Oamul

Observational and intuitive, the paintings of Shanghai-based artist Oamul often begin not with a sketch, but with a feeling. Originally from a small town in Fujian Province, he later moved to the coastal city of Xiamen. It was there that he began his journey as a painter – a place that continues to hold deep personal and creative significance.

“I often don’t sketch much beforehand. Instead, I enter a state of flow where intuition leads the process.”

Working primarily with paint on paper, canvas and fabric, Oamul also explores other mediums including ceramics, digital media and traditional printmaking. His compositions are understated yet expressive, often grounded in nature – plants, figures and quiet spaces rendered in a carefully balanced palette.

A Garden of Colour

Nature remains a recurring theme in Oamul’s practice, inspired by long walks through parks and gardens, the energy of growth and the calm of repetition. Recently, he has been rediscovering woodblock printing, drawn to what he describes as its “structured yet poetic nature.”

“Colour is central to my work. I’m very sensitive to it. Even when painting emotionally intense scenes, I use colour as a way to maintain balance, tension, or softness.”

Oamul often returns to the work of Marc Chagall – to his use of colour, brushwork and emotional depth, influences that echo in his own evolving visual language, shaped by emotion and atmosphere. Alongside his studio work, Oamul is preparing to publish a new book – expanding his practice into narrative and print. Whether on canvas, carved into wood or bound on paper, his work invites the viewer into a moment of stillness – where memory and movement quietly unfold.