About Hang and her art...
Nguyen Thi Viet Hang was born in Vietnam. She immigrated to the United States in 1974 after attending graduate school at the University of the Philippines, where she earned a Masters in Social Work degree.
Beginning in 2004, Hang began formal studies in art, attending oil painting and Chinese brush painting classes at Montgomery College in Maryland. She continues her studies and feels fortunate to be able to continue instructions from a contemporary master of Chinese art, Master Mu Jiashan.
Hang is a member of the Frederick Arts Council, the Gaithersburg Fine Arts Council, and Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio. Hang has achieved recognition for her work, winning awards in juried competitions and having her art displayed and sold at local galleries and exhibitions. Some of her work has also been published.
Working in two different and distinct mediums -- oil and acrylic paint on canvass in the style of the Impressionists and Chinese brush painting using traditional Chinese ink, watercolor, and rice paper, which is influenced by Asian masters -- Hang enjoys painting nature. In her works one sees the changing seasons and the play of light and shadows on nature's canvass. Her stilll life paintings conjure a sense of peace and tranquility.
A word from Hang...
My work consists of two very different styles of painting, both requiring distinct approaches and mediums. When using oil and painting in a Western style influenced by the Impressionists, I am mostly drawn to subjects because of the effect that light and shadows have on them. So, very often the subjects of these paintings are found in nature--landscapes, still life, etc.
Typically, after observing my subject in various stages of light and shadows, I will do some sketches and/or rough drawings of it and take pictures of it. Then, I will complete the painting in my studio.
I prefer the loose style of the Impressionism school because for me, suggestion is more intriquing than explicit detail. This type of painting allows the viewer to use his or her own imagination to "complete" the picture.
Whereas my oil paintings are loose, painted with bold and often "messy" brush strokes, my Asian watercolor work requires disciplined and softer strokes. I am fortunate to have studied under Master Mu, who has helped me to understand and appreciate the subtleties of Chinese art.
Nguyen Thi Viet Hang