Xiaoping Yao: Come To My Garden in the Summer of Blooming Flowers

Xiaoping Yao: Come To My Garden in the Summer of Blooming Flowers

Artist Residency: August 17–September 15
Programs: Saturday, August 19 & Saturday, August 26, 1-3pm

YES GALLERY

In Come To My Garden in the Summer of Blooming Flowers, artist Xiaoping Yao will create a garden of flowers in WAAM’s Youth Exhibition Space (YES) using everyday materials. Flowers made of paper napkins, tissue paper, and ribbons will be on view alongside oil paintings of Xiaoping Yao’s favorite flowers, including those that she grows in her garden. Xiaoping Yao’s handmade flowers will be given away to the public while the exhibition is on view, and WAAM will offer public workshops where participants can engage with the artist and learn how to make paper flowers.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Xiaoping Yao was born in Beijing and studied graphic design at the Trademark Design Institute, before beginning a career in fabric design. She moved to New York City in 1993, where she lived for 7 years.  Xiaoping Yao left the city to be closer to nature where she enjoys painting and currently lives and works in Shandaken, NY.  The artist comes from a family of musicians who always encouraged her to explore all the creative avenues. Her father had a career as the Conductor of the Central Opera in Beijing and her mother was a soprano singer of Italian opera.  Her family performed every year in New York City, mostly at Lincoln Center. Xiaoping Yao has been making oil paintings since she was a child in China, as well as playing piano and singing opera. She  started making origami flowers at the age of 5, developing her own unique way of using found materials.