# What is Lihuà's art style?

**Lihuà paints fashion figures in loose, fast watercolour and ink, using the brush the way Chinese calligraphy uses it: one confident stroke per form, with white paper left to breathe. Her recent work leans into soft, dreamy pastels and simplified palettes.**

In her own words, from the *Day Dreams* artist statement: she starts from photo references, then "a brushstroke here and there", letting each piece "take a life of its own". After an overwhelming 2021 she reset her practice by "stripping away the excess, simplifying the palette".

Calligraphy is sometimes literal. Several [Strokes of Fashion](https://www.wmartegallery.com/collections/strokes-of-fashion) works carry brushed Chinese characters beside the figure, for example [Marilyn Monroe](https://www.wmartegallery.com/works/strokes-of-fashion_marilyn-monroe_s4) and [Flower Picking Girl](https://www.wmartegallery.com/works/strokes-of-fashion_flower-picking-girl_s1). Her works are also stamped with a red seal.

She describes her paintings as "open invitations" that the viewer finishes with their own memories. That idea is behind [WM Arte Interactive](https://www.wmartegallery.com/interactive/), where a few of her watercolours respond to touch.

Source: WM Arte Gallery, https://www.wmartegallery.com/answers/lihua-art-style (updated 2026-10-07)