Rural paintings are the charm for Huadian

Huadian, Jilin province, enjoys a nationwide reputation for its rural paintings, which are characterized by the use of vibrant color and agricultural themes.

In recent years, the city has seen an unexpected surge in popularity among overseas art collectors. More than 1,000 rural paintings have been sold abroad.

When Wang Yongmei began to create paintings besides working in the farm 30 years ago, she never thought she would become famous and make money from her paintings.

"I have sold hundreds of paintings to foreign customers and earned over 300,000 yuan ($46,000) in the last few years, much more than the income of farming," she said.

Wang, 52, runs a rural art company in Huadian and leads a team of 45 female folk artists.

Besides rural paintings, they also create derivative products, such as stone paintings and fans, most of which have been sold to Russia, Canada and the United States.

"Around 70 percent of local painters are females," said Kang Meihua, deputy director of the Huadian Cultural Center. "They have become an important power in boosting the city's development of its peasant painting industry."

Now more rural art companies, cooperatives and studios have been established in Huadian, and the rural painting market has entered a new stage of large-scale development.