A Chinese woman has been stirring the Internet using tree leaves and very fine motor skills to create stunningly intricate cutouts.
It all started fifteen years ago, when Du Wanli was taking care of her mother after she suffered a stroke. To pass the time she had to spend at her bedside, Du recalled the traditional Chinese paper cutting techniques she had been fond of as a child.
Du, born in 1955 in eastern China’s Shandong Province, used dry leaves this time around rather than paper.
Having to stay home to take care of her mother was a “golden time of creation” for Du, she told the state-run People’s Daily. She has churned out over 2,00 works since 2001, pioneering her own style and winning multiple art awards.
“My favorite things are things granted by nature,” she said. “Leaves come in all kinds of shapes, leaf veins are full of life, just like blood veins. I am fascinated by the veins, shapes, and hues that develop as the moisture dissipates and the leaves lose color. ”
