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Silk painting, silk painter
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Cats can often be seen in Xu Qing's art. She makes very delicate strokes of the cat's fur, making the animal very fluffy and lovely.
And cats can convey very auspicious meanings sometimes.
Xu said, "This cat carries a guard (for fortune and wealth). Life is hard for old people during their 70s or 80s, in Chinese called the age of Mao Di-e. If I draw a butterfly here the picture is messy. So I had an idea. The fan has two sides. I drew a peony in the back. Peony symbolizes wealthy and nobility in China. It's very auspicious. I added three butterflies here, which are flying. When you raise the fan, you can see through it, and you see a butterfly (pronounced di-e) falls upon the ear of the cat, which can explain the age of Mao Di-e."
Now Xu's silk painting skill has been listed as an intangible heritage item by Chongwen district. She has more motivation to work on her art and create something new.
Except for painting on silk, Xu applies her techniques on cloth, like on a hat. Her drawing turns an ordinary white hat into a cherished adornment for girls.
And she also paints on clothes. She painted on a white dress provided by her daughter's school for the students' performance, making an otherwise dull dress become beautiful fashion.
Xu also paints on umbrellas, ties, and cushions. Her deft hand can turn every ordinary thing into a collectable.
And she often demonstrates her skills right here in Bai Gong Fang workshop, or in temple fairs and cultural activities. During the spring festival this year, she went to the UK and Germany to showcase her art in a cultural exchange activity organized by the Foreign Ministry.
Luckily, Xu Qing also has a soul mate, her husband and guard pyrography artist, Ji Shun. Ji is the first viewer of each of Xu's work, and is an avid critic too. With a supportive partner like Ji, Xu's artistic career can be more bountiful, she can achieve more, and it can even be full of sweetness.
