The Cank Street Gallery
44-46 Cank Street
Leicester LE1 5GW
Siyuan Ren is passionate about painting peonies, the national flower of China, reflecting her deep love and nostalgia for the country of her birth. To our western eyes, Siyuan's work is classically Chinese in style, yet her love of Monet and Van Gogh can be found in her delicate and beautiful paintings. Siyuan's floral paintings range from paintings in the traditional Chinese court style using Chinese ink and pigments on silk (sometimes stretched on to a fan) or rice paper to a more western style of oil on canvas or board. Having absorbed the spirits of both China and western culture, her paintings are a reflection of these places. Meticulously crafted, Siyuan Ren's floral paintings are at times brooding and moodily evocative.
This exhibition travels to the Chelsea Flower Show in May, and the Wisley Flower Show in September 2019.
Siyuan Ren - Featured Artist - on our 'Features' section
Siyuan Ren demonstrated the traditional Chinese court style of painting using Chinese brushes, ink slab and Chinese colours at The Cank Street Gallery on Saturday 23 March 2019. Chinese ink is traditionally made of carbon, pine black and glue compounded into a slab. Chinese colours appear similar to water colour but are made mostly of plant extract rather than mineral pigment. As she paints, Siyuan transfers her personal experiences and emotions to the brush which flickers skilfully across her painting. Using various weight, curvature and length of stroke the brush creates a continuous dance of expression.