Ni Ping shows her paintings at an ongoing exhibition at Rongbaozhai, Beijing. Photos provided to China Daily

TV hostess and film actress Ni Ping's rediscovery of her passion for painting 'has thrust her artworks alongside the masters'. Chen Nan reports in Beijing.

Chinese TV hostess and film actress Ni Ping is staging her painting exhibition at Rongbaozhai, a shop founded in Beijing in 1672 that's celebrated for its collection of works by such established artists as Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi. Ni's works are mostly traditional ink paintings that she says might seem out of place alongside the works of such creative giants.

The 53-year-old, who has hosted the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala for 12 years and won best actress at the national film festival for all five of her movies, only started painting three years ago. She staged her first exhibition of 100 ink works at the Shenzhen Art Museum last year. Her ongoing show at Rongbaozhai, which ends March 9, displays 200 of her paintings finished in the last six months.

"My friends say, 'how dare you host an exhibition in Rongbaozhai'," Ni says, laughing.

"My works are technically nothing compared to the masters'. But they record my life and reflect my own simple and natural style and attitude toward life. The days I've lived have inspired me, which is why I made so many works so quickly."

Happiness is the main theme of her paintings. The subject matters are things she sees and imagines, such as red lanterns, flowers, birds, vegetables and cats.