A British artist’s exhibit featuring stunning landscapes of UNESCO-recognized Hoi An old town in central Quang Nam province is running right in the town until May 24.
The exhibit, “Mot tuan o Hoi An” (A week in Hoi An), which features artworks by British artist Bridget March, is running at 46 Nguyen Thai Hoc in Hoi An old town.
The artist’s 30 watercolor paintings offer striking glimpses of Hoi An old town, its amiable people, and picturesque landscapes.
March first came to Hoi An in 2012 and she fell in love with the town at first sight.
Since then, she’s been insistent on painting Hoi An and has published a book, “Mot tuan o Hoi An.”
March, 58, from northern England, had a successful career as a furniture designer for 18 years and draws and paints in her free time.
Her paintings, etchings and drawings were widely exhibited in the UK and she won some commissions for private collections.
In 2012, an unexpected invitation from a friend persuaded March to give up her job in Britain to come to Vietnam.
During her stay in Vietnam, she has produced nearly 200 artworks.
Her successful, first, solo exhibition “Memories of Hoi An” in Sept 2013 placed her firmly on the southern hub’s art map.
Bewitched by Vietnam’s history, culture and commerce, she tells some of these stories in her watercolor sketches and drawings to capture the places she visits.
March, who specializes in urban landscapes, also holds drawing classes for beginners and improvers in HCMC.
She also writes a monthly column for Oi Vietnam magazine called “Postcard from Vietnam.”
In 1999, the old town of Hoi An was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO for being a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port in the 15th to 19th centuries and for having buildings with a unique blend of local and foreign influences.
Since then, the city has been voted one of the top tourist destinations in the world by several tourism magazines.
It was voted the world’s best tourism city by UK tourism magazine Wanderlust in Jan 2013. The city also ranked second in the Top 10 Asian Cities list by prestigious American tourism magazine Condé Nast Traveler in Oct 2013.