Confessions of a Polymath Painter in Shanghai, China
When I applied for a 3-month artist residency at the prestigious Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, I proposed writing and painting abstract art about smart-city technology and sustainability.
That never happened!
Everywhere I went in Shanghai, my mind, body, and soul kept absorbing a riot of blossoms, each petal weaving itself into my senses.
There were flowers in the parks.
Rows and rows of flower boxes along the streets.
Flowers everywhere along the river.
Even flowers right alongside the bike and scooter paths.
With gratitude, I learned that I did not have to follow my initial artistic proposal. I could create anything my heart desired. Though my goal was to paint abstracts, I found myself irresistibly drawn to Shanghai’s flowers.
In the sunlit charm of Studio 9 at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, I surrendered and let blossoms bloom across my canvases.
Lovely Studio 9 at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel.
My first days of painting in Shanghai.
Swatch Art Peace Hotel in the Bund district of Shanghai, China. My apartment was on the 3rd floor, and my studio was on the 2nd floor overlooking Nanjing Road.
Early March 2026, on the rooftop of the Swatch Art Peace Hotel. What an absolutely amazing view!
In the beginning, I stayed true to my signature evidence-based floral style. My bouquets, with their exposed stems and airy arrangements, drew admirers from every corner. From the cobbled streets of France to the bustling avenues of Hong Kong, my joyful creations had sold across the globe.
Title: Shanghai Golden
Title: Huangpu River And Flowers
Title: People In China Are Lovely
Those three unforgettable months in Shanghai changed me in ways I never dreamed possible. The city’s pulse set my creativity alight, pushing my floral designs into bold new territory and giving birth to the Swatch Art Peace Hotel series.
Immersed in a sea of blossoms, I started to infuse my work with the city’s vibrant spirit. My stems grew deeper and more vivid, and suddenly, bouquets gave way to sweeping landscapes beneath radiant blue skies.
The first painting in this new style and series.
Just a few weeks after I returned to the United States, nearly every Swatch Art Peace Hotel painting had found a new home. Each sale fills me with honor, but above all, I feel so much more thankful for the amazing beauty and abundant joy that Shanghai and its people brought into my life.
Thank you, Shanghai. You and China are truly lovely!
