An insider looking out

Painter Xiong Qinghua creates in his Western-style home and studio in Changhe village, Hubei province, many surrealist images that reflect the serene past of the countryside and its current realities. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Xiong Qinghua is considered a "weirdo" in his native Changhe village, near the city of Xiantao in Central China's Hubei province.

The 40-year-old taught himself oil painting at 14 and two years later he dropped out of middle school to paint while continuing to work on a farm.

Later, he took up odd jobs to support his dream of becoming a painter, including working at hardware shops and delivering milk.

When his fellow villagers began to migrate to cities for better jobs, he stayed behind to depict the dramatic changes in the countryside and in people's mindsets.

He did not sell any work until 2010 when pictures of his paintings went viral.