席德进,1923年在四川嘉陵江上游的一处小乡村出生。家境尚称富裕，颇有田产。他有兄弟三人，席德进排行第二，还有六位姊妹。1931年，在私塾国画老师的指导下，与绘画结下了一生的缘。1933年，席氏举家逃难到四川南部县城，进入公立小学就读，接触新式教育，席德进眼界为之一亮。战乱中，席德进完成了他的学业，先进入「天府中学」，后转入「甫澄中学」，毕业后考进「成都技艺专科学校」，受到留法画家庞薰琴的启发，从庞氏处，接触到马蒂斯﹝Matisse﹞、毕卡索﹝Picasso﹞等画家作品。
1933年，席氏举家逃难到四川南部县城，进入公立小学就读，接触新式教育，席德进眼界为之一亮。战乱中，席德进完成了他的学业，先进入「天府中学」，后转入「甫澄中学」，毕业后考进「成都技艺专科学校」，受到留法画家庞薰琴的启发，从庞氏处，接触到马蒂斯﹝Matisse﹞、毕卡索﹝Picasso﹞等画家作品。接著转至沙坪坝国立艺专，受教於林风眠，并与赵无极、朱德群画家多所往来，追求艺术的心志更加真切而认真。抗战胜利后，国立艺专迁回杭州西湖，席德进随之离开四川远赴杭州，此次离乡，从此不再有机会回乡。
席德进受马蒂斯影响喜欢强烈色调，至杭州艺专受林风眠的影响，发展出刚劲有力、粗黑线条的绘画风格。后赴美考察，受普普、欧普、硬边艺术的影响，作品中加入许多欧普和硬边主义的形色表现。晚期他经过一再省思，还是转回归到他最原始而自然的本土家乡，席德进的绘画创作类型多样化，总合一生艺术追求的成果，为融合传统与乡土水墨与油画，兼纳东方与西方绘画的特长，开创出他个人雄浑动人气魄的独特风貌。
其父席丙文曾任乡长，兼营盐井烧盐业，家境富裕。席德进5岁入私塾，读古书兼习绘画，先读“天府中学”，后就读甫澄中学时，曾获校内美术比赛第一名。中学毕业后，进入成都技艺专科学校，受留法画家庞薰琴的启发，接触到马蒂斯、毕加索等画家作品。后转学至沙坪坝国立艺术专科学校，受教于林风眠，并与赵无极、朱德群、李仲生诸画家多所往来。抗战胜利后，国立艺专迁回杭州西湖，席德进随林风眠前往。
1948年，席德进来到台湾。
1948年随国民政府来到台湾，在嘉义高中短暂任教。
1951年北上成为专业画家，移居台北与廖未林同住。
1955年参加台北新闻大楼举行的十一位画家联展。
1957年在台北华美协进会举行第一次个展，油画《卖鹅者》获选第四届巴西圣保罗双年展参展。
1959年参加国立台湾美术馆的“现代画联展”及第五届巴西圣保罗国际双年展。
1960年参加国立历史博物馆的“现代油画展”，作品《韵律》、《朽毁》以书法的用笔与结构运用于抽象画上。
1961年参加美国新闻处的“当代中国艺术家联展”。
1962年8月出版《席德进的世界》画集。后应美国国务院之邀赴美考察。
1963年在华盛顿亨利画廊举行个展。后移居巴黎。
1965年在巴黎吉米博物馆图书馆研究中国艺术，以普普风结合中国艺术题材在巴黎渥得巴费画廊举行个展。
1966年在香港上海商业银行举行个展后返回台湾。分别在国立历史博物馆及中国邮报艺廊举行个展，并出版《席德进素描集》、《席德进的回声》及《席德进看欧美艺坛》。
1967年参加第九届巴西圣保罗国际双年展，另荣获中国文艺协会文艺奖章。
1968年在台北精工舍画廊及艺术家画廊举行个展。出版《席德进画集》。
1969年参加日本第五届国际青年艺术家联展。应邀成为国立台湾师范大学艺术系兼任副教授。
1970年开始注意笔墨在宣纸上的效果，尝试把台湾山水与现实景物，转化为文人画。
1972年在台北市立第一银行与年轻艺术家举行TAG会员展“朝气蓬勃的七十年代”。为彰化孔庙保存案，撰文呼吁。
1973年整理台湾美术资料，陆续于《雄狮美术》月刊发表。
1977年8月，在台中省立图书馆中兴画廊举行个展。后到金门拍摄古建筑并绘制陶瓷，10月出版《我画、我想、我说》席德进水彩画集。
1978年先后在台北美国新闻处、高雄美国新闻处举行个展。呼吁保存林安泰古厝原貌。
1979年5月，前往香港会见林风眠，并收集资料回台后出版《改革中国画的先驱者─林风眠》。7月在电影“香火”中客串演出游击队长角色。
1980年8月24日因胰脏癌入荣总开刀。主办“现代国画试探展”于春之艺廊。
1981年4月26日接受雄狮美术月刊社之邀由摄影家柯锡杰拍摄席德进人像做为六月号《雄狮美术》月刊一二四期封面人物。5月27日病情加重入台大医院，动第二次手术。6月16日分别于版画家、龙门、阿波罗画廊举行“席德进特选展”。台中好友举办“台中收藏展”，历史博物馆主办“席德进画展”，中华民国教育部颁赠荣誉奖章。张大千赠“荷花”画作，以“瑞滨海岸”回赠。8月3日病情恶化，于凌晨15分病逝。8月12日葬于台中市大肚山大度山花园公墓。

Xi Dejin was born in 1923 in a small village on the upper reaches of Jialing River in Sichuan Province. The family is rich and has a lot of land. He had three brothers, Sid was second, and six sisters. In 1931, under the guidance of the private school traditional Chinese painting teacher, he made a lifelong bond with painting. In 1933, his family fled to the southern county town of Sichuan Province, and entered the public primary school to learn new education. Sid's vision is one of the bright. During the war, Xi Dejin completed his studies. He entered Tianfu middle school, then Fucheng middle school. After graduation, he was admitted to Chengdu polytechnic school. Inspired by Pang Xunqin, a French painter, he came into contact with works of painters such as Matisse and Picasso.

