In Shuicheng District, there is a spokesperson for the painting of farmers in Shuicheng, although he is young, he has many works, not only paints well, but also makes the paintings of farmers in Shuicheng into cultural and creative products, expanding the popularity and influence of Farmers' paintings in Shuicheng, this person is Xu Yuan.
Speaking of Xu Yuan's relationship with painting, we have to start from his family. Xu Yuan's father, Xu Chenggui, was a famous local peasant painter in Shuicheng, and Xu Yuan began to paint with his father when he was 4 years old. Subsequently, Xu Yuan won awards in various competitions, and he was encouraged to enhance his self-confidence and become more enthusiastic about studying the paintings of farmers in Shuicheng. "When I was a child, the situation at home was not good, my father was not educated, but he liked to read small picture books, and in addition to farming, he would take the rural life as an element and paint at will. When I embarked on the path of art, I was also greatly influenced by my father. Xu Yuan recalled that from the age of 4, he began to imitate his father's painting, and when he was more than 5 years old, with the encouragement of his family, Xu Yuan took his works to Beijing to participate in competitions and won awards, which made him very happy.
Xu Yuan said that as he grew older, he found that the peasant painting that his father was good at was a kind of painting with very local characteristics, not only with strong artistry, strong colors, easy to infect people, and the content of the paintings was a very positive subject. "At that time, I found that our peasant paintings are all positive energy things, because peasant paintings have to paint such content to be wonderful, its color is strong, suitable for expressing the joy of harvest, the atmosphere of national unity and family affinity, and over time, I will try to paint while studying."
Xu Yuan's painting actually allowed him to achieve good results in several grand prix competitions in Guizhou Province, which made him more interested in the painting of farmers in Shuicheng. Therefore, he officially began to study how to paint the peasant paintings in the water city. Under his father's order, Xu Yuan's painting skills became more and more exquisite, and he also created many brilliant works.
In June 1998, Xu Yuan's Chinese painting "Big Pumpkin" won the "Excellence Award" in the first primary and secondary school calligraphy and painting exhibition in Shuicheng County; in June 2002, Xu Yuan won the "first prize" in the junior high school group in the third "Summer of the Lion Mountain" art festival painting competition; in December 2003, Xu Yuan's paintings won the "Gold Award" in the second International Children's Art Awards competition, evaluated by expert judges. Densely packed awards and trophies filled his entire room, and the awards again and again were great affirmations and recognitions for Xu Yuan, and also strengthened his determination to devote himself to the study of water city peasant paintings.
"I can't remember how many awards I've won, but each one is a motivator to keep me going, it's a long way off, my life is just beginning." Xu Yuan said firmly.
Therefore, Xu Yuan gave up the opportunity to stay in school and resolutely returned to his hometown to start a business. For the painting of farmers in Water City, Xu Yuan has his own unique insights. "The paintings of farmers in Shuicheng are all based on the production and life of farmers and the festivals of ethnic minorities, and only by personally experiencing and feeling in their lives can they create good works." Xu Yuan introduced that the farmer paintings in Shuicheng are different from the peasant paintings in other regions, their forms are free and exaggerated, the colors are gorgeous, the techniques are bold, and they integrate folk batik, embroidery, appliqués, paper-cutting and other arts, so they are more national and regional. Therefore, "integrating the ethnic elements in peasant paintings into the creation and design" is also Xu Yuan's biggest experience and harvest. "Watertown farmer paintings are favored by tourists, and many people will be interested in the lives of our local ethnic minorities when they see our products." Our paintings also use some of our local specialty products as the subject matter, such as prickly pear, kiwi fruit and so on. Many foreign tourists come here, see these, will think of buying some of the local specialties in the paintings, to understand the life of our ethnic minority compatriots. Xu Yuan said.
In 2011, Xu Yuan, who devoted himself to the study of peasant painting, co-founded Guizhou Yelangfeng Culture Co., Ltd. with his father Xu Chenggui, based on the research and development of farmer paintings and derivative products in Shuicheng to inherit culture. Passing down and promoting the paintings of farmers in Shuicheng has become the biggest artistic dream in Xu Yuan's heart. "When I was in high school, I participated in several consecutive 'Colorful Guizhou' two competitions and one meeting competition, and won the ranking, so I also had the idea of setting up a company to develop the farmer paintings of Shuicheng and other characteristic cultures of Liupanshui.
At present, Xu Yuan's company has signed 68 peasant painters, and every time there is a new work, Xu Yuan will apply for copyright protection. Sometimes it is also exhibited or even created on site at large events or fairs. Subsequently, Xu Yuan had a new idea, let the farmers in Shuicheng "move" and develop the animation industry of farmers. Through bold innovation, Xu Yuan used the content of the painting as a script to turn the static peasant painting into a lifelike animation work.
Since 2019, Xu Yuan has carried out the "Water City Peasant Painting Cultural Tourism Integration Project", invested in the construction of the Water City Farmer Painting Art Restaurant, and won the star rating of Liupanshui City; in 2021, the single form of the Water City Farmer Painting Works was transformed into a cultural and creative series with story, continuity, symbolism, historicity, popularity and culture, which effectively broadened the development channels for the follow-up industrial projects of Water City Farmer Painting.
His outstanding performance has allowed Xu Yuan to be awarded many honors. In 2016, he was commended as "Excellent Individual" by the People's Government of Guizhou Province for entrepreneurship and innovation; in 2017, he was awarded the title of The Top Ten Young Folk Artists in the Province; in 2017, he was awarded the title of "Vector Graphics Expert" by the National Information Computer Education Certification (CEAC), in September 2019, he was commended by the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government to award the title of "Fourth Municipal Management Expert"; in November 2019, he was selected as a "Rural Cultural Tourism Talent" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China; and in 2020, he was awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Worker" in Guizhou Province.
Wumeng Xinbao reporter Shi Youye
Edit: Zhou Zhenming
First Instance: Li Jiafeng
Second instance: Zhao Ming
Third trial: Liu Hongxia