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Planning Is not as Good as Change :-) -- Shirley's America Travel Diary 135 & 551st Friendly Greeting - March 5, 2017

Hi,Dear Friends

How are you? Have you had a wonderful week and started a good new week?

On my side, it is the 18th day since I wrote to you last time. Too many things has happened during the time and my strongest feeling is Plan Is not Good as Change. :- )

The last changing happened today. I got up at 7:00am and planned to create my birds for the First Map of my dreamed American Cultural Map series. for whole of the day since I finally finished to correct my book and completed the design of the digital part for my new publication according to the opinions of the publishing house. However, as soon as I went downstairs, I found that I could only see things clearly on about 1/3 of my screen on my laptop, the other places’ had been covered by some flashing materials. Therefore, I had to use the little part still work to check Google and to know where and how I could repair it or whether I should buy a new laptop.

I am luck enough that Ms. Carissa who is my “Rescued Star ( because always it is she who‘rescues’ me so that I call her "A Rescued Star” ) gave me a hand by connecting several different computer stores which worked on Sunday and made sure where I can resolve the problem and then I went there directly.

Mr. Donald Edinborough at Altec ordered a new screen for me and lent a monitor to me to use before the new screen comes to the city.

Then I walked to the biggest and my favorite Wal-Mart which is on my way back home and performed my original plan to go to the smallest Wal-Mart nearby my home on a business afternoon. There, I bought something I needed for a long time, but there is no it in the small Wal-Mart.

So, on the surface, I lost much time for the accident; in fact, I got some gain on the other aspect. From this meaning, Misfortune May Be An Actual Blessing.

Yes, another big change is on the First Map of my American Cultural Map series. I had the idea in the English classroom of Mrs. Fran Giglio at OTC in the USA in Nov, 2015, designed it in Beijing, June to July, 2016, and started to color it in the USA Feb, 2017. During the time, I have changed my ideas many times. The biggest thing is I have changed original plan and decide to color it with Mixed Chinese Gongbi and Xieyi Painting Technique instead of Chinese Gongbi style as my original plan in Beijing, after testing the different techniques.

The general feeling is that every change has brought something new and made things get better.

So, I am thinking, so many plans have been changed in the past 18 days and in my travel since Oct, 2016, even, the graduate time of mine from Chinese National Academy of Arts has to face the changed to be July, 2019 from the planned July, 2018... On the surface, I have experienced a big failure once and once, in fact, I have gained a lot of experiences and after going over a hard time once and once, I will see a more beautiful tomorrow.

Aimed at the big change, my supervisor Professor Jiashan Mo has arranged a better and more advanced landscape class for me under him in Beijing for 1 year.

For most of students, they mainly have one major, for example, landscape or flower and bird painting or figure painting; they mainly learn one or two techniques, such as Gongbi or Xieyi or Mogu. But, I have majored in flower and bird painting for 5 years and now I will have another opportunity to major in landscape for another 3 years, and I have learned Gongbi, Xieyi and Mugo techniques with colors already and I will also have the wonderul opportunity to learn Chinese ink painting from Professor Mu for another 3 years... They have brought/will bring me a wider and bigger art palace and all of them work together, will certainly help me to use for reference each other and to produce some new ideas and help me to work on my cross-culture and comprehensive art and its project better...

From this meaning, I do think that change is the life of an organization and a individal. There is no change, there is no progress. The key is whether we can find something positive and helpful from every change, especially from some some“bad change.” Do you think so?

Do you have anything special to share in the past 18 days?

Photo notes:

No.1: Officer Chris Laughlin came to our classroom to give us a good lesson.

No.2:Mrs. Fran Giglio was giving us a American Culture and History Lesson.

No.3 and No.4:Mrs. Wanda Nova and her husband came to my house to help me to cut the grass and ordered the plants.

No.5:Ms.Carissa was learning to read and sing a Chinese poem from me.

No.6:Every classmates were so happy after having a wonderful lesson by Officer Chris Laughlin and organized by Mrs. Fran Giglio.

No.7:No matter what has happened, always there are flowers accompanying me at my house.

No.8:The wonderful magnolia flowers by the school I had tought in Springfield, MO, USA.


About the Author of Together With Me, Learn Chinese Culture and Language by Enjoying and Practicing Painting, Music and Poetry (Poetry, Painting, Music: Comprehensive & Artistic Chinese) Volume
According to the publishing house's opinions, I have changed something for the book. They will check all of the things I sent them 9 times, then to print and make the digital part.
Shirley's Art Works 1217 & Mixed Gongbi & Xieyi 047- My 515th Assignment & the 105th One in the 2nd Phase of CNAA- the 146th painting in the US & 24th painting in my 7th American Travel Feb 20--22, 2017
I do it base on my design for the first for the First Map of My American Cultural Map Series .
I wished to find a best way to express about 113 birds, therefore, I have used different techniques. Do you enjoy which kind of skills?
Shirley's Art Works 1216 & Mixed Gongbi & Xieyi 046- My 514th Assignment & the 104th One in the 2nd Phase of CNAA- the 145th painting in the US & 23rd painting in my 7th American Travel Feb 20, 2017
After trying the techniques of Chinese Mogu and Chinese Baimiao, I created this painting as my 3rd test with mixed Chinese Gongbi and Xieyi Painting Style, for I wanted to find the most suitable technique for my first for the First Map of My American Cultural Map Series , which I had designed in Beijing in 2016.Then I sent the three pictures with three different techniques to my supervisor at Chinese National Academy of Art -- Professor Jianshan Mu who was a former Professor in the USA to hear his advice. He told me the Mixed Chinese Gongbi and Xieyi is the best choice. I am very glad for his advice and my idea are same. So, I am going to use this kind of technique to complete my first American Cultural Map. How doe you think of my idea?

Shirley's Art Works 1215 & Chinese Baimiao -66 --My 514th Assignment & the 104th One in the 2nd Phase of CNAA- the 144th painting in the US & 22nd painting in my 7th American Travel Feb 20, 2017
When the publishing house was checking my works and before I designed the web version of my DVD, caught the short time, I worked on my first American Culture Map and did the tests to see what kind of technique is more suitable. After doing a Chinese Mugo painting, tried this with Chinese Baimiao style. After doing it, I was not satisfy it yet, so, I tried the third one as soon as I finished it.

Shirley's Art Works 1215-- Chinese Mogu 76- Shirley's 513rd Assignment & the 103rd One in the 2nd Phase of CNAA- the 143rd painting in the US & 21st painting in my 7th American Travel Feb 19, 2017
In the interval of the Publishing House checked my book, I tried to creat 3 pictures as the tests for the first map of my American Cultural Map Series, which I had designed in Beijing in 2016 . This is the first one.I feel the color too thick so, I will not use it but re-paint it.

I am just a student on Arts of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do somethings with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Cross - Culture and Comprehensive Arts, Language & Friendship. To help the others and this world while improving myself and realizing my own value of life.

I would really like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Sincerely,

Shirley Yiping Zhang
March 5, 2017 (American Time)

In the Past 3 Months -- Shirley's 593rd Friendly Greeting - May 6, 2019
Happy Chinese New Year! -- Shirley's 592nd Friendly Greeting - Feb 5, 2019
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! -- Shirley's 591st Friendly Greeting - Dec 25, 2018
The Road Is Long, Far & Winding, Still I Am Seeking My Dream -- Shirley's 590th Friendly Greeting - Dec 11, 2018
Take Opportunity - Shirley's 589th Friendly Greeting - Nov 11, 2018
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