Liu Yanxia

Liu Yanxia, female, master of Xinyutang, styled Dongfang Xiumu, was born in 1963 in Jilin City, Jilin Province. She is currently a member of the Bo Miao Zhai International Academy of Calligraphy and Painting, as well as a member of the Jilin City Xueliu Poetry Society and Yafeng Poetry Society. Since childhood, she has been deeply influenced by her uncle, Li Yonggui, a craftsman and art teacher at the Jilin City Science and Technology Museum, developing a profound passion for traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, as well as classical poetry and literature. She also serves as the editor of the newspaper "Jiangcheng Fuer" at her workplace, and has participated multiple times in art exhibitions and poetry recitals. Her literary works frequently appear in the Jiangcheng Daily, Jiangcheng Evening News, and online media. In her spare time, she diligently studies painting and calligraphy, becoming a direct disciple of Master Zhao Guangqing at the Bo Miao Zhai International Academy of Calligraphy and Painting, specializing in expressive-style peonies. Since then, she has felt as if she was born for painting, regarding the peony as her life’s essence—never a day passes without her thinking of or painting it. During the peony blooming season, she becomes utterly enchanted, traveling far and wide to visit peony gardens, observing, recording, and sketching from life, while personally cultivating and tending to peonies. She internalizes the form, appearance, and characteristics of the peony, blending them into her ink and dreams, infusing her paintings with her understanding of life, insights into existence, and reverence for the pure beauty of nature. A close examination of her works reveals sentiments of joy, the scent of sunshine, noble elegance, and the prosperity of contemporary China. She pursues the expression of emotion through artistic intent and the integration of poetry into painting. Her innovative "Er Qiao" peony style is uniquely structured and extraordinary, with ancient yet luxurious coloration, a graceful and fluid style, a beautiful and romantic composition, rich brush-and-ink language, and a distinct contemporary spirit. Her works are highly acclaimed by domestic and international markets and collectors, with nearly a hundred masterpieces of peonies already collected.