronous. He was born in Shanxi to save clear Xu county in Feburary 1942, 13 years old attended the Eight Route Army 1937 120 division, ever worked beside Comrade He Long, because love brushwork, transferred into propaganda team of division politics ministry holds the post of plugger 1938, propagandist a secretary in charge of sth. Transfer into northeast pictorial company holds the post of art editor, reporter at the beginning of 1947. Entered Beijing along with army 1949. After founding a state, transferred into lab of central news photography holds the post of a researcher 1950. Came to transferred into people art publishing house is engaged in art creative work in April 1958 1951. Transferred into house of art of masses of bureau of culture of the Gansu Province works 1958. Transferred into the college teachs 1961, be pounded in Culture Revolution. Resumed the work 1978, hold the position of vice-chairman of association of artist of the Gansu Province, honorary president, northwest division large painting fastens a director. To restore, rebuild art faculty did a large number of difficult and painstaking works. Taught via the province in March 1979 appoint approval is hired for the professor, hold the position of graduate student adviser. Joined a Chinese Communist 1979. Retired 1990. Died of illness because of paroxysmal cerebral hemorrhage on July 14, 1997. He is in pair of true, be apt to, beautiful pursuit, took the course of life.
Professor Chen Xinghua is the old soldier that has experienced the War of Resistance Against Japan, war of liberation, the War to Resist Us Aggression and Aid Korea. Ceng Shen enters Korea war front, created " on Gan Ling group is drawn " , income " Korea battleground literary sketch " , publish by people press, " People's Daily " , " bright daily " , " Beijing daily " with Russia " the red flag signs up for " publish, countrywide beauty is exhibited showpiece. At that time, countrywide public opinion gives very high opinion to the work of this youth, a lot of art essayist think, this sketch group draws work to have home's banner level. The socialistic each country that heads with Russia at that time published this picture volume, also gave very high opinion. Canvas " Huang Jiguang " , " hill custom join forces " collect by museum of Chinese revolution war, " People's Daily " , Russia " the red flag signs up for " publish early or late.
Comrade Chen Xinghua is contemporary and famous artist, joined Chinese artist consortium 1954, hold the position of standing director, it is one of inaugurator of career of new China painting. His artistically is ceaseless ascend enterprising, as a result of the need of revolutionary career, picture of his poster, New Year picture, comic, canvas, China, sculpture its grow each arrogate to oneself. A lot of work are published by people art publishing house, attend one, beauty of 2 whole nations is exhibited, publish in the country such as Russia, obtain reputably. Work income " countrywide poster collect " with large an album of paintings " Russia is artistic " , become be in at that time domestic and international influential painter. He works difficultly with oneself, created a series of outstanding work, made outstanding contribution for the painting career of prosperous new China. He is during capital job, once crossed China to draw to the study of a person of academic or artistic distinction of a lot of art groups, xi Mofu of mark of expert of Shi Congsu couplet has learned canvas later. But go up from essence in light of, he is the outstanding painter that the education on the battlefield of war of liberation of a nation comes out, is not the painter that the education in atelier comes out. The nature of honest and frank that go through the mill of battleground life place gives, adept literary sketch ability, write kongfu from memory excellently, concise and simple painterly style maintains his old age all the time.
Professor Chen Xinghua is in Gansu Province plod 40 years, he has deep love for big northwest, have deep love for educational enterprise, have deep love for Dunhuang art, it is the art educationist with an education and creation very outstanding achievement, developed large quantities of outstanding person with abilities for northwest area. Retire around, created traditional Chinese realistic painting characterized by fine brushwork and close attention to detail to weigh colour to draw " the Silk Road " , " lotus hill " , long roll " Dunhuang Mo Gao hole " , canvas series work " Gu Daoxin dream " , anaglyph " emancipatory Lanzhou " etc a series of giant work, in the plan of great creative work that is him business is returned before facing dies, he is ceaseless ascend act vigorously is entered, it is the pawn with progressive era from beginning to end.
The creation activity of his lifetime and art seek the make a comprehensive view, have a center only, namely multiform art work is the development service that is ethical enterprise. This kind of conscious consecratory mind, deserve study of all of us. He often says to students: "The person should live contentedly, what be about to should work oneself to work above all is good " . This is his requirement to students, also be his maxim to oneself.