Li Muchen, 25, holds a master’s degree in Brand Design from the College of Communication at University of the Arts London and previously worked as a teaching director at an international art institution. Through her teaching experience, Li noticed that many beginner learners found painting intimidating and often lacked confidence in the classroom. To make the learning process more approachable, she invests significant time in lesson preparation. Before each class, she creates a full demonstration painting in advance. From sketching and composition to layering colour and final rendering, she photographs every stage of the process and compiles the images into step-by-step teaching materials, allowing students to follow and practise more easily. Teaching workplace art classes is not always easy. As both an instructor and a full-time employee herself, Li often spends her spare time preparing lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations. She also researches engaging online teaching methods and continually refines her courses. “Students enrolling in workplace art programmes come from a wide range of age groups and artistic backgrounds, which places high demands on the teacher’s ability to adapt and communicate,” she explains. Rather than focusing solely on technical skills, Li believes it is more important for students to experience the cultural and emotional beauty of art within a 90-minute class. In her watercolor course inspired by the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, the “Great Heat” theme was particularly complex. Instead of asking students to complete every detail with paint alone, she introduced a mixed-media approach: students used watercolor washes for the background while sculpting intricate elements such as lotus flowers, lotus leaves, and lotus roots with clay. “This not only helps students better understand light, shadow, and three-dimensional form in art, but also keeps their curiosity and enthusiasm for creativity alive through diverse forms of expression.” Thanks to her innovative and flexible teaching style, Li’s classes have gained increasing popularity through word-of-mouth recommendations among employees.