fei t. alexander
Fei Teng Alexander was born and raised in the northern city of Harbin, China, a city that is very near to Russia. Both parents were educators and as such instilled a deep sense of learning and curiosity in their daughter. Fei began working with Chinese calligraphy and traditional painting from the age of four, after observing her high school headmaster father correct student papers in the traditional brush and ink method. After high school, Fei's mother encouraged her to pursue art at the university level and she graduated from two of the top art universities in Harbin; worked as a graphic designer/art editor for various commercial companies and taught Chinese ink painting to children in the local museum. Towards the end of 1998 she immigrated to California and continued her artistic development. Her cultural background guides her through an emotional journey of diverse mediums such as oils, acrylics, watercolor, airbrush, and Chinese ink paintings. In her early work, Fei emphasized the essence of the sixth sense combined with the human form. "There is nothing more perfect to me in this whole world than the human body. For me, each part of our body has its own unique way of communicating moods and feelings, from birth to death that represents the whole procedure and journey of our lives..." Fei states. Alexander's current work focuses on traditional spirituality with reflections of modern life. Each piece invites the viewer to glance at the inner soul and attain self-discovery; to experience intense emotions through her brush. Some of her works are painted on non-conventional canvases, designed and handmade by the artist and Pace Alexander, her musician husband. She believes the different shapes help expand the imagination. Journalist Bondo Wyszpolski states: "Through her paintings, Fei Alexander expresses vision and heritage, the physical form and its spiritual emanation."