About Ai Qiu Hopen

Ai Qiu Hopen

Born in rural China, Ai Qiu grew up in an environment where toys were a luxury his parents couldn’t afford. He fashioned his own dolls from clay, a gift he would later come to cherish. His sculpting career began in a humble house with a straw roof and a mud floor, without even a bathroom.

At six years old, Ai Qiu advanced his mud sculpting skills, creating intricate depictions of trees, flowers, and children at play. Traveling across China with his itinerant beekeeping parents, he interacted with children from various cultures and languages. The soft mud along brooks in high mountains and deep valleys became his playground, fostering a deep love for nature and unity. He absorbed wisdom from nature and the welcoming arms of children.

Life took a dramatic turn when Ai Qiu was ten. After his father was diagnosed with throat cancer, he took on the responsibility of caring for his six-month-old twin sisters at night while his parents were at the hospital. He also cooked for his four sisters using vegetables from his garden. That year, he started selling ice cream and homemade pancakes to support his family.

From ages 14 to 16, Ai Qiu spent his summer breaks getting up at 3:00 AM to carry frozen fish to market with his father. During the school year, he woke up early to work on a massive loom for three hours before walking 45 minutes to school. Despite being teased and bullied for his poverty, he saw education as the key to his dreams of becoming an artist. Determined to attend college, he worked tirelessly to repay the debt from an arranged marriage his father had committed him to, sewing winter blankets to free himself from the engagement.

In 1993, Ai Qiu began intensive training in Hong Zhou under masters from the China Art Institute. Two years later, he was admitted to Shanghai Normal University with a scholarship. His acceptance was a cause for celebration in his village, and his elementary school teacher publicly asked for his forgiveness for past punishments. This moment marked the beginning of a healing journey, creating art for love, nonviolence, peace, and unity.

After graduating in 1999 with a degree in Art Education and Modern Art Design, [Name] worked as a sculptor in Shanghai, contributing to notable projects like “Silk Road and Culture of the World” and “Magic Birds.” In 2000, he won his own sculpture commission for a public square fountain. Moving to America in 2001, he created a larger-than-life bronze figure of musician Blind Boone and later worked on “Three Hearts atop Mountain” for Boldt Castle in 2002.

Partnering with Bill Hopen, both in art and life, Ai Qiu created many works together. Now, as a family team of artists, including their young son and five biracial children, they focus on expressions of peace, harmony, and humanity. Their shared humanity transcends gender, race, age, culture, and generation, deeply connecting them to various projects. They believe their ethos and aspirations for peace, equality, harmony, and unity can significantly contribute to the success of any project, bringing people together through art that uplifts and transcends differences.