An artwork of Meng Lulu [Women Voice]

A leather carving artist, Meng Lulu, from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has built a special display in her studio to tell the history of her craft and explain more about local culture after gaining many followers online.

Meng's studio is located on Qifang Street in the city of Urumqi. It is full of works with Xinjiang-style characteristics that she has sculpted by herself from her chosen material of cow hide.

The works are extremely life-like and have a unique texture, say commentators.

Over the past five years since she began, the 29-year-old Meng has developed a strong career in leather carving in Xinjiang. Recently, she has been working on a series of works called People on Horseback.

Meng's art has been viewed over 1 million times via the community for designers, Zcool, after she posted them online. She also shares pictures of the process of designing and producing.

Many followers were attracted by the posts and began to send requests for her to customize her products.

This seemingly petite and delicate girl has a big dream. She said, "I want to incorporate the horseback culture of minorities in Xinjiang into my modern art of leather carving."

To achieve the purpose, she specially devoted herself to the study of traditional Kazakh craftsmanship over six months.

The leather carving idea originated from an attachment formed in her childhood. Five years ago, she accidentally saw a carving on the internet. "It felt familiar. Although my work is more exquisite than what I saw when I was young, it is similar in many aspects," Meng said.

Meng was excited. As a result, she resolutely resigned from her former job and set up the studio.

Unlike prints of Chinese paintings, leather carving requires solid painting skills, creativity and patience. She has to be extremely cautious in the process of carving, because the leather is expensive, and any mistakes made would be irreparable.

Meng said each piece of carvings is an artwork, poured with the creator's unique ideas and efforts. She turned her designs into a variety of lifestyle items, such as wallets and furniture. Sometimes it takes a few months to complete a piece of work.

Some people think that it is not worthwhile for her to waste her time on these "stuffy" leathers.

But she indicated that "the spiritual satisfaction leather carving brings me is unique." Her career has gradually become economically guaranteed.

In addition, she also invests in charity. She auctioned her work Snow Leopard purse, raising over 6,000 yuan and donated it to the Xinjiang Snow Leopard Protection Organization.

An artwork of Meng Lulu [Women Voice]