Artistic Life & Art of Life

-- Foreword

That was in 2005, the 3rd year that I had re-started to learn painting and vocal music, one of my foreign teachers suggested me to write a book and thought that if I could share my ideas and thoughts with the others, it would help more people.

In fact, writing was one of my many dreams since my childhood. Except I wished to be an artist of painting and music, I also hoped to be a doctor and a writer.

However, destiny made me as most of my same age people, the Culture Revolution happened when I just entered the elementary school. Then, I went to the border land with thousands upon thousands middle young students together, became a young teacher who was 15 year old. After the Culture Revolution was finished, I just had an opportunity to be a university student in 1978, then a college teacher.

On the New Year's Day 1992, I came to Shenzhen -- the first special economy zone of China, the front line of China's Opening and Reform. As most of Shenzhen people, I have experienced the processes to find a job, to be a journeywork, to change my profession, to work hard, to study hard, to be a formal employee, to attend tests, becoming a Shenzhen resident；then again, to hard work, to hard study, to take more degrees, to get promotions, to be a manager, to buy house, car, to send my child abroad and completed my biggest duty... Finally, I could have a deep breathe, to recall my life, to plan my future and to make my childhood's dreams to be true.

So, I started to learn piano since 2000; to learn vocal music since 2002; to re-learn painting and driving since 2003; to became a former student who majors in English in the best foreign language university, get the qualification certificate of the 7th grade of Chinese Bird and Flower Painting, to be a student for master degree in the US in 2008; held art exhibition, painting demonstration and workshops in some American schools, universities and art center, got two 10th Grade of   certificates of Chinese Gongbi and Xieyi Paintings in 2009... Painting, music, language and Writing learning and creating have become an important part of my life.

I have made the basis of career and life via the hard work for about 30 years; I will go forward with art learning and creating for another 30 years, to learn "art of life" and to complete the "artistic life".

I do wish that you will be with me together, to share the beauty and fragrance of the artistic life ang art of life...

"人生的艺术" 与 "艺术的人生"

  -- 前言

     那是2005年,我开始在业余时间学习绘画与声乐的第三年,我的一位外教建议我写一本书并且认为，如果我能与人分享我思想、观点与理念，应能会对更多的人有益。

     其实，写作，是我许多的童年梦想之一，除了想做绘画与声乐艺术家，我亦想成为医生、作家。

     然而，命运却让我与大多数同龄人一样，刚上小学就遇上“文革”。于是，我1５岁成为一名中俄边境线上的小学、中学教师。
直到“文革”结束，我才有机会上大学，当大学教师。１９９２年元旦，我第一次踏上深圳经济特区的土地，来到中国改革开放最前沿。

   象大多数深圳人一样，我经历了找工作，当临时工，改行，玩命工作，拼命学习，转正，考试，调干，成为真正的深圳人；再接着玩命工作，拼命学习，升职，当经理，拿学位，买房，买车，定居，送儿子出国，完成人生最大的任务。这才有机会喘一口气，回顾过去的人生，圆儿时的梦想。

   于是，我２０００年起学习钢琴; ２００２年起学习声乐; ２００３年起学绘画，学开车; ２００８年起成为北京外国语大学远程教育英文专业本科生，拿到中国花鸟画7级证书，同年赴美留学，拿硕士学位; 2009年在美国举办画展、讲座、培训班，拿到中国工笔画与写意画两个10级证书。绘画、音乐、语言、写作学习与创作已经成为我生活的重要组成部分。

     如果说，我用了３０多年奠定了前半生的事业与生活基础，得以在工作领域游刃有余；那么，我将用未来的３０余年，与绘画、音乐、语言、写作艺术同行。领略人生的艺术，完成艺术的人生。

     真诚希望与您共享艺术的美好与芬芳。　

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn, you can also publish your opinions in Forum . :-)   

--Shirley Yiping Zhang
Written on June 28,2005
Editted on August 23, 2008/March 8, 2010