Fan Chujie, a graduate specializing in Flower-and-Bird Painting atCAA’s School of Chinese painting, won a gold medal for her work“Deer Singing Among Ancient Cypresses”. The painting draws inspiration from four ancient cypress trees in the Situ Temple in Suzhou.

Between 2023 and 2024, Fan visited Situ Temple multiple times to sketch and draw inspiration. Her work“Deer Singing Among Ancient Cypresses” is divided into three parts: foreground, midground, and background. In the foreground, two sika deer leisurely move among a fallen cypress tree and a drooping cypress branch. A third sika deer is partially hidden behind cypress leaves on the right, forming the midground together with a leaning cypress tree. The background is rendered in light ink to create a misty, ethereal atmosphere, contrasting with the heavier ink tones of the foreground, which gradually fade towards the back. This variation in ink density enhances the depth and tranquility of the scene.

Throughout her creation process, Fan always remembered the teachings of her mentor, Professor Zhang Quan, who emphasized the importance of sketching from life and immersing oneself in nature to convey its vitality through art. She hopes that viewers, when appreciating this piece, can feel the ancient cypresses of Suzhou come to life, as if they are standing amidst these historic natural wonders.

Reflecting on her four years at university, Fan considers her most valuable experience to be the annual sketching trips with Professor Zhang Quan. These excursions not only broadened her horizons but also provided a constant source of creative inspiration. Through continuous observation and depiction of natural scenes, she acquired a rich array of artistic techniques and a solid foundation, which have been crucial to her development as an artist.

Looking to the future, Fan hopes to further refine her ink painting skills, continue sketching to strengthen her foundations, and maintain her unique artistic style. She aspires to keep exploring the world of art, creating more works that reflect the beauty and vitality of nature.

Deer Singing Among Ancient Cypresses

Artist: Fan Chujie (School of Chinese Painting)

Instructor: Zhang Quan, Han Lu