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Sculptor rolls in dough
By Li Weiwei and Wang Jie |
June 28, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TOURISTS watch open-mouthed as 43-year-old Qiu Baoyou takes a piece of dough in his hand and deftly rolls, kneads and carves it into a cute panda.
In an instant, he can transform a piece of dough into a flower, parrot, rabbit, insect or fish - all vividly true to life.
Qiu is head of the China Folk Art Performance Group and originally comes from Yancheng City, in neighboring Jiangsu Province.
When he was 19 in the 1980s, he was a worker in a factory, leading a simple and monotonous life, bicycling more than 30 kilometers to and from work every day.
One day when he dropped in one of his neighbors, he saw him creating dough figurines. Deeply fascinated, he began to study this ancient Chinese art.
At the beginning, Qiu could only make three sculptures: small white rabbits, parrots, and the legendary Monkey King. In the early 1990s, he resigned from work to pursue his love of dough sculpting.
Bringing with him the three dough sculptures, he came to Shanghai.
He once lived in a warehouse and performed his art in the street.
Getting up early in the morning and returning to his humble home late at night, he walked along one street after another to learn about the demand for his creations.
On weekdays, he would carve his figures near school gates, markets, or near the entrance of lanes. At weekends, he would go to parks.
His creations gradually became popular among children and young people.
"A dough sculpture sold for just half a yuan at that time, and I could earn as much as 60 yuan a month," Qiu recalled with satisfaction.
For Qiu Baoyou, nothing is more interesting and satisfying than dough sculpturing. "It is a kind of light-hearted work. I enjoy my time while creating my sculptures. It gives me happiness, and promotes my thinking and imagination," he said.
After more than 20 years of practice, Qiu can now sculpture whatever he sees and enjoys quite some fame in this trade.
In 2002, he was invited to join the China Folk Art Performance Group, a body of more than 300 members specializing in more than 100 different folk arts including dough sculpting, syrup painting, straw weaving and engraving.
In recent years, Qiu has followed the group to give performances in Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and other cities.
For him, the most unforgettable show was on a pleasure boat touring the Huangpu River in Shanghai. On that occasion, lots of foreigners watched his performance with intense interest, hailing his great skill. One foreign girl kept her eyes on his performance all the time instead of sparing a look for the river scenery.
Every now and then, Qiu teaches children his skills in schools and kindergarten, hoping that this folk art can be passed on from generation to generation.
In April this year, Qiu was invited to set up a studio on Anting Street to demonstrate his skill to tourists every day.
In an instant, he can transform a piece of dough into a flower, parrot, rabbit, insect or fish - all vividly true to life.
Qiu is head of the China Folk Art Performance Group and originally comes from Yancheng City, in neighboring Jiangsu Province.
When he was 19 in the 1980s, he was a worker in a factory, leading a simple and monotonous life, bicycling more than 30 kilometers to and from work every day.
One day when he dropped in one of his neighbors, he saw him creating dough figurines. Deeply fascinated, he began to study this ancient Chinese art.
At the beginning, Qiu could only make three sculptures: small white rabbits, parrots, and the legendary Monkey King. In the early 1990s, he resigned from work to pursue his love of dough sculpting.
Bringing with him the three dough sculptures, he came to Shanghai.
He once lived in a warehouse and performed his art in the street.
Getting up early in the morning and returning to his humble home late at night, he walked along one street after another to learn about the demand for his creations.
On weekdays, he would carve his figures near school gates, markets, or near the entrance of lanes. At weekends, he would go to parks.
His creations gradually became popular among children and young people.
"A dough sculpture sold for just half a yuan at that time, and I could earn as much as 60 yuan a month," Qiu recalled with satisfaction.
For Qiu Baoyou, nothing is more interesting and satisfying than dough sculpturing. "It is a kind of light-hearted work. I enjoy my time while creating my sculptures. It gives me happiness, and promotes my thinking and imagination," he said.
After more than 20 years of practice, Qiu can now sculpture whatever he sees and enjoys quite some fame in this trade.
In 2002, he was invited to join the China Folk Art Performance Group, a body of more than 300 members specializing in more than 100 different folk arts including dough sculpting, syrup painting, straw weaving and engraving.
In recent years, Qiu has followed the group to give performances in Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and other cities.
For him, the most unforgettable show was on a pleasure boat touring the Huangpu River in Shanghai. On that occasion, lots of foreigners watched his performance with intense interest, hailing his great skill. One foreign girl kept her eyes on his performance all the time instead of sparing a look for the river scenery.
Every now and then, Qiu teaches children his skills in schools and kindergarten, hoping that this folk art can be passed on from generation to generation.
In April this year, Qiu was invited to set up a studio on Anting Street to demonstrate his skill to tourists every day.
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