IT IS a joy to enjoy the beauty of nature in paintings. A solo exhibition of such works by Taiwanese artist Angeline Liu entitled "Exhibition of Chinese Paintings" is on at City Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.

The exhibition features 44 paintings depicting flora and fauna in fine-line style, priced between RM2,000 and RM8,500. All the works were painted by Liu since 2003.

Liu was tutored in art since childhood. She obtained a master’s degree in Chinese painting from the Ghuangzhou Academy of Art, and now specialises in flower and bird painting, especially in the fine-line style.

While in China, Liu travelled extensively, learning from various masters in Shandong, Nanjing, Shanghai and Ghuangzou.

To date, Liu has participated in numerous art exhibitions in China, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan, and some of her works have found their way to public and private collectors both here and abroad.

Her style of painting can be described as a combination of detailed, fluid fine lines with spontaneous, mellifluous backdrops. Be it a bird, a butterfly, a brook or flowers, she emphasises sketching from life.

Whether enriched with a rainbow of colours or imbued with subtle hues, her paintings are sensuously beautiful, yet almost spiritual, like a rhapsody in harmony with nature.

As a result, Liu’s works conveys a life-like quality that is pleasant to the eye. Happy Meeting portrays two butterflies on fern leaves to convey wonderful contrast, while Happy Morning shows a colourful bird perched among the branches of a plant.

A vast array of flowers such as lotuses, orchids, heliconias, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, lilies and roses are painted in pastel colours, yet lose none of their amazing details. Among them are Birds of Paradise (heliconias) and Blossom (orchids).

The exhibition is on at City Art Gallery, G 08A, ground floor, The AmpWalk, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur till Oct 31. Viewing hours: 11.30am-6.30pm daily. Admission is free. Call 03-2775-3933.