Child's nature: Art by Nguyen Thi Hien, on display at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum, features images of children surrounded by sky, sun and flowers.

HCM CITY (VNS)— Artist Nguyen Thi Hien's exhibition, called Children, at the HCM City Fine Arts Museum features 70 paintings on canvas and lacquer that reflect her philosophy that "children embody life and love."

"I find peace and passion while painting children," Hien said. "I want to encourage people to love and care for them because they hold the future of the world."

Hien uses both light and vivid colours like blue, green, peach-orange, red and purple to "show the true images of children, life and love in nature."

A native of Ha Noi who now lives in HCM City, Hien, 67, has painted images of children surrounded by the sky, sun, sand and flowers.

In the lacquer piece Hai Chi Em (The Sisters), the colours of deep-green and brown show a boy and girl in ethnic minority clothes standing on the ground looking through the world through pure eyes. The blackness of the eyes creates a stunning visual effect.

Born in a traditional family in Bac Ninh Province (now Ha Noi), Hien began painting in 1954 when she was eight years old.

Two years later, her works won a top prize at an international painting contest in Hungary.

Hien's father, Kim Lan, a talented author in the 1940s and 50s, loved art and literature, she said, adding that he had influenced her greatly.

A graduate of Ha Noi College of Fine Arts in 1967, Hien has taken part in many solo and group exhibitions at home and abroad.

Her travels have given her a new perspective on the world and people, and her latest solo exhibit in Spain early this year was acclaimed by local art lovers.

"My project this year is to portray 100 public characters in different ways, people who contributed to the country's development," said Hien.

The show at HCM City Fine Arts Museum, 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street in District 1, ends on October 10. It will move to the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum in Ha Noi in December. — VNS