Hua Nian was born and raised in China and later earned a Master’s degree in Art Education from Pittsburg State University in Kansas. For more than 30 years, she has shared her love of art with children through seasonal classes and summer art camps. She believes that learning to draw and paint is both a discipline and a joy, and her teaching emphasizes careful practice, creativity, and helping each child gain confidence while discovering their unique artistic voice.
Alongside teaching, Hua Nian maintains an active studio practice. Her paintings have been exhibited widely in national and international shows and have received numerous awards. Her work has appeared in American Artist Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, Dialogue: An Art Journal, and various American and Chinese publications. She has also created artwork for book covers, music CDs, and posters for institutions such as Stanford University and the University of Illinois.
Hua Nian lives with her husband, a music professor at the University of Illinois, and they have two adult children.