Yang Hongwei was born in 1949 into a family of artists in Anhui, China. She graduated from the Art department of Anhui University of Education and studied art at the Xu Beihong Studio in Beijing as well as Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Art. She uses new techniques with traditional gongbi painting materials to produce works expressing her eye for the delicate and feminine and love of nature and rural life in China. Her art has appeared in many important national and international exhibitions in China and has won several awards; select exhibitions and awards include: the Third Beijing International Art Biennial, the International Chinese Art Exhibition in Beijing (first prize), the International Chinese Art Exhibition in Canada (Maple Leaf Award), the Fifth National Sports Art Exhibition, the "Sun Cup: Collection of Famous Chinese Calligraphers and Artists" (bronze medal) and the Second Member’s Collection Exhibition of the Chinese Art Association, the Sixth National Folk Painting Exhibition and the Exhibition in Celebration of the Return of Macau, all of which awarded her awards of excellence. Her work has appeared in several publications including: Fine Art, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy and Art Digest. The following retrospectives of her work are also available: Contemporary Chinese Artists: Yang Hongwei, The Art work of Zhang Huailin and Yang Hongwei, A Collection of Yang Hongwei's Paintings. Her work has also been featured in book series such as How to Paint Peonies and How to Paint Pine Trees. She is an active member of several associations and committees dedicated to the promotion of art and art education in China and she lives and works in Beijing.
