Nie Ou was born in Shenyang, Liaoning in 1948, and is noted for her idyllic paintings of villages in a naïve style. After the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), she studied Chinese ink painting under Li Keran (1907-1989, renowned contemporary Chinese painter) at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1978. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas including in the United States, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Her works have been collected by National Art Museum of China, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, and other institutions and private collectors.