In the early summer morning, the gentle sunlight flooded the three-room porch, creating a poetic space. On the red brick floor covered with green moss, artist Mong Bich, over ninety years old, sat quietly with a small pencil in her hand. Her hands, though weakened by time, still skillfully drew each stroke, sketching the image of a bright yellow banana flower blooming before her. The strokes on the white paper reflected her delicate perception of color and the surrounding nature. She smiled gently, admiring: "The colors are so harmonious."
Artist Mong Bich has spent her life sketching natural landscapes and portraits of people across Vietnam. The paintings bearing her name are not only works of art but also delicate pieces of life that she has felt over the years. Now, at the age of 91, she has left the hustle and bustle of the city to live alone in a simple garden house in Hien Van commune, Tien Du, Bac Ninh.
The three-room house that she called "the little house" was where she sought tranquility. "The little house leaned against the mountain, in front of it was a green pond dotted with a few lotus flowers, occasionally a kingfisher flew down. Next to the carefully built tiled roof, the jackfruit tree this year bore many fragrant fruits. In the garden, the betel leaf bushes and chive roots were lush next to the bright purple perilla and several pots of lush aloe vera. Looking at the chive and perilla flowers also made me feel at ease." The old painter described his house poetically, the quiet house with its idyllic scenery, creating a truly peaceful picture.
The simple life between the three-room house, garden and nature has become an indispensable part of the life of artist Mong Bich. Without noise, without daily worries, she lives in harmony with nature. Gentle moments like sitting on the porch watching chives flowers, or taking care of the flower beds and vegetables in the garden bring her simple joy.
Having loved painting since childhood, it was not until she was 25 that she was able to settle down and study at an intermediate level of fine arts. Then, the times and the demands of life made it difficult for the artist to devote herself to her passion, but she never gave up her paintbrush. When she got older, her three-room house was not only a place to live, but also an artistic space where she continued to create. Each stroke of her brush on her paintings was a tribute to the nature she loved. It was this close connection with nature that helped her continue to create, nurturing her artistic soul despite her old age.
In addition to painting for fun, she also spends a lot of time reading. "Books help me understand and are timeless. Recently, I read The Invisible Statue - a very interesting book about philosophy. Before that, there was My Name is Red, which has both a detective story and beautiful paintings."
Mong Bich, at the age of ninety, still lives and creates as a young artist, full of inspiration from the simple things around her. Her simple and peaceful life in a small three-room house in the middle of peaceful nature is a beautiful image of a great artist who has chosen to follow her own path, not fussy but full of inspiration and meaning.