In 1933, his family fled to the southern county town of Sichuan Province, and entered the public primary school to learn new education. Sid's vision is one of the bright. During the war, Xi Dejin completed his studies. He entered Tianfu middle school, then Fucheng middle school. After graduation, he was admitted to Chengdu polytechnic school. Inspired by Pang Xunqin, a French painter, he came into contact with works of painters such as Matisse and Picasso. He then transferred to Shapingba National Art College, was taught by Lin Fengmian, and had many contacts with Zhao Wuji and Zhu Dequn painters. His aspiration to pursue art was more sincere and earnest. After the victory of the Anti Japanese War, the National Art College moved back to the West Lake of Hangzhou, and then Xi Dejin left Sichuan for Hangzhou. This time, he no longer had a chance to return home.

Influenced by Matisse, sidjin likes strong colors. Influenced by Lin Fengmian, Hangzhou art college developed a strong and thick black line painting style. Later, I went to the United States to study. Influenced by the art of PU, OP and hard edge, I added many forms and expressions of OP and hard edge to my works. In the late period, after repeated reflection, he returned to his most primitive and natural native hometown. Xi Dejin's painting creation types are diversified, and the achievements of his whole life's artistic pursuit are combined. In order to integrate traditional and local ink and oil painting, as well as the advantages of eastern and Western painting, he created a unique style of his own vigorous and popular spirit.

His father, Xi Bingwen, once served as the township head, and also engaged in salt well and salt industry, making his family rich. At the age of 5, Xi Dejin entered the private school. He studied ancient books and painting. He first studied in "Tianfu middle school", and then in Fucheng middle school, he won the first prize in the school art competition. After graduating from high school, he entered Chengdu Technical College, and was inspired by Pang Xunqin, a French painter, and came into contact with the works of Matisse, Picasso and other painters. Later, he transferred to Shapingba National Art College and was taught by Lin Fengmian. He also communicated with many painters such as Zhao Wuji, Zhu Dequn and Li Zhongsheng. After the victory of the Anti Japanese War, the National Academy of Arts moved back to West Lake, Hangzhou, and Xi Dejin went with Lin Fengmian.

In 1948, Sid came to Taiwan.

In 1948, he came to Taiwan with the national government and taught briefly in Jiayi high school.

In 1951, he became a professional painter in the north and moved to Taipei to live with Liao Weilin.

In 1955, he participated in a joint exhibition of 11 painters held in Taipei news building.

In 1957, the first solo exhibition was held in Taipei Huamei Association, and the oil painting "goose seller" was selected to participate in the 4th Sao Paulo Biennale in Brazil.

In 1959, he participated in the "joint exhibition of modern painting" of National Taiwan Art Museum and the Fifth International Biennale of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

In 1960, he participated in the "modern oil painting exhibition" of the National Museum of history. His works "rhythm" and "decadent" were applied to abstract paintings with the pen and structure of calligraphy.

In 1961, he participated in the joint exhibition of contemporary Chinese artists held by the United States information service.

In August 1962, "the world of sidejin" was published. Later, he visited the United States at the invitation of the State Department.

In 1963, he held a solo exhibition at Henry Gallery in Washington. Then moved to Paris.

In 1965, he studied Chinese art in the library of the Jimmy Museum in Paris, and held a solo exhibition in the Waldorf Gallery in Paris with the theme of Chinese art combined with the general style.

In 1966, he returned to Taiwan after holding a solo exhibition in Hong Kong and Shanghai Commercial Bank. He held solo exhibitions at the National Museum of history and the China Post art gallery, and published his sketches, his echo, and his view of European and American art.

In 1967, he participated in the 9th Brazil Sao Paulo International Biennale and won the medal of literature and art of China literature and Art Association.

In 1968, he held a solo exhibition in Taipei Seiko gallery and Artist Gallery. He published his collection of paintings.

In 1969, he participated in the Fifth International Youth Artists' exhibition in Japan. He was invited to be an associate professor in the Art Department of National Taiwan Normal University.

In 1970, he began to pay attention to the effect of pen and ink on rice paper, trying to transform Taiwan's landscape and realistic scenery into literati painting.

In 1972, he held a tag exhibition with young artists in the first bank of Taipei City, "the vigorous Seventies". In order to preserve the case of Zhanghua Confucian temple, the author appeals.

In 1973, the collection of Taiwan art materials was published in the monthly lion art.

In August 1977, a solo exhibition was held in Zhongxing Gallery of Taichung provincial library. After that, he went to Jinmen to take photos of ancient buildings and draw ceramics. In October, he published the "I paint, I think, I say" Sid water color collection.

In 1978, he held solo exhibitions at the American information service in Taipei and the American information service in Kaohsiung. Call for the preservation of the original appearance of lin'antai ancient building.

In May 1979, he went to Hong Kong to meet with Lin Fengmian, and collected materials to publish Lin Fengmian, the pioneer of reforming Chinese painting, after returning to Taiwan. In July, he played the role of guerrilla captain in the movie "Xianghuo".