木板、摺椅、雨傘、黑膠碟或是平底鍋，形形色色的日常物品上畫上色彩鮮明又繽紛的花朵，偶然還有雀鳥、雞和不同的動物，旁邊歪斜地寫著「花婆婆」。「我的孫女教我寫我的名字，我從來沒上過學，到了八十歲才開始畫畫，孫女說畫上要有我的簽名啊，於是我便學寫了花婆婆。」因為農曆新年的關係，花婆婆在木板上畫了招財貓，又學了「福」、「千萬両黃金」、「開運」和「健康平安」等祝福語，寫在招財貓的身上。「新年嘛，要說一些喜慶說話，看上去開心嘛。」
總是笑意盈盈的花婆婆，像總是叫你添衣吃飯的阿嫲，年過九十，即使行動沒有年輕時自如，還是每朝精神奕奕地忙東忙西。訪問當天花婆婆也是一早起來畫了數朵花在一張細小的金色卡紙上，小心翼翼地帶來畫廊，畫上面的油漆還未乾透呢。「我每天起來便拿起畫筆畫畫，以前會周圍走、周圍畫，現在行動不便就在花園的空地畫，太陽下山便收起畫具回到屋裡。」在 13A New Street Art Gallery 舉行的「Dancing With Flowers by Fapopo」，展覽的正中位置由不同的日常物品組成了一組藝術裝置，頭頂上掛了一堆，地上也放了一堆，看似亂中有序地擺放著，這正是模仿花婆婆家的狀態，滿屋都是她的作品，每一件平凡的日常物品，或是被掉棄的物件都能成為花婆婆的畫布，幾乎可以畫的地方都有她的筆跡。
「花婆婆，你畫這麼多花，最喜歡的是哪一種花？」我問。「全部都好喜歡。」花婆婆筆下的花都有它的名字，也許是因為在花墟賣花的日子讓她記住了每一種花的顏色、姿態，憑感覺隨手畫便能形神俱備，還別有風格。「小時候到山上放牛，那兒有一大遍的花田，很美很美。那地方沒有什麼人知道，我在那裡玩耍，爬上樹又跳到另一棵樹，現在想起來，兒時不懂害怕，很頑皮。」當花婆婆說起小時候看過的花田，雙眼閃閃發光，相信是初次與花相遇，被它的美麗震攝的瞬間吧。自此，她與花開始了一輩子的緣份。
「我每天也畫花，因為每天也要感謝花。」花婆婆為了養家，好一段日子在花墟賣花為生，所以被喚作花婆婆；又因為沒多餘的錢，獨自拿起油漆來裝修起自己的家，所以她很熟悉油漆的特性，也只用它來畫畫。「油漆色彩鮮明，又不會掉色，我常常畫戶外的牆，又會在地上畫，在椅子、雜物上畫，而且隨意地亂放在花園裡。油漆的話，就算下雨也不會輕易掉色，放很久仍是很美。」與花婆婆相見當天，首先被她吸引到的就是畫上粉紅色鮮花的黑色皮鞋，面對讚美，花婆婆總是彎起眼睛，笑著說多謝。她常說，花養活了她和她的家人，所以她每天都以畫花的方式來感謝花。
沒有學過畫畫、藝術，花婆婆的畫卻有著強烈的自我風格，構圖、用色也有思考過，並帶點直率童真，像小孩般純粹地畫喜歡的東西。「有一次我在電視裡看到一個『靚仔』，所以把他畫下來。」當旁人猜想這個「靚仔」是誰時，花婆婆卻自得其樂，看到什麼，想到什麼就畫，有「空間」就畫上去，沒太多計算，哪管是什麼東西。因此，與花婆婆的訪問比較像與親切的老人聊天，那些創作靈感、意義或是技巧等提問，在花婆婆面前顯得有點笨拙，她的創作是如此簡單直接，像呼吸一樣自然的事，其他的一切都顯得不太重要。
九十多歲的老人，每天持續地創作，還辦展覽，一天裡接受幾家媒體漫長的訪問，所以見面時第一句便問她：「婆婆，你今天累嗎？」花婆婆用響亮的笑聲說：「不累啊。」
Bright and colorful flowers are painted on these ordinary everyday items: wooden boards, folded chairs, umbrellas, vinyl records, and even frying pans. Sometimes you can also see birds, chickens, and other animals; and next to them, there’s a name, Fapopo, scribbled on the paintings. “My granddaughter taught me how to write my name. I’ve never been in school. And I started painting only at the age of 80. My granddaughter said that I should sign my paintings. So I learnt how to write my name.” And because it’s the Lunar New Year, she learnt how to write words of blessings like “luck”, “tons of gold”, “good luck”, “good health and peace” so she can write them on the lucky cats that she draws. “It’s new year after all. Words of blessing are necessary. And they make the paintings look so much happier.”
With a constant smile on her face, the over-90-year-old Fapopo looks just like an ordinary grandma who is always concerned for others’ well being. Have you eaten? Are you wearing enough? Even though she can’t really move around like a youngster anymore, she tries to stay active and keep herself busy. On the day of our interview, she brought along with her a small golden paperboard painted with flowers. It was something she did early that morning and the paint was still wet. “I wake up every morning, and the first thing I do is draw. I used to move around and set up my station everywhere. But now that I can’t move easily, I paint in the garden instead. Everyday I paint until the sun goes down, and I will then pack up my brushes and go back inside the house.” Dancing with Flowers by Fapopo is an exhibition of her work that is currently held at 13A New Street Art Gallery. At the center of the exhibition hall, there is an installation. A pile of common objects on the ground, with some others hanging down from the ceiling. Chaos in an orderly manner; this is exactly what Fapopo’s house is like. Her paintings can be seen everywhere in her house. Every ordinary object, and even unwanted trash; anywhere that could be painted is Fapopo’s canvas.
“You have painted so many flowers. Which one is your favorite?” I asked. “I like all of them.” Each flower that Fapopo painted has its own name. It’s probably because of her past experience selling flowers in the Flower Market that helps her paint with such vibrancy and accuracy. Nevertheless, her painting has a very unique style. “When I was young, I needed to go ranching up in the mountains. I remember that there was a large flower field there. It was so very beautiful. No one knew about that place. I played there. I climbed trees. Jumping from one tree to another. Now that I think about it. It was quite scary what I did. But I was just a child at that time. Fearless and naughty.” Her eyes sparkled when talking about that flower field. Maybe it was the first time she came across flowers and was stunned by their beauty? Ever since then, flowers and Fapopo’s life have been intertwined.
“I paint flowers every day, because I have to thank them.” Fapopo used to sell flowers in the Flower Market to support her family. With no extra cash handy, she had to paint her house by herself. It was such an important experience because it got her familiar with paint, and she eventually adopted it as her art medium. “The color of paint is so bright and vibrant. It doesn’t fade. I often paint on walls outside. I also paint on the ground, chairs, and other random objects. I place my work everywhere in the garden. Even if it rains, the paints don’t lose their color so easily. They look beautiful even after a long time.” On the day we met, it was Fapopo’s black leather shoes painted with pink flowers that caught my immediate attention. She smiled and said thank you as I sent my compliments. She often says that flowers have supported her and her family, and therefore she paints them every day to show her gratitude.
Without formal training in painting or the arts, Fapopo has developed a very vivid and strong personality in her paintings. It’s obvious that she is thoughtful about the composition and use of color. Straightforward and full of childlike energy. A pure and innocent devotion to painting. “I once saw a handsome boy on TV and I painted him.” Fapopo draws whatever she sees and thinks of. As long as there are empty spaces, she’ll fill them up with her drawings. Interviewing her is more like having a chat with a kind-hearted elderly person. My questions about creative inspiration, meaning, or techniques seem to be a bit too much for Fapopo. Her work is just that simple and direct. It comes as natural as breathing. And everything else seems unimportant.
An old lady in her nineties who paints everyday and is now holding an exhibition with numerous interviews lined up for her in a day. I wondered, “Are you tired today Fapopo?” With a bright smile, she replied, “Not at all!”
