Retired teacher's works show inspiration of art

Self-taught painter Ma Ding'an makes a statement through her works that it is never too late to learn to paint, as long as one is determined to invest time, commitment and energy.

The 70-year-old schoolteacher from Jinhua, Zhejiang province, has been improving the techniques of the flower-and-bird genre of classic Chinese painting since the 1990s. She showed more than 50 recent pieces at her solo exhibition, Setting Sun Glows, at the art gallery of Art News of China in Beijing from July 1 to 3.

The paintings brimming with vitality and rich colors demonstrate how art has enriched Ma's spare time and her spiritual world.