I found the name and the connected style of the head of Art and Design Department, Dr. Carolyn Cardenas via the university web site, I wrote to her and wished to have an opportunity to talk with her. I was lucky enough that I got her good responding and Ms. Julie arranged an appointment for us Wednesday afternoon.
After asking some questions, checking some of my Chinese painting of Baimiao, Gongbi, Xieyi, maxed Xieyi and Gongbi, she listening to me singing some poems on my paintings with my own music, with a big smile, she asked me whether I want to have a presentation for her students upstairs in her classroom at once, I said Yes, then I had a good time with her students, got applause from them.
A wonderful and unexpected gain was: I was lucky enough to “ attend an art lesson ” of her.
As soon as I finished the presentation, Dr. Carolyn Cardenas started her lesson in the same classroom. Since they were having a lesson, I stopped to order my paintings for I did not want to disturb them, then I had a good opportunity to listen to her wonderful lesson.
I was impression and felt happy for I did found: some of her art ideas are similar as my professor taught us in Beijing, the difference is just the materials and expressed styles.
For example:
-- She enjoys getting inspiration from those master artists, use the material of in the 15 century to express the realistic society and life in the 21 century; My professors taught us to learn from the tradition, the greatest artists in the history and from the nature, to create something new to help the current society.
-- She cares for politics and society via her arts; our art theory emphasizes: art is just a tool to service for the politics, society and human being.
-- She worked with a so detail style, it really touched me so much, so that I felt that I had met a master, there are so many things that I should learn from her and the local American artists and art educators.
You can see her, her students and I in her classroom 201. :-)
If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to
shirley@ebridge.cn . You are welcome to publish your opinions in
Message Board as well.
Shirley Yiping Zhang
Nov 25, 2013
