The Peony Girl Siyuan Ren

Click 'Gallery' below to see step-by-step photos of painting in progress

Gallery


John Lewis & Partners at Highcross, Leicester, has teamed up with Leicester Society of Artists to offer LSA member Siyuan Ren an artist’s residency during the in-store Spring festivities for the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger. The artist, known as ‘The Peony Girl’, painted 'Year of the Tiger' wall mural in John Lewis, featuring a majestic tiger surrounded by blooming peonies.

UPDATE - The completed mural is now situated at the main entrance of John Lewis Highcross, at the bridge to the car park.

Siyuan Ren, The Peony Girl, Chinese New Year mural

The Peony Girl, 'Year of the Tiger', chalk paint on panel

“As we welcome the Year of the Tiger, the symbolism in my composition is representative of everyone’s efforts to protect our communities and embrace a prosperous New Year with hope," says Siyuan. "The peony, a national flower of China, has long been associated with prosperity, good luck and good health while the Tiger symbolises power, bravery, honour, and defeat of evil."

The mural is made up of nine connected square panels, painted in Siyuan Ren's unique style which fuses her interest in impressionism and Dutch still lives with traditional Chinese techniques.  The mural has been painted over several days in the Leicester John Lewis store, using Chinese brushes, flat varnish brushes and using Annie Sloan Chalk Paints.  It has featured on BBC East Midlands Today, and Siyuan was interviewed about the project by Pukka News - read more here

The mural can be seen at John Lewis & Partners, Highcross, Leicester on the 1st floor at the main entrance.

Siyuan Ren

Siyuan Ren is a member of Leicester Society of Artists and has lived in Leicestershire for the past 10 years. She creates a chinoiserie style of art combining english romance with oriental elegance. As ‘The Peony Girl’ Siyuan regularly exhibits her peony paintings at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and in 2019 presented her hand painted silk fans to Her Majesty, the Queen and Princess Michael of Kent.

PUKAAR NEWS interviewwhile she was painting the mural in John Lewisvideo link here

The Peony Girl - https://peony.thepeonygirl.com/tiger

LSA Artist Siyuan Ren - https://www.leicestersocietyofartists.co.uk/lsa-artists/Siyuan-Ren.php

Radio Leicester - Summaya Mughal tallks with LSA Artist Siyuan Ren - available on BBC Sounds - Radio Leicester for 29 days from 26 January (10 minutes)

 

Scroll down for pictures of the 'Year of the Tiger' mural for John Lewis in progress by The Peony Girl