Painter is drawn to island's way of life

HAIKOU — In Kuznetsova Aleksandra's studio in Haikou, the capital of Hainan, a tropical island province in South China, an oil painting of St. Basil's Cathedral hangs beside a portrait capturing the grace of a woman from the Li ethnic group, symbolizing two distinct aspects of the artist's life.

Raised in a family of artists, the 24-year-old Russian woman developed a profound love for painting from an early age. Six years ago, she relocated to Hainan and set up her studio there.

Her enchantment with Chinese culture ignited when she was just 10 years old.