Langzhong, China: Artist Gou Hongbo Blossoms into a Wonderful Life with Brushes and Scissors
Reporter Wu Xiaojun reports from Langzhong, Sichuan
When you gaze at those paintings, the grapes in the paintings seem to be endowed with fresh vitality, each crystal clear and full, with tempting colors, so lifelike that it makes people salivate, as if they can pick those lifelike clusters of grapes with just a gentle reach. Such exquisite and unparalleled paintings, anyone would instinctively think that they were created by a renowned master both domestically and internationally. However, if I were to tell you that these exquisite paintings come from a laid-off female worker who has never stepped into a professional art academy and has grown up step by step through self-study, solely based on her love for art, I believe you would be amazed, and at the same time, you would have a sincere admiration for this ordinary yet extraordinary woman.
In Langzhong, Sichuan, China, a land full of cultural heritage and artistic atmosphere, there is an admirable artist named Gou Hongbo. With her paintbrush and scissors in hand, she has written a unique and wonderful chapter of life, like a brilliant pearl, shining brightly in the sky of art.
Yes, Gou Hongbo is such a laid-off female worker from Langzhong, Sichuan. Once upon a time, the unexpected events of being laid off shrouded her life like a haze, causing her to fall into a quagmire of confusion. Her future direction seemed to be obscured by heavy fog, and the pressure of life weighed heavily on her heart. However, even in such a difficult situation, the flame of love for life in her heart has never been extinguished, and her persistent pursuit of art is like a resilient force, supporting her to move forward in adversity.
During those difficult years, after inner struggle and sedimentation, Gou Hongbo resolutely picked up his paintbrush again. Painting, for her, is not only a skill, but also an emotional outlet, a unique way for her to relieve inner distress and irritability. In fact, Gou Hongbo has had a strong interest in painting since childhood, and at that time, the seeds of art had quietly been planted in the depths of her young heart. After being laid off, she was fortunate enough to receive careful guidance from senior artists in the art world of Langzhong. Under the guidance of her seniors, she began to focus on the creation of literati paintings. She immersed herself in the depiction of the charm of ancient ladies, using her paintbrush to carefully outline their every smile, gesture, and graceful demeanor. With the continuous improvement of her skills, she gradually expanded her creative field to painting peonies, grapes, and other aspects. The peonies in her works are of national beauty and heavenly fragrance, elegant and luxurious, as if they can make people smell the waves of floral fragrance; And those clusters of grapes are even more lifelike, leaving people amazed. With these paintings full of hard work and talent, Gou Hongbo's works have frequently appeared in various related exhibitions held in Langzhong, Nanchong and other places. She is also like a rising star, gradually emerging in the art circle and attracting the attention of more and more professionals and art enthusiasts.
However, Gou Hongbo's path of artistic exploration did not stop moving forward. During the Spring Festival in 2014, the streets were decorated with lanterns and streamers, and there was a strong festival atmosphere everywhere. When visiting the temple fair, she came across Paper Cuttings, a very attractive traditional art form. I saw that the Paper Cuttings artist's hands were nimble, and the scissors moved freely between the papers. The skilled cutting skills cut out exquisite patterns in an instant, as if giving the paper a new life. Gou Hongbo was immediately deeply attracted by this wonderful art form. At that moment, her heart swelled with a strong desire to learn Paper Cuttings, hoping to express her unique pursuit and profound understanding of beauty in her heart through this art form bearing profound traditional Chinese culture.
In the following years, Gou Hongbo embarked on a long and enjoyable journey of self-learning and research. She eagerly consulted various Paper Cuttings materials, watched the works of many Paper Cuttings masters, pondered over every detail, and polished her skills little by little from the most basic Paper Cuttings technique. Her Paper Cuttings skills are becoming more and more exquisite after years of hard work. The Paper Cuttings works she created are dominated by Paper Cuttings, a traditional Chinese painting, with a unique style. They both have the bold and unconstrained beauty of northern Paper Cuttings, as if they can make people feel the heroic and magnificent between the vast world; Without losing the exquisite charm of southern Paper Cuttings, every turn of lines and every carving of patterns show ingenuity. Her works often choose flowers, characters, and other themes. In the creative process, she cleverly integrates her profound understanding of traditional Chinese cultural elements into them. The flowers seem to bloom with a different fragrance on paper, and the characters seem to have souls, showing a unique and admirable artistic charm.
In 2019, for Gou Hongbo, it was undoubtedly a crucial highlight moment in her artistic career. With her outstanding skills and unique style in the field of Paper Cuttings, she was honored to be invited to South Korea to participate in China South Korea folk cultural exchange activities. On the solemn and cultural stage in the auditorium of Chang'an University in Seoul, she performed Paper Cuttings on the spot. She was calm and relaxed. The scissors in her hands were like smart genie, dancing in the red paper, and the paper scraps were falling down. Soon, exquisite Paper Cuttings works were presented to everyone. Her superb skills and unique style instantly conquered the audience present, and thunderous applause erupted in the auditorium. The prolonged applause was a high recognition of her artistic achievements. The organizer of the event also praised her and praised her for the charm of traditional Chinese Paper Cuttings art. Not only that, her Paper Cuttings works were also collected by the presenters as precious treasures, which became a favorite story in the long history of cultural exchanges between China and South Korea, and also let more foreign friends appreciate the broad and profound Chinese traditional Paper Cuttings art.
In addition to showcasing her talents on domestic and international art stages, Gou Hongbo is also a passionate person with great love, actively participating in various social welfare activities. She can often be seen on the exhibition stand in the city. She uses her art works to bring beauty to the audience who come to the exhibition. The paintings and Paper Cuttings works seem to have a magical power, which can comfort people's tired hearts and let them feel the beauty and warmth of life while enjoying the art. At the same time, she deeply understands the principle of endless learning. In order to continuously improve her artistic level and comprehensive quality, she actively participates in the study of senior universities. There, she exchanges and discusses art with many like-minded friends, absorbs new knowledge nutrients, and broadens her artistic path.
Nowadays, with years of unremitting cultivation and outstanding achievements in the field of art, Gou Hongbo has become a member of the Nanchong Artists Association and the Provincial Old Poetry Association in Langzhong City, which is an authoritative recognition of her artistic level. In addition, she has made great achievements in provincial and municipal exhibitions for many times, and her Paper Cuttings works are even more famous. They are not only highly praised in China, loved and collected by art lovers, but also go abroad and are favored and treasured by international friends. She uses her personal experience, like the brightest star in the night sky, to illuminate the path of those who are lost or hold onto their dreams but hesitate, inspiring more people to bravely pursue their dreams, stick to their beloved careers, and shine brightly on their own stage.
Gou Hongbo proves to the world through his own experience that no matter what difficult circumstances life is in, as long as he carries the spark of his dreams in his heart and is willing to make unremitting efforts for it, one day he will surely bloom with his own brilliant brilliance and write a unique and wonderful chapter in his life.
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