Popular online Canadian artist, Qing Han, or Qinni, as she is known on social media platforms, has passed away after a battle with stage-four cancer on February 10. She was 29 years-old. Qinni began posting her artwork in 2008 the online art community platform, DevianArt, after being introduced to it by a friend.

In the span of 12 years, her anime-inspired, ethereal and dreamy artwork has been well-received by the DevianArt community eventually amassing 116,700 followers and 3.3 million views. In Instagram, she gained 2.3 million followers.

Qinni’s artwork is so popular that it’s hard to miss although people might not have realized it was hers. I first encountered her work on Starred Freckles, pictured below, her most popular work, in my Facebook News Feed and shared it for how mesmerizing it is.

To remember her, here are five things you need to know about her.

1. Her parents did not encourage her to go for an artistic career path

In 2017, Qinni writes, “[DeviantArt] was really the place where I got the encouragement and confidence to try and convince my parents I wanted to become a professional artist. I remember wanting to be just as skilled and well known as some of the artists here and it’s crazy to almost be able to see myself as their peer now.” She fulfilled her dreams of becoming an artist for Disney for Motorcity and an animator.

DeviantArt announced Qinni’s death in a tweet on February 10. It said, “Today, the world has lost a wonderful artist, and a wonderful person. Thank you for inspiring us with your art, Qinni. We hope you rest in peace.”

2. Qinni suffered from heart problems. 

Her Instagram description states that she is a four-time open-heart surgery survivor. Since 2015, she has opened to fans about her genetic heart problem. Her doctors had advised her to seek medical care in the United States, but in that same post, Qinni also expressed her desire to go to China to visit her grandfather who was suffering from cancer.

Qinni said this affected her art, “I actually think I managed to produce better stuff when I was depressed. I think this sort of feeling is great fuel for emotional art, and it just feels good to sort of blarrgh feelings onto a page. Art therapy is a real thing.”

3. She announced her diagnosis to fans.

On December 28, 2019, Qinni told her social media followers that she was diagnosed with stage 4 fibrosis sarcoma. It was a terminal and the doctor told her that she only had “a year or year and a half left.”

Since then, there was a downpour of support and sympathy for the twenty-nine year old artist. Because of this, she released a statement, “I appreciate all the support on Twitter and people becoming my patron is just so sweet, thank you guys so much. I apologize my condition might only get worse before it gets better though, I still have a lot pain problems right now actually… [I] think that’s the worst part of this though, is the pain.”

4. She’s the artist behind this meme.

Another one of her most famous works included this popular meme. Most of us never even got to know the artist behind it. Once, she expressed how at least her meme will survive her on the internet.

5. Her work was recognized by DeviantArt

In February 2017, Qinni was awarded DeviantArt’s Deviousness Award. As Qinni posts tutorials and guides other artists on the said platform. She was said to have “Exemplary Membership and an Outstanding Spirit of helpfulness and mentoring within the DeviantArt community.”

Her artwork lives on. Rest in peace, beloved Qinni.

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faith