Peonies across cultures: Spanish artist discusses the beauty of ink peonies

Spanish artist Carmen Varela has dedicated her life to painting and sculpture, with a significant portion of her work centered around peonies. Captivated by the elegance of flowers from an early age, she finds the beauty of peonies particularly striking.

"What draws me to the peony is its ephemeral beauty and subtlety. Their elegance never fades; from the moment they bloom, their heavy blossoms bow to the earth until their petals drift away with the wind, transforming into gorgeous shades of yellow and ochre," she said.

In this video, Varela showcases her painting of peonies in full bloom at the Botanical Garden of Madrid and shares her perspective on Chinese ink paintings of peonies.

"Chinese people convey the beauty of peonies to the world through ink painting. Unlike my own more baroque style, the blank spaces in ink painting are truly beautiful," she said. "I believe that painting serves as a window to showcase each other's cultures."