Kon Tum woman makes paintings without paint, visitors are fascinated

Ms. Hue (33 years old, in Kon Tum) said that before coming to paper quilling, she had spent 3 years making paper quilling cards.

Quilling is made from small strips of paper, about 1cm in size or more, with many different colors. “Just change the force of your hand to twist and adjust the tension of the paper core, twist the shapes we want, then stick them with white glue and place them on the blank in the positions that need to be decorated.”

According to her, making paintings requires more time, meticulousness and patience than making cards, and also requires more creativity. Cards are usually made according to available templates.

“I am a perfectionist at work, so I come up with ideas for each painting, carefully polish every detail, wipe off every glue streak, turn each painting to the right side for shine, twist each heart, smooth each string,... I do it by instinct. The long process of making cards helps me learn and gain experience for future painting,” she said.

Not every time she starts working, Ms. Hue is full of ideas. There are some paintings that she has to scratch her head and pull her hair out but cannot come up with any satisfactory ideas.

“At that time, I didn’t force myself, because I understood that sometimes ideas just flash by in a split second. I put them away. Then after a while, the emotions suddenly come back. I bring them out to complete the remaining details. And I’m always satisfied with that effort.”

Besides income, the relationships and emotions that Ms. Hue receives from customers are what she cherishes most.

“I have a regular customer who occasionally buys paintings to support me. She has a little daughter who loves my paintings very much. Sometimes she uses her lucky money, sometimes her savings to buy paintings. I often send her cards.

Every time I send it, I hear her say that her daughter loves it so much, takes it out to look at all the time, and even hides it under her pillow for fear that someone else will take it. I feel extremely happy knowing that my daughter loves my paintings so much.

That customer always cares about me, asks about me, reminds me to take care of myself and maintain my health. She said she has never met me but when talking to me, she really likes me. She often calls me her little sister. She also often introduces customers to buy paintings for me. She also said she would pay a few tens of thousands more per painting to help me improve my health.

There was another customer who, upon seeing Ms. Hue’s paintings on social media, texted to want to buy them right away. The story between the artist and the customer is not just about transactions, but also about sharing many things in life.

“When she received the painting, she praised it as being more beautiful than expected. She wanted to hang it in the kitchen, where she spends most of her time, so she could look at it every day. I was deeply moved when I heard it. I was moved that there was someone who loved quilling, and I was moved that my products were respected, cherished, and accepted.”

Ms. Hue said she is very grateful that paintings have brought her such wonderful relationships.

Some paper quilling paintings created by Ms. Hue: