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| My Dream Seeking Journey
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 When I had basically finished the work on this publication, I felt that I should say something more.
Many friends are surprised that I am busy and there are always many things for me to do even though I have been free from my stressful career life. Because, I am a dreamer.
I was a dreamer in my childhood. After passing through a few decades and retiring from my professional filed, I am a dreamer still.
I had realized almost all of my career ambitions and I didn’t feel any self pity. I am lucky that I can pursue my childhood dreams, which I have already worked on for the last 12 years. It will, maybe, become a new career or just an individual dream. In any case, I am going to pursue it for the rest of my life.
Today, when I recall my former Dream-Seeking path and imagine how to make my current dream come true, the faces of so many kind people jump into my mind.
Only because of their guidance, help and support, have I been able to take the hard but good road until today.
I am from a military family. My father graduated from two military academies and a normal school, he was also a major in Chinese painting at an art college before he joined the army. My mother graduated from a university and a normal school before she joined the army.
Having inherited my parents’ qualities, I started to sing for their companions in the arms when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I founded a primary school in a tent on the frontier between Russia and China when I was 15 years old, where I taught 16 subjects, including music and painting, to students in 4 different grades.
I worked hard to learn from older school graduates in the evenings and then to teach my own students during the daytime. But I often felt pain because I worried about misleading my students and harming their education through my lack of knowledge.
Apart from learning from teachers from another school on my weekends, I found an opportunity to learn art at a workshop from a teacher who graduated from Zhejiang Art College (Today's China Academy of Art) during my vacations, and there I got to know a group of young art teachers and I, too, wished to learn art at an art school. I was then 16 years old.
So, even thought I had studied literature, language, news, economics, and business administration and worked as an educator in Chinese classical literature and an editor, manager in the securities industry for about 30 years, the dream of being an artist was still in my heart. So, on Nov 26, 2010, after having had 5 surgical procedures in 4 different hospitals, I went to one of the best art colleges in China -- China Central Academy of Fine Arts. And then, after my 6th surgery, in Sep, 2011, I became a Chinese painting graduate student at the Chinese National Academy of Arts. Right now, I have the qualifications to apply for a second master’s degree in the Chinese Painting field in the next 3 years if I want to. My long-term dream has become really.
From the time I learned art at a workshop on the Russian frontier until I entered art colleges in Beijing. I have met many excellent guides, tutors and directors:
Mr. Liren Wang- My first professional art teacher, he opened my eyes by teaching me pencil sketching, painting from nature, gouache and oil painting, aroused my first art potential.
Mr. Shaozu Shao- My boss after I graduated from university, he chose me as the first Chinese classical literature and language instructor at his college. The resulting 9 years of teaching experience laid a firm foundation for my present comprehensive art exploration.
Dr. Shiqin Wang and Mr. Zhaowen Li - My first bosses, tutors and guides in the Chinese securities consultation industry, the fruit of their teaching, which involved much effort on their part and the most strict training was a series of 6 books and that gave a strong professional foundation for me to enter the first Stock Exchange of PRC and to work in the Chinese securities field.
Mr. Bin Xian and Mr. Fengyi Wu -- My second boss at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and my first boss in the Chinese securities news industry, the huge professional latitude and the enormous support that they gave me aroused in me an endless positivity towards studying, creating and exploring. Not only did I become an expert in my field of work, giving rise to the brightest 10 years in my career, but also, the work on the Internet, newspaper, magazine, series books, database, CD, and multimedia products and management fields, laid the best basis for my present Dream-Seeking.
Mr. Migual Mckelyel and Mr. John Hayden - My first American English teachers, with their good teaching and help, I translated my first books, containing at total of 0.93 million words from English into Chinese and started my first cross-cultural study and work.
Dr. Xijia Su and Dr. Jieping Chen -- My first English consultant and proofreaders which they did for no cost, one studied and lived in America for 16 years and is now a Professor and Associate Dean at the China European International Business School; the other is a Canadian-Chinese and also a professor at the same school. I relied on their unselfish assistance and recommendation for my first cross-cultural publication to be published and become the foundation of my new publication.
Mr. Charlie King - My deceased American art teacher, he led me to restart on the path of painting study and has been a positive influence on me even to this day.
Mr. Mike Joyce -- My first English tutor from England. He checked and corrected all of my writing that I need to publish, which did for no cost for 8 years. If there was no his help, I would not have courage to start the web site and I would not be able to complete this product.
Ms. Xuan Ma - My first music teacher, she taught me for 4 years and set me on the path of music writing and singing.
Prof. Hui Tai- My first Chinese flower and bird painting teacher, he taught me for 8 years and led me on the path of Chinese painting study.
Mr. Gang Li - My first Chinese landscape tutor at China Central Academy of Fine Arts, he taught me how to paint from a stone to a tree, and led me to the field of professional painting.
Mr. Qi Sun - My first tutor at Chinese National Academy of Arts, he led me go to CANN and found the best place to work on my dream.
Mr. Rao Robert - My first tutor from Shenzhen Personnel Bureau and Shenzhen University. He recommended me for study abroad, then I got my first master degree and my art dream came true in USA.
Mr. Charlie Quan Zhang – My first work partner of this project, if there was his support on technology, this product would not work.
Dr. Song Zheng and Mr. Ming Zhou -- My last bosses in the Chinese securities multimedia information industry, with broad mind and good insight, they offered strong support during the time I was in the USA, when I was sick, and then when I went to Beijing. This enabled me to keep studying, thinking and exploring my art dream until now.
Dr. David Meinert – My first Professor in USA and the Associate Dean of the College of Business at Missouri State University. His strict but humanized management style, gave me the confidence to complete my master degree even when I did not think that I could earn it.
Mr. Xiaoou Gong - My first private tutor and schoolfellow in America, with his great effort and patience and his vacation and in his free time, he helped me hold the essential knowledge and skills in the most difficult crosses. And then he found that I could paint and he introduced me to the local chamber of commerce and art organization.
Mr. Brad Bodenhausen – As my first sponsor, and the executive manager of Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Missouri, USA, He and his organization held my first art exhibition and my art dream became true in America in 2009.
Ms. Leah Hamilton – As my first sponsor and the Executive Director of Springfield Regional Arts Council, Missouri, USA, she and her organization held my first art exhibition, my art dream was again realized in America in 2009 and in 2010
Ms. Stephanie Cramer -- As my first art director in America, Director of Programs and Expositions of Springfield Regional Art Council, Missouri, USA, she arranged every detail for of my first art exhibition in USA.
Mrs. Hing Wah Hatch & Mr. Jerry Hatch -- My first Taiwanese - American friend who ia an art instructor and an American artist who is an assistant professor in Missouri State University, they offered the most help with my first cross-cultural and comprehensive art practice in USA.
Mr. Yiran Zhou -- The first American Chinese teacher who I knew in Kentucky, USA, he found that I was doing a very interesting and meaningful work and he introduced me to an art authority and the local Chinese Teacher’s Association.
Dr. Bill R Booth -- The first American art Professor that I knew in America, he was not only the first one to check my art study works from a professional angle in 2009 (and is still directing me to this day), but., he also personally drove for 2 hours to the City of Pikeville and introduced me to the local government.
Dr. Qiujuan Zhang, Dr. Yu Liu, Dr. Yang Song, Dr. Zhidong Yuan, Dr. Qi Lin, Dr. Yingxia Liu -- my doctors from 4 hospitals in Shenzhen. If it were not for them, I would not be able to stand and so would not be able to pursue my current dreams.
Dr. Hua Wang and Mr. Yixing Xu - My first publishers in the art field, as the former and the current Presidents of Jinan University Publishing Press, by their good direction and help, my dream-seeking can go forward.
Mr. Steve H Robinette -- My first American advisor. As the Assistant Vice President of Missouri State University, at almost every key point, it was he who gave me the simplest but clearest opinions and directions.
Mr. Yaping Jiang-- My first director in the Internet field, as the founder of People's Daily online, he has been a good advisor and supporter in the process of my cross-cultural and comprehensive art dream exploration.
Dr. Xuewen Huo– The first government officer I thought of at the moment that I thought I would pass away when some serious pains from several sicknesses hit me at the same time and I could almost move because of the problem on my spine, I wished to get support from the Chinese government so that my little cross-culture and comprehensive art exploration project could be continued. Even thought we met just once 12 years ago, it was he who spent much time and energy encouraging me, helping me and directing me…
Mr. Donovan Blackburn -- The first sponsor of my art exhibition in Peckville City, Kentucky, USA in 2013, as the city manager, he is one of the best supporters of my dream-seeking road
Mr. Steve St. John -- An American friend who I haven’t met and the general manager of Kentucky Expo, Kentucky USA, where I was due to hold an art exhibition in 2010, When I called him to say that I had some health problems he suggested that I gave up my visit to his city even though he had already started to promote the exhibition. He then liaised with local government to organize my art exhibition in Pikeville City in 2013.
Ms. Leigh Ann Hughes -- The Grant Administrator of City of Pikeville, she and her team will be the sponsors of my new art exhibition and cross-culture and comprehensive art practice in 2013, she has become one of the best supporters of my dream-seeking.
When I write here, I cannot help saying to myself, what a lucky person I am! If there wasn’t so much good, helpful support from so many people and organizations, I would not be able to do anything, my dream could not come true at all.
With a grateful heart, I would really like to say Thank You, my good professors, teachers, bosses and friends, I will cherish my luck and to do my best to work towards helping more people with what I have learned and created, while continuing to improve myself every day.
I am a Dream-seeker forever...
Sincerely, Yours,
Shirley Yiping Zhang
April 10, 2013
Note: Below are some work pages that my partners, friends and English tutors have done for me, now I would like to share them with you and hope I will always remember them:
My British English Tutor Mr. Mike Jocye's a Part of His Modification Work and Directions:
My Chinese Work Partner Jinan University Press'a Part of Its Directions:
My Canadian English Tutor Mr. Jim 's part of His Modification Work:
My American English Tutor Dr.Wenrong Yan's a part of Her Modification Work and Directions:
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.
Shirley Yiping Zhang
March 24, 2013(Beijing Time)
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