Painting a new growth landscape

Yudong villager Yu Yunmei's artwork helped her add more than 100,000 yuan a year to the family income.

Yu, 40, was a homemaker before she took up painting, following in the footsteps of fellow villagers.

In less than a decade, her works have gone on to adorn the buildings of neighbors and other villagers, or have been sold to private art collections or displayed proudly on the walls of her family courtyard, which has been turned into an art studio.

"I used to have to ask my husband for money for family living expenses. But now I can stay at home and paint. I can also teach others who come to me to learn," she said.

Her 69-year-old father, Yu Chunliang, is also a village painter, while her daughter, 17, studies art, Yu Yunmei said.

Yu Chunliang said: "I started painting in 2006. I used to make at most 20,000 yuan a year from planting rice on a 0.2-hectare plot. Now I get about more than 100,000 yuan from my paintings."

Yu Yunmei said that "life is getting better", adding: "We have better infrastructure, such as roads and communications, and the environment is improving, drawing many tourists. I try to incorporate all those into my paintings."