Growing up in a poor family in rural Changhua County, Chen's talents were discovered early by a perceptive high school teacher.
廿年前，當他在彰化老家屋無片瓦、便當填不滿白飯時，由於美術老師劉伯鑾的啟蒙，他愛上了水墨畫；高中畢業，同班同學都以一般大學為志願，希冀將來開創一番事業，唯有陳朝寶選擇了「前途不看好」的國立藝專美術科國畫組。