How are you?

Have you had a wonderful Christmas? Are you welcoming the upcoming 2015?

As an art student, I would really like to thank you for your good help in 2014 and I would really like to hope you and your family members have had a Merry Christmas and will have a happy new year!

Days ago, three of my work partners and I created a Christmas and New Year Card for you and it was sent into you on Dec 24, 2014. I do hope you have opened it with a big smile, and you have seen something inside.

In my 2014, except traveling in seven cities of the USA, Australia and China, I kept studying, creating, teaching and service in Missouri of USA and in Beijing of China:

-- I have completed the study of 2013 -2014 class year in July and started 2014 - 2015 class year at Chinese National Academy of Arts since Sept, 2014.

-- I have created / painted 66 new paintings in Beijing and had an art exhibition in the USA for one month.

-- I have given lessons on Chinese Painting, Chinese poetry, Western Music and English Lyrics in two American schools and 2 Chinese schools. Students from 5 countries. Organized a music English corner 8 times.

-- I have also made an outline for my little project for 10 years (2015 - 2025) and connected someone or some organizations for push it forward.

The biggest frustrations of mine in 2014 were: I was failure on both of applying a study opportunity for a degree of MFA (master of fine arts) in the USA and in China.

Anyway, after experiencing the double frustrations for about 5 months, I felt double delight at the time I completed my new painting for a Chinese classical poem the River in the Snow last night - Dec 28, 2014.

-- At the moment I put down my brush, I did feel I was re-interested in the job to create paintings, music and articles for Chinese classical poems, I wanted to work on them once more. Do you know? Since July or August, 2014 until last night, I had been avoiding to work on them intentionally or unintentionally because of the deeply frustrated feeling. Many times, I rather watched TV, read news or coloring something, than to touch anything relates to my little project. But now, this kind of frustration has become a positive action to work.

-- Meanwhile, I felt lucky enough that since 2010, under the good directions of my professors and tutors in Chinese National Academy of Arts and China Central Academy of Fine Arts, except I have been major in Chinese flower and bird painting, also I have minored in Chinese landscape. Right now, I have started to learn Chinese figure painting. The increasing of the skills and the enlarging of the scope of knowledge have given me more and more freedom to pursue my cross-culture and comprehensive art dream...

Anyway, I know my own weaknesses clearly. So, I am working hard in the upcoming 2015 and to perform my 3-years plan (2015–2017) of my 10-year programme. In 2015, I am going to do something below:

First of all, I am going to complete the study of 2014 – 2015 class-year, meanwhile, I am going to pass the national English examination and get the qualification to apply a Master Degree of Fine Art. Therefore, I had paid an English School and I have become their VIP student. They have matched an English teacher for me specially today and they have guaranteed to help me to pass the national English examination in 2015 or 2016.

Secondly, I am going to complete the Volume Two of my second cross-culture and comprehensive series books: Poetry, Painting, Music: Artistic and Comprehensive Art before March 9, 2015. Therefore, I have booked my airplane tickets already. I am going to see my father as soon as the first semester is finished on Jan 15, and then I will fly back home in the south of China to work on the book.

Thirdly, after completing the 2014 class-year in Beijing, I am going to perform my international travel plan and to have an art exhibition in the USA in the fall of 2015. During the time, to do something to perform my plan that was made in 2014. To push my little project forward in the travel destination.

Since last time I wrote to you, I have attended two lessons:

-- Mr. Wu Tong (he is on the 4th photo)– Associate Head of Teaching Department of Chinese Painting School at Chinese National Academy of Arts and Mr. Lu Wengqing(he is on the 5th photo) – tutor of Chinese Flower and Bird Painting Class checked our assignments and directed our creating jobs on Dec 22, 2014.

-- Professor Jiang Caipin (she is on the 2nd and 3rd photos) from China Central Academy of Arts and a famous Chinese Gongbi Painting artist, the associate chairman of Chinese Goingbi Painting Association, gave us a lecture on Chinese Painting Creating. The biggest gain I have gotten from her lesson is: If we want to go our own road and not be affected by this or that kind of trends, we must read book as many as possible, to make sure our own creating direction and to keep our own opinions.

Dec 25, Ms. Dai Hui (she is on the last two photos), one of my formal doctroal classmates and a current guest professor of Beijing University and Qinghua University came to see me. She is interested in my little project, and she is thinking of giving me a hand.

After working on my little cross-culture and comprehensive art project for 14 years, I am sure, the future is bright and the road is wandering, I am going to do my best with the work down to earth to push it forward.

How about you? Do you have anything special on your side? Do you have any great plan for 2015?

You are welcome to see the photos and their notes by click the link

Sincerely,


Shirley Yiping Zhang
Dec 29, 2014 (Beijing Time)