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Finishing Is Just Beginning from Beijing -- Shirley's 490th Friendly Greeting - July 20, 2015

Hi,Dear Friends

How are you? Have you had a good weekend? Or have you started a new week with a big smile?

On my side, the past 12 days are really tight and very important.

I have finished my 4th class year on Chinese Painting Graduated Course by Graduate School and Chinese Painting School at Chinese National Academy of Arts on July 14, 2015. That means I have completed my 5th years¡¯ study in Beijing (The first year was in China Central Academy of Fine Arts). At the same time, I have begun my new study at Chinese Traditional Painting Academy.

The highest leaders of Chinese National Academy of Arts Mrs. Gao Xianlin - General Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy President, Professor Tian Liming - Vice President and Tutor of Doctoral Students and many the other school leaders came to our graduated ceremony and gave us their wishes; Professor Man Weiqi - the Deputy Dean and Professor Xu Jun - Associate Dean of Graduate School invited all of the students to have a farewell banquet...

Except the improvement on Chinese painting theory and skills, the biggest gain I have gotten from the 5 years¡¯ study in Beijing was the improvement on my health. Can you imagine? When I just arrived in China Central Academy of Fine Arts after the 5th surgery in Nov, 2010, all of the things in one of my suitcases is medicine. I had to take 4 or 5 sorts of medicine every day and I had to have another 2 surgeries before Sept, 2013. But, right now, except painkillers, I have not taken any medicine at all. Meanwhile, I have also totally corrected my 2 bad habits -- did not eat breakfast and slept too late. Since March, 2012, I started to try to eat breakfast and now, it has become something I must do every day; since March, 2015, I began to sleep between 10:30pm to 11:30pm. and I have been starting my first job between 4:30am and 6:30am. I have become a early bird totally...

With a grateful heart, I have bought a mobile hard dish driver and copied whole of the data I had videoed for my former tutor -- Mr. Lu Wenqing who had tutored me for 4 years and would leave for the other company in July; while I have registered as a new student of Chinese Traditional Painting Academy which is leading and running by the same team in the past 4 years.

For me, at the time to finish the former study is just the time to begin a new learning...

The only difference is: In the first 5 years in the two academies of arts in Beijing, I have done an addition for learning as much as possible. I was the only student who stayed in the school for 4 years in my program at Chinese National Academy of Arts since 2011 -- most of students studied here just for 1 year, few of them for 2 years. I was also the only student who studied in the widest scope -- most of students here studied landscape or figure painting or flower and bird painting; I have learned or touched all of them. Most of them studied Chinese Gongbi Painting or Chinese Xieyi Painting; I have studied both of them plus Chinese Mugo Painting. I would like to make a wider and stronger foundation for my cross-culture and comprehensive art project and for my own future art road.

But now, since July, 2015, in Chinese Traditional Painting Academy, I am going to make a subtraction and focus on something less and less, to make my knowledge and skill structure as a pyramid. Try to dig one or two " deep well", instead of digging many holes again. Try to become an expert in some field in the near future...

-- Originally, I planed to go to Wuxi City, Jiansu Province to see my father while to edit my new painting album on July 14. For my brother and his family members were visiting some universities in the US for his daughter who is going to study in America for her Master Degree of Arts, I took off my travel until July 19.

However, on July 15, Mr. Ma Shengli - my new tutor since next class year came into the classroom. After checking my Chinese Baimiao, Gongbi, Xieyi, Mogu Paintings and pen sketches, he was confident with me and he encouraged me to create something for taking part in the national art exhibitions and he would like to direct me in person.

After I opened my Chinese Xieyi painting with 22 birds, many tree peonies and pines with 388cm x 180cm ( 152 inches x 70.86inches) which I created in Jan, 2015, Mr. Man was so surprised for my "so big 'Qi Chang -- invisible power' ¡± while he gave me some detail opinions to improve it.

What a lucky student I was! So that I did feel that God looking after me. In the past 4 years, Mr. Lu Wenqing directed me mainly on Chinese Gongbi and Baimiao painting which is his advantage; right now, Mr. Man Shengli is directing me mainly on Chinese Xieyi Painting which is his advantage. With so many appreciations, immediately, I decided to stay in the school to re-create this painting before I leave for Wuxi, even though I had worked on the painting for 18 days last time and I would have a very hard time again, I am really happy for I have met the new tutor which was invited by the president of Chinese Traditional Painting Academy at the key time of mine to step up a new but higher step on my art studying road.

Now, I am the only student who is still working in the school and I have worked on the big painting for 5 days. Every day I go into the classroom at 8:00am and leave for home at 9:00pm. Eating at the classroom by ordering food by a phone call for saving my time.

I am lucky enough to live in the Internet time. As long as I have any problem, I take a photo and send it via mobile phone to my tutor, Mr. Ma Shengli will give me a responding via speech sounds soon.

I am not sure whether I will have time to print a new painting album in Wuxi yet, but I will go to see my father before I start my new international travel.

With a beautiful dream to help more people with my knowledge and skills in the world, I am going to learn as much as possible in Beijing...

-- Something is interesting: when I studied for my first master degree in the USA, my son was studying for his bachelor degree in Australia; when I entered in China Central Academy of Fine Arts and then for my second master degree in Chinese National Academy of Arts, he got his master degree. Now, when I have completed my 5-year study in Beijing, he has moved into his own new house as a resident of Australia, has a girlfriend and celebrated his birthday in Sydney...

How about you? Do you have anything special to share in the past 12 days?


Shirley's Art Works 1031 & Chinese Xieyi 562-A346- Shirley's 340th Assignment at Chinese National Academy of Arts-July 9, 2015

Shirley's Daily Chinese Painting Practices-104-- Art Works 1033-Chrysanthemums -Xieyi-563-- Shirley's 401st Assignment at Chinese National Academy of Arts-July 14, 2015

Shirley's Art Works 1033 & Chinese Xieyi 563-A348- Shirley's 402nd Assignment at Chinese National Academy of Arts-July 15, 2015

Shirley's Art Works 1034 & Chinese Xieyi 564-A349- Shirley's 403rd Assignment at Chinese National Academy of Arts-July 15, 2015

Sincerely,

Shirley Yiping Zhang
July 20, 2015 (Beijing Time)

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