Shen Ze 70-year-old Wang Zhankui is good at pyrography on gourd

Wang Zhankui and his calabash pyrography.

There is an old man who is famous for pyrography in Beiliujiazhuang Village, Shenze County, Shijiazhuang City. He has persisted in creating traditional Chinese painting for many years and taught himself pyrography a few years ago. His gourd branding paintings and Xuan paper pyrographs have been well received by the villagers, and they also respond to every request of those who come to "ask for painting". His name is Wang Zhankui. He is 70 years old. He is an out-and-out farmer. He not only learned traditional Chinese painting in his early years, but also taught himself pyrography. In the past few years, he has also learned to surf the Internet. The old man said that he is never too old to learn. "I have to learn new things I am interested in."

Wang Zhankui's cabin is not large, but the cabinets are filled with large and small pyrographic gourds, roughly speaking, there are more than 40, the walls are hung from his calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting, the pyrography hanging behind the workbench is also lifelike. "I have painted a lot of works, all of which have been given away, and these are the only ones left in the gourd branding. This Xuan paper pyrograph I am now creating is also what my old friend asked me to brand for him." Wang Zhankui said. "my relatives and friends all like it, and it is also an affirmation of me. I am also happy to give it to them!"

Wang Zhankui, who loved art as a child, was unable to learn from a professional teacher because of family reasons, so he tinkered with his own painting. In the 1960s, a fellow villager who had studied professional painting outside work returned to the village, and Wang Zhankui studied traditional Chinese painting with this fellow townsman in his spare time. After getting married, although he was still busy with farm work and taking care of his family, painting was never shelved. As long as he was free, he picked up a brush to create.

A few years ago, Wang Zhankui learned to surf the Internet, and a piece of news about gourd branding paintings aroused his interest. He searched the pyrography and bought an electric iron pen. The gourd was planted at home, and he used local materials. From then on, he began to deal with the gourd.

"at first, I couldn't grasp the temperature of the electric soldering iron, and I couldn't control the staying time, but then I gradually became proficient." The kind birthday boy, the dexterous worm fish and the rich peony appear on the gourd, lifelike, praised by everyone.

At the beginning of this year, Wang Zhankui began to paint on Xuan paper again. After several months of practice, a good finished product has been made. Wang Zhankui is good at painting flowers and birds. Through the rapid and slow change of weight during scalding, Wang Zhankui draws smart lines to make the whole painting more flexible.

In the face of this room full of finished and semi-finished products, Wang Zhankui had a happy smile on his face. "when I meet something I'm interested in, I have to learn. People just have to keep learning, and life is interesting!"