Name:         Shirley Yiping Zhang
Birthplace: Beijing
Education: MFA,Chinese National Academy of Arts
                    MBA,Missouri State University(USA)
                    BA,Qiqihar Univrsity
                    Certificate, Fudan University
Majored in: Chinese Painting
                    Chinese Language & Literature
                    Business Administration
                    World Economy (Certificate)   
Minor in :    Vocal Music
Occupation: Artist, Editor; Former Manager and
                       Chinese Instructor
Traveling:   America, Australia, France, Belgium,
                                                                         Luxemburg,the Netherlands,Italy,
                                                                        Germany, Austria, Vatican, Malaysia

Reports of the Media of USA & China:
Springfiled News-Leader:Chinese artist finds beauty in translation
Ozarks Technical Community College: Visiting Artist Shirley Yiping Zhang
County Citizen, Seymour,MO:Ava Art Guild to host world renowned