By: W.A. Davis, St. Mary’s Arts Council
Our Weekly Spotlight on the Arts is shining brightly on local artist Yanhui Kuang!
Yanhui studied the Fine Arts in China and has been painting long before the time she spent at the university art programs. We had the pleasure of meeting our featured artist and watching her at work at Art Walk in 2018 where she skillfully weaved together an array of colorful traditional inks and acrylics into her stunning creations.
Yanhui also enjoys Chinese watercolor painting and has developed an eclectic style all her own of the ancient arts fused with contemporary themes. Many of her water color pieces are ink on Xuan paper which has been used for centuries in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for writing, artwork, and architecture. Ms. Kuang’s pieces include portraits, flora and landscapes, abstract multi-media, and large-scale works. If you look closely there are often images and symbolisms creatively “hidden” within her pieces.
When not painting, Yanhui enjoys cooking, traveling, and helping out in our community. She has served as a volunteer with the Chinese Club at Leonardtown High School for many years where she has dedicated much time and energy to assist with the production of the annual Chinese New Year celebrations. Every January the club and language students, as led by faculty member Si Chen along with support from parent and community volunteers, provide entertainment to well over 200 guests. The students perform colorful skits, songs, dances, and other traditional performances and demos.
Yanhui has also volunteered to provide assistance to Chinese children and their adoptive families by providing support to accelerate their studies and to help them adapt to their new environment. She has assisted international students to communicate with their host families in terms of language, culture, and customs and also teaches Chinese and oriental traditional culture and art forms.
Yanhui’s artwork has been on display for past Art Walk exhibits and demos in Leonardtown, special events at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the Gallery at St. Mary’s County Arts Council, and other locations. She is available for private and group art lessons for both adults and children and her experiences instructing also include substitute coverage for the local public school system art courses.
To learn more about our featured artist, email us at info@smcart.org and we will put you in touch with her! Shine on Yanhui, thank you for sharing your many talents and for your contributions to our community!
(Photos provided by Yanhui Kuang)