Lou Zhenggang took up the brush when she was only three. By 12, she had won nationwide recognition as a child prodigy. Her career in art seemed an unending succession of prizes and accolades. But away from the glow of success, Lou Zhenggang found little happiness until after her fortieth birthday. Today she is a master of her arts - painting and calligraphy - and seasoned by a maturity in which she has found peace and contentment.

The sharp wind and unexpected snow didn't hamper the art-lovers who came to Today's Art Museum in Beijing to view Lou Zhenggang's latest works.

Lou Zhenggang's works are in high demand in Japan and United States, whether they be her calligraphy or her painting. Her brush works are prized as gifts from the government of China to visiting dignitaries. Her works are collected and exhibited in over eighty prestigious venues around the globe, including China's Palace Museum, and the United Nations Headquarters. It's well over twenty years, since she was celebrated as an exceptionally gifted prodigy. Today she is among the most influential of Eastern brush artists.

Lou said, "I'm not a particularly stubborn person, but I have persevered in brush art."

Lou Zhenggang's earliest works earned praise from senior critics especially for their masculinity and grandeur, qualities seldom found in a female artist. In her calligraphy, attention is given to line, rapidity of stroke and aggressiveness of style. These are the result of hard imitation of classical Chinese works, her ground-breaking experimentation and her gritty personality. Lou believes that her calligraphy is a mirror of herself, while her paintings reveal her inner feelings.