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Inspirational bedridden painter finds solace in art

Zhang Junli, 40, from Taiyuan, Shanxi province, has drawn thousands of pencil sketches and watercolors, and hundreds of oil paintings. A remarkable feat considering she has chronic infectious arthritis, which paralyzed her at just 8 years old. She has been bedridden for more than three decades but Zhang has spent that time embracing her talent and perfecting her art. "I have loved painting since childhood, it makes me calm in my heart and my pain seems less while painting," she said. "And my dream is to become a genuine artist, who can create a painting that lasts forever."

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