Joan Stephan, a mother of 3 babies, is 58 years old. She is so dedicated to the pursuit of art, she came to Qingdao from home ten thousands miles away. The artist from Germany says: “I love China. I want to go to China every minute.” 3 German artists came to Qingdao with her, they are Lars Lehmann, Peter Feiler and Jan Friedrich, these 3 are her friends, and all of them are famous artists in Germany. They came to Qingdao to collect folk arts and gain inspiration.

    These 4 artists came to Langya kiln (kiln where Langya porcelain is made) to experience the making process of the Langya porcelain.

    The artists were attracted by various kinds of porcelain products once they entered the Langya kiln research institute. The owner introduced the development history and making skills of Langya porcelain in ancient time, and led them to the site of kiln to let them experience the making process of porcelain with Ye Jianming, an industrial arts master in China.

    The Germany artists wanted to try for a long time enter the painting room after they received a water bottle and unfinished porcelain, using a brush and ink which is full of traditional Chinese elements to draw on the water bottle and unfinished products.

    Flowers Send Message of Spring, Fish Swims in Crystal Water drawn by Joan Stephan are filled with both life and romance. “Besides China learnt from the books, what I know about China is mainly from my Chinese neighbors. They have lived in German for many years. All the things about Chinese culture are fresh and awesome to me. Last year I went to Beijing and Shanghai. However, you can only see tall buildings over there. Compared with them, I prefer colorful Qingdao, there are so many beautiful scenes here which can be painted into the picture.” Joan is full of passion: “These beautiful views are just captured in Tangdao Bay of Qingdao by me, I will not only bring them to painting show in Laoshan this April, but also will bring them to German.”

    “My grandpa is a macroeconomist; he made a prediction in 1990s that China will be a superpower in the world. Going to China this time, I feel there is not only historic taste here, but also open, modern, energetic, lively. His prediction comes true, I feel so happy for him,” Peter says.

    “Langya ancient porcelain is like mist, I am curious about the final products we made.” Jan, who gained fame at a very early age and now just 29 years old is highly respected, wishes to bring the porcelain he drew back to Germany.

    Artists like Joan are invited by the Qingdao Sino-German Arts Exchange and Creating Base to come to paint in China and hold an exchange painting expo. The base is the 1st one established by the China International Culture Association for Sino-German arts exchange. Its aim is to offer good conditions for Chinese artists to go to Germany and German artists to come to China, and promoting multi-understanding about Chinese and Germany cultures and expanding creative space for artists from both countries.

    “As the media links life and art, painting requires artists to dedicate in their real experience in China, which makes it possible for it to involve in life from any angle and perspective,” the base director Jiang Xiukai said. “They record their every moment in China in traditional Chinese porcelain, their products are in different styles and filled with interest and realism, they are warm, humorous, funny, lazy and mysterious. It is diversity, innovation and integration.”