People in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, admire painting by farmers from Quzhou at the Zhejiang Exhibition Hall on June 9. [Photo/WeChat account: zj_zlg]

An exhibition displaying 100 paintings created by artists from Yudong village in Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, opened at the Zhejiang Exhibition Hall in the provincial capital city of Hangzhou on June 8.

The paintings depict rural landscapes, villagers' lives, local customs, and culture with a unique style combining bright colors, exaggerated designs, and various decorations. Some of them were created by people in their eighties and some were presented by children from the village.

Yudong village has a population of more than 800 and is home to 326 farmer painters. Their creations have been well received in the local market. Due to their popularity, the village is ramping up efforts to develop local cultural creativity and tourism industries.

A painting depicts farming activities in a bamboo forest in Quzhou's Yudong village. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Over the past five decades, residents in Yudong have improved their quality of life through painting.

Lan Genliang, a 69-year-old farmer, has recorded the development of local agriculture and rural areas through his paintings for 50 years. His creations demonstrate the tremendous changes that villages and farmers have undergone in the new era.

According to Lan, villagers mainly relied on farming for a living in the past, but now can earn an annual income of more than 100,000 yuan($15,655) by painting on walls.

The exhibition will run until June 14.