3rd Place Winning Entry, 2024 Portraits Competition
Sihua Liu, Crystal Ball and Flower, oil
Sihua Liu
Based in Hanshou County in the Hunan Province of China, Sihua Liu creates award-winning, contemporary oil portraits that capture the beauty of his subjects with great skill. Liu holds a master of fine arts degree from Hunan Normal University, is a member of the Portrait Society of America, and, for more than 20 years, has exhibited extensively all over the world, earning first place, best in show, and other top awards.
Sihua Liu, The Flowers of Isolation, oil
Liu has been awarded a tie for 3rd Place for Crystal Ball and Flower in our Portraits Competition. We asked him to tell us about this piece:
"I have always been an advocate of classical art and am inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite and Art Nouveau movements, especially the works of Rossetti, Millais, and Mucha. I strive to pursue beauty while combining modern aesthetics to create a new visual experience for viewers.
Sihua Liu, Flowery, oil
"The model in this painting is a photographer friend. In this piece, I used a multi-layer painting method, with partial over-dying to increase the color level. I scraped the canvas numerous times, polishing it with fine sandpaper between each layer. The result is a painting that is smooth, delicate, and more durable.
"I hope my art can evoke a pleasing experience to the viewer; that they can feel the peace and beauty of the soul."