Art has been part of my life ever since I could pick up a pencil. It’s as if the different media to create art runs through my veins, firing synapses throughout my body. I find beauty within every glimpse of the world I take, whether it is good or bad.
Whether it may be the various radiant and vibrant colors of a sunset that offer a peaceful settling in one’s chest, or the mournful face of a cancer patient who had four open heart surgeries and still has the eyes of determination to keep creating.
Such person would be Qing Han, also known as Qinni on social media, a young aspiring artist who was diagnosed with stage four fibrosis sarcoma cancer and had always stayed positive and tried her best to keep her content flowing for all her fans around the world. Even if she didn’t have much motivation, let alone the energy to pick up as little as a piece of paper, she continued to create.
Qinni was a coffee fanatic; she even started a Patreon, a “subscription-style payment model (in which) fans pay their favorite creators a monthly amount of their choice in exchange for exclusive access, extra content, or a closer look into their creative journey,” according to its website, in order to buy coffee, rather than trying to raise money in exchange for her artwork. I found this side of her quite silly and pure. She just wanted some coffee to get through the day.
I stumbled upon Qinni’s work a few years back on Instagram and have been infatuated by her talent ever since. Every chance I had, I would check out her page for new posts. The way she used color to give off this sort of cosmic vibe in her pieces astonishes me. One of the most enthralling aspects about these pieces was the way she used this illuminating hue of yellow in different ways. She didn’t always use this style in her pieces but some of my favorites are “Trapped” and “Flowering Hair.” Qinni also did a few short animations in her older days such as “Nigh Light.” In February of 2017, Qinni the DeviantArt Deviousness Award, which recognizes “exemplary membership and an outstanding spirit of helpfulness and mentoring within the DeviantArt community,” according to the website.
I truly appreciate Qinni’s work. There were days when I would have a hard time with artist block, so I’d check out her page to admire and gather inspiration from her pieces.
I didn’t know about her death until a friend of mine informed me. I later saw a post about it on my Instagram feed. Unfortunately, after a long-time battling her cancer, Qinni passed away Feb. 8.
I do not think the announcement was the only heartbreaking thing. The photo that was posted along with it was, too — a single, small, yellow fish gleaming through a dark navy blue gradient background. It looks like a small glimpse of light navigating through an abyss. This and Qinni’s last creation, “Fragile,” are the last posts on her page for now.
“Her journey, however, has not ended. We begin a new chapter of continuing her legacy and her memory. There will be more to come on this page,” Ze Han, Qinni’s brother, said.
Curious. I wonder what will become of her page.
Teddy Baylon may be reached at [email protected]
