Nature dominates the oil paintings of French artist Claire Basler. Photo provided to China Daily

The scent of flowers is a big part of Claire Basler's idyllic life in the central French city of Vichy.

The 55-year-old painter lives in Chateau de Beauvoir, a castle in the woods, and has converted some of its interior space into a miniature botanical garden. She wakes up, dines and paints amid vivid floral arrangements and the potted landscape. Flowers recur as subjects of her oil paintings.

Basler is currently showing 13 of her floral still-life pieces at a solo exhibition, titled Gathering of Flowers, at Beijing's Amy Li Gallery.

Her paintings portray flowers in many aspects: innocent or sexy, soft in texture or powerful in strength, Basler tells her guests at a salon inside Hotel Jen Upper East Beijing while sharing her thoughts on her art and lifestyle.