Confronted by the demon-faced wind, a woman, with a terrified expression, tries to stop the wind with her twisting arms. This is what is depicted in "Ghostly Wind," one of Yungdrung Drolma's paintings displayed in her first solo exhibition.
The exhibition, which will run through mid-March in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has put on display 88 of her works that include sketches, oil paintings and Thangka artworks.
The painting "Ghostly Wind" was inspired by Yungdrung Drolma's personal experience. "I was afraid of the wind, as people would notice my empty sleeve swaying," said the 33-year-old artist.
Yungdrung Drolma lost her right arm in her childhood but that didn't deter her from pursuing her dreams. With perseverance and a passion for art, she has created a raft of works with her left hand.
CHILDHOOD TRAGEDY
Yungdrung Drolma was born into a herders' family in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. As a child, she was intrigued by the Thangka paintings hanging in her grandfather's house.
"I tried to replicate those paintings with a pencil, and have been fascinated by the art since then," she recalled.
At the age of 10, when she went to pick wild strawberries with her playmates, she accidentally touched a high-voltage wire, leading to the amputation of her right arm. Her parents thought she may no longer go to school.
"When I told them I wanted to continue my study, my father was so happy that he immediately bought a pen and paper for me, asking me to try to write with my left hand," she said.
On the hospital bed, Yungdrung Drolma completed her first drawing using her left hand -- a portrait of her father. "The drawing was not that good, but doctors all praised me, which instilled confidence in me."
Yungdrung Drolma had to overcome many more difficulties in life.
"The most difficult thing was tying my hair. I did not learn to tie my hair by myself until senior high school," she said.
She spent a long summer vacation in 2008 when a massive earthquake hit her hometown. Her father then put her in touch with a Thangka art center in Gansu Province so she could learn Thangka painting. Since then, she would go to Gansu or Qinghai provinces every vacation to learn the art.
Three years later, Yungdrung Drolma was enrolled in the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, where she received professional training in painting.
PURSUING DREAM
Despite opposition from her parents, who hoped she could find a job near her home after graduation, Yungdrung Drolma headed to Lhasa to learn Thangka painting upon graduation in 2014.
"Compared with the bright and colorful painting style I learned in Gansu and Qinghai, those created in Lhasa adopt a more subdued hue, with pigments made from natural substances," she said, adding that she could afford the trip to Lhasa because of a man named Lai Zhijian whom she called "uncle," although they are not related.
Yungdrung Drolma met Lai, of the Han ethnic group, while accompanying her teacher to Guangzhou to hold an art exhibition.
"He wanted to help me but was cautious not to hurt my feelings. So, he bought all my works with 10,000 yuan (about 1,600 U.S. dollars), rather than giving me money directly," she said.
While studying in Lhasa, Yungdrung Drolma worked very hard. "I often painted until midnight and my legs would feel numb while trying to stand up," she said. She struggled to make a living by selling her works, each sold at 2,000 yuan to 3,000 yuan.
Her boyfriend is a Thangka painter as well. They met while Yungdrung Drolma was studying in Qinghai, and felt that they always had something common to talk about. The two plan to open an art studio and teach painting.
Tenzin, who is engaged in the sales of cultural products in Tibet, came to visit Yungdrung Drolma's ongoing art exhibition.
"I admire her very much, for she always knew she wanted to draw since childhood and has continued to work hard to pursue her dream," Tenzin said.
