Pan Jianhua teaches students to paint photo by Yao Jieyang
Huzhou, China, March 2 (Shi Zinan, Xu Shengyu) "Teacher Pan, we came to you to learn to paint" "Well, we will draw loquat today..." These days, the home of Pan Jianhua, a villager in Jineshan Village, Kangqian Street, Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, is particularly lively.
Pan Jianhua, 58 years old this year, graduated from Xinmeng Primary School in the former Chengguan Town, Deqing County. He studied at the age of 16 and has been working as a lacquer painter for more than 40 years. From a lacquer artist to a painter, how did Pan Jianhua take this step of transformation?
"I cherish every opportunity to learn, and now that everyone's life is getting better and better, I can't be left behind." Pan Jianhua said.
Pan Jianhua's certificate of study at the Chinese Academy of Fine Arts, photo by Yao Jieyang
After passing through a narrow staircase, you will be greeted by a small room of about 10 square meters, which is Pan Jianhua's studio. The painting tools and scrolls that can be seen everywhere in the studio are good partners when he paints.
"This kind of pen is called a hook line pen, which can draw lines thinner than a hair, and this "Autumn Fun" uses it." The painting "Autumn Fun" hanging on the wall is Pan Jianhua's proud work. He said, "This painting was my first contact with Gongbi painting when I was studying painting at the China Academy of Fine Arts. ”
In September 2019, 55-year-old Pan Jianhua received an acceptance letter from the China Academy of Fine Arts' Advanced Seminar on Flower and Bird Transformation and Creation. The lacquer painter transformed himself into a student of the Academy of Fine Arts.
"I was the third oldest in the class, and many of the students around me were professional painters, and I was always afraid of being timid." When he first came to the Academy of Fine Arts to study, Pan Jianhua was both excited and nervous, and he was afraid that his foundation would be weak and he would not be able to keep up. Whenever he had time, he would go outside to sketch, and if he came across strangely shaped stones, trees, or a scenic corner, he would stay for an afternoon.
During his studies at the China Academy of Fine Arts, Pan Jianhua gained a lot of harvests, and also met many close friends, discussed painting knowledge with each other, and learned painting skills. He said that such an experience was like a gift from life, and he never imagined that he would be able to become friends with so many painters because of his interest.
What is surprising is that Pan Jianhua, who is now participating in exhibitions in various places with his paintings, did not have any systematic experience of learning to paint before going to the China Academy of Fine Arts for study.
Pan Jianhua became associated with painting in the early 1980s.
"At that time, old-fashioned wooden beds were popular, and painters would depict lacquer paintings such as "Three Pools printing the moon" and "Liuhe Pagoda" on this kind of railing, as well as eraser paintings of plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum." Pan Jianhua said that the production process of eraser painting is more complicated, you need to paint white on the wooden board first, wait for the white paint to dry, and then use the specially treated pigment powder to paint on the white paint bottom of the wooden board, and finally use the eraser or the tire skin of the car to wipe off the places that do not need color, so as to form a certain shape.
Pan Jianhua sketches in the wild photo by Yao Jieyang
Such eraser paintings generally take 2 days to complete, which also cultivates Pan Jianhua's patience and care when painting in the future.
Later, the old-fashioned wooden bed withdrew from the stage of history. But Pan Jianhua did not give up this hobby, turned around and picked up a pen and paper. Since there was no teacher to teach, at first his level was always in place. It wasn't until 2016 that he met Huang Jianshi, who was teaching at deqing County University for the Aged at the time.
"I saw that he was very talented, so I let him go to the university of the elderly, even as a hobby." At the recommendation of Huang Jianshi, Pan Jianhua went to the Chinese painting class to learn flower and bird painting as he wished, not only learning a different painting method from when he was a lacquer painter, but also gradually mastering the basic essentials of painting.
Then, after the professional training of the China Academy of Fine Arts, Pan Jianhua's painting path is like inserting a pair of "wings", flying higher and higher, and farther and farther.
"Now that I'm getting older, some people have come to me specifically to learn to paint. I just thought about starting a class and passing the time. In Pan Jianhua's view, the painting skills he learned are a valuable spiritual wealth that can be used to benefit others.
"When I have time to wait, I am also willing to go to schools and communities to teach, so that more people can fall in love with traditional Chinese painting and make our cultural life more fulfilling." Pan Jianhua said. (End)