A poster for the 2018 documentary Up the Mountain, which tells the story of artist Shen Jianhua and his elderly students Photo: Courtesy of Shen Jianhua

A poster for the 2018 documentary Up the Mountain, which tells the story of artist Shen Jianhua and his elderly students Photo: Courtesy of Shen Jianhua

Painting iscreated by Yang Guangqi, one of the students of the Shuanglang Farmer Painting Club. The club was established by Shen Jianhua, who moved to the village in 2012 because of his wife's poor health. Fortunately, leaving the big city to move to a beautiful and peaceful place like Shuanglang township turned out to be a great choice.  Photos: Courtesy of Shen Jianhua

In a once poverty-stricken ethnic minority village in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, several elderly women in their 70s have gone from working in the fields to painting interesting artworks that have earned them some nice money and even attracted attention from abroad. 

Among the lush peach groves on the northeast bank of Erhai Lake, one of the most popular scenic spots in China, lies Huoshan village, Shuanglang township. For generations, the people of the Bai ethnic minority have been living in this village, earning a living as farmers and sheepherders, which is until they began to turn to painting as a way to bring in income.

"At first, these elderly women only came to my place asking me to help them look for a way to earn some extra money. But not long after we decided to set up a painting club several more local grandmas from similar backgrounds joined in and began studying art," Shen Jianhua, an artist and founder of the Shuanglang Farmer Painting Club, told the Global Times. 

Walking into the Huoshan village, one cannot only see peach trees, but also colorful art installations made by locals on the roadside, a beautiful combination of rural and artistic life.

"The village is becoming a garden of art with more travelers coming to it every year."

Shen Jianhua, described by students as gentle and elegant, has a full artist demeanor. He told the Global Times that he moved to the village 10 years ago because of his wife's poor health. Fortunately, leaving the big city to move to a beautiful and peaceful place like Shuanglang township turned out to be a great choice. 

Painting was created by Wang Bingxiu, one of the students of the club In 2012, when one of those grandmas, Wang Bingxiu, first came to Shen's place to study art after she learned he was a painter from Shanghai, she was 79 years old. Photos: Courtesy of Shen Jianhua

Telling their own stories

"Here we all call them old grandmas, like Grandma Moses who picked up her painting career while in their 70s," Shen explained.

In 2012, when one of those grandmas, Wang Bingxiu, first came to Shen's place to study art after she learned he was a painter from Shanghai, she was 79 years old.

And Wang remains an elderly apprentice even now she is 89 years old. 

"Her works are so distinguishable. She is able to reflect her rich life experiences on canvas."

The Shanghai artist often tells his students to pay attention to themselves and focus more on their life stories when composing.

"Well, in addition to the fact that they like to paint some rural landscapes, they also paint other things, including some human scenes, such as weddings, because I think they are telling their own stories, a means of finding their inner self."

For Wang, who has been living in this village for nearly her entire life, she is not just a farmer, but also a member of the Communist Party of China. She once worked as a village midwife who had traveled through the remote mountains helping  deliver babies from village to village when she was young. 

In addition to interesting village stories, color richness is another outstanding feature in these semi-professional works.

"I would lay out 99 colors in front of them, and told them to choose colors by themselves. The colors often used by the local people here are very strong and full of contrast," Shen told the Global Times. "I love that because it's also part of their instincts, which you can tell from their colorful ethnic clothing."

As early as 3,000 years ago, the ethnic Bai people living in Yunnan mastered wearing skills. Generally, they embroider exquisite patterns on the cuffs, front placket, apron and streamers of the clothes. The patterns they pick range from butterflies and fruits such as plums or peaches.

Sunflowers by Zhao Xinlian, one of the students of the club Photos: Courtesy of Shen Jianhua

 Art village

Over the past few years, the club has held four local art exhibitions. And it has carried out national tours in places such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou, which has allowed the artworks to be appreciated by more people. The works of these elderly women have sold for an average price of 15,000 yuan ($2,347). 

In order to attract more tourists, Shen and his wife have opened a cafe in Huoshan village. The chicken coop-shaped cafe sells prints of various paintings, silk scarves and other items. Local Shuanglang architect Zhao Huijun has also built an art museum to store those works, with more artists coming to the village to contribute.

In addition to the elderly, young people and middle-aged locals have also come to learn how to paint farmer painting.

While the earliest group of students from 10 years ago rarely can appear during painting club meetings as they used to, their works are still proudly displayed on a painting board, and the art installation will always stand at the entrance of the village to welcome more travelers.

"This can be a way of life, a way to make money. And with more artists giving credit to this place I think this is a real art village."