A couple in Linyi co-created cloth stickers In their happy old age, they inherited the art of cloth stickers

The couple co-created the cloth sticker

In the Yinhe Bay community of Linyi Beicheng New District, there is an ancient couple who are jokingly called "golden partners" by neighbors. Zhang Ruhao, 70, is a retired teacher; Wang Guoliang, 72, is a farmer. In their leisure time in retirement, the couple co-created cloth stickers: Zhang Ruhao was responsible for design, Wang Guoliang was responsible for production, and they decorated the simple and ordinary days with their enthusiasm for cloth sticker dots.

Embark on the road of cloth stickers

"Before I went to Beijing, I didn't know it was an art, and I didn't know that the needlework in the hands of rural people could become a work of art." Wang Guoliang recalled how he had embarked on the road of cloth stickers.

In 2007, after retirement, Zhang Ruhao took his wife to become the "Old North Drift", and they wanted to go to see their grandchildren at the second son's family. In his spare time, the skillful Wang Guoliang made tiger hats and tiger head shoes for his grandson, and also gave these tiger head hats and tiger head shoes to the neighbors, "At that time, the daughter-in-law said that such beautiful hats and shoes were not willing to give away. But Wang Guoliang, who has always been enthusiastic, did not take it seriously, "In the past, in the rural hometown, who did not have a tiger head hat and tiger head shoes, people did not abandon it and felt very good!" ”

Until they went shopping with their son's family in Wangfujing, the old couple found a thing that was difficult for them to understand: "There are tiger head hats sold on the street, tiger head shoes, ancient wedding costumes, and even more wondering is that the old lady's foot-bound shoes are sold." "After listening to the introduction of the daughter-in-law of the university teacher, they realized that in their eyes, ordinary needlework is not only a commodity, but also a work of art, but also an intangible cultural heritage." My mother used to wrap her feet, and the handmade shoes were better than those sold on the street! Wang Guoliang regretted that he did not collect the shoes left by his mother, and since then, the couple has begun to pay attention to the handmade needlework around them.

At that time, which coincided with the first anniversary of the Olympic Games, Wang Guoliang's son's community organized citizens to carry out Olympic activities, "seeing the neighbors making stickers from cloth, they thought of helping together, mounting and cutting." Wang Guoliang said that seeing everyone walking in making gifts to welcome the Olympics, she went back to discuss with her wife and also wanted to make a work to participate in the competition, Zhang Ruhao thought of using the Olympic mascot "Fuwa" at that time to make a cloth sticker, so Wang Guoliang used his leisure time to rush to make it, and did not expect to finally win the award.

The passion for creation is undiminished

The first creation won the prize, which greatly inspired the couple and made them gradually realize the intangible cultural heritage of cloth stickers. "Today's young people, who never wear an old one, let alone repair a broken seam, since we have residual heat and will also make it, we must carry forward the cloth stickers." Zhang Ruhao said. In order to be able to better learn cloth stickers, the son and daughter-in-law encouraged Wang Guoliang to go to the university for the elderly and further learn the art of cloth stickers. As a teacher, Zhang Ruhao provided more guidance for his wife's creation.

In order to collect the material for the cloth stickers, at first Wang Guoliang took the old clothes at home to practice, and then the old clothes were gone, so she and the neighbors went to the cotton cloth factory to collect different colors of cloth. Wang Guoliang not only regards cloth stickers as an art, but also feels that this is a kind of reuse of old things, "So many beautiful colors of cloth, it is a pity to throw away, made into paintings, you can also watch." ”

At the beginning of making some simple animals and character heads, Wang Guoliang gradually groped for the creation of complex characters. Wang Guoliang liked the costumes of ancient characters, so he created ancient character cloth stickers such as "Four Beauties". Because every time the children like to create, he made the character image of the four masters and apprentices in "Journey to the West" according to the children's requirements, in order to be more realistic, Zhang Ruhao took the scenery photos during the tour and enlarged it as a background, and the cloth stickers made of this more vivid and lively.

In the Spring Festival of 2008, they were invited to participate in the 4th Folk Crafts and Intangible Culture Exhibition of Linyi City. "At that time, a leader said that we should not only pay attention to tradition in our creation, but also integrate the Yimeng spirit into our creation." This sentence inspired Zhang Ruhao to think of making a series of cloth stickers for the Yimeng people's anti-war support army, including pancakes, stretchers, military food, and rescue of the wounded. It took them nearly two months to finally complete the creation, but Wang Guoliang's lumbar strain for many years also fell ill, so he was hospitalized for surgery.

Inherit the art of cloth stickers

"After my wife is sick, I feel that health is the most important, and I will combine work and leisure in the future." Zhang Ruhao said. Since then, the old couple has intermittently created cloth stickers. Their "Garlic Fragrance" created for their hometown lanling is collected locally. In 2015, the Lunar Year of the Ox, the couple considered creating a work based on cattle. The work is based on Han Di's "Five Bulls" as the theme, which is a great challenge in terms of length and color matching. "A cow has several colors, and in order to show the muscle lines of the cow, dozens of cloth stickers are needed to complete it."

Wang Guoliang created a pair of "Iris Flowers" based on Van Gogh's works, because the color of the iris flowers is stronger, only one bouquet needs more than 20 petals to be cut, and each creation is an improvement in skills for Wang Guoliang, and for Zhang Ruhao, it is a crystallization of thought.

Over the years, the husband and wife have been tacitly creating cloth stickers, and the two of them are also in love with each other, usually Wang Guoliang cooks, Zhang Ruhao washes dishes and brushes the pot; Wang Guoliang makes cloth stickers, Zhang Ruhao writes books, and Wang Guoliang is the first reader, while providing modification advice... Because Wang Guoliang's car sickness is serious, she never goes out at home, and Zhang Ruhao always carries a camera every time she goes out, bringing back the photos or videos she has seen and taking videos to show her wife Wang Guoliang. When encountering the exhibition, Zhang Ruhao transported the works to the exhibition hall first, and then rode an electric car back to pick up his wife. Neighbors who knew them well called the two of them "golden partners."

When asked about the two old people's plans for creation in the future, Zhang Ruhao said: "We strive for the 'golden partner' to create brilliant again!" ”

Yimeng Evening News reporter Yin Nana