AGOG presents When Mountains Dream by Liwen Zhang

When Mountains Dream is a personal exploration of the Canadian Rockies. These paintings emerge from a combination of imagination, personal feelings, and many quiet moments spent observing how mountains interact with light and shadow. Even during night, I feel the moon, clouds, and peaks continue to echo the sun’s presence, reflecting its light in subtle yet powerful ways as they dream in repose of that illumination. Some dreams reveal stories of transformation, while others tell of silent strength and enduring power.

I see each mountain having its own personality. My emotional connection to these entities, with feelings of solitude and tender embrace, is filled with wonder and peace. That emotion is expressed in these paintings. Through my work, I seek to share these feelings, inviting viewers to experience the mountains not only as scenery but as a living presence.

About the Artist

Liwen Zhang is a self-taught visual artist based in Nordegg, Alberta. A life-long interest in drawing and painting became her full-time commitment in 2023. She has explored various painting mediums and currently works primarily with acrylics.

Her paintings are inspired by a deep connection with the Canadian Rocky Mountains and daily meditation practice. Viewing all aspects of nature as alive and conscious, Liwen sees each tree, flower, rock, mountain, animal, forest, and landscape as carrying a distinct spirit and personality. Liwen’s art blends reality with imagination, using bold, vivid colors to convey the playful, curious, and interconnected energy she experiences in the natural world.

Through her work, Liwen aims to build a visual communication channel that brings the healing vibrations of nature’s beings to viewers. Each work offers a different sense of serenity, joy, and wonder, inviting people to reconnect with nature and rediscover a sense of curiosity and playfulness in everyday life.