April 13, 2016. Oil on canvas. 30 x 40″ 貴卅從江縣翠里鄕高華村瑤族少女趙拾翠 25 years old

The April 2016 rural area tour was supposed to be a plein air painting tour. But because Master Chan was not feeling very well he rather stayed indoor. Therefore our guide arranged the minority race people to be our human life painting model so that we could still paint.

A timid girl, 拾翠, was our first model. She was 25 years old, married for 5 years and had 2 young daughters. Everyday she needed to take care of the house, the meals, the kids and she needed to work in her family farm. Every home grew their own rice, wheat, vegetables and raised poultry enough for their own consumption. I can imagine how busy her life was. 

Her parent in law were not home, they were away to the closest city 杭卅 to work. Because the resources at home cannot feed so many people in one household. Land was scarced in hill region. They developed an agricultural method called 梯田, but still cannot increase much farm land.

I had not asked why she didn’t go to city to find a job and the 40 years old parent went instead. May be she was too young and dangerous at her age.

Their modelling was not entirely professional. She would move and talk from time to time. But that was understandable.

   During breaks she was always looking through the window to the direction of her home. She must be anxious about her kids at home, I thought.
  Pretty dark skin  She was wearing their traditional colourful costume and hair accessories.
   She was not a pretty girl, but you could spot a simple beauty and innocence in her faces that could only find in rural area.
   
    
 Happy painting group 

  From Master Chan

From my senior 魏百京