HÀ NỘI – With clay flowers becoming a popular trend in recent years in Việt Nam, artisan Hương Thủy is displaying her unique artwork at an exhibition that opened in Hà Nội yesterday.

Twenty-seven pieces are 3D clay flower paintings which Thủy and her team made during a six-month period.

She began making clay flowers in 2005 but it was only last year when she began to combine clay flowers with oil-on-canvas paintings.

“One of my friends want to buy a unique souvenir to present to her foreign colleagues and I said let me try and make something with clay flowers,” Thủy said.

Thủy was pleasantly surprised with the result.

While preparing for the exhibition, Thủy ordered painters to draw landscapes following her designs. The other steps involved in making the clay flowers were executed by Thủy and her team.

“Making the flowers appear alive is the most difficult work,” Thủy said.

“Sewing each flower is a skilled technique. When they dry, they must be soft like the real flowers. I paint and draw details on the petals so they look real.”

The clay flower paintings of various sizes are inspired by the flowers of Việt Nam and South Korea, such as the lotus, sesame buds, roses and orchids, as well as daisies and cherry blossoms.

A painting titled Xuân Sapa (Spring Sapa) is the highlight of the exhibition. It is 100cm by 160cm in size and features the blooming peach blossom of Sapa – a township in the northern province of Lào Cai famous for its beauty.

Thủy has not visited Korea yet. She has, however, seen images of the beautiful landscape at Korean tourist spots on the Internet and in albums, which have inspired her to create paintings, such as Cherry and Cauliflowers in Jeju Island and Azalea in Jeongsan Island.

The artisan graduated from the Academy of Journalism and Communication. She worked as a journalist at the Bưu Điện Newspaper from 1998 to 2000 when she quit her job due to health issues and began trading clay flowers in 2005.

Inspired by her business, Thủy fell in love with clay flowers and decided to make them herself. She learned making clay flowers from artisans, but that was for just a few days. With her passion and skill, Thủy researched and learned to make clay flowers according to her own designs.

All the clay flower paintings will be sold after the exhibition. The exhibition is on until May 14 on 49 Nguyễn Du Street. -- VNS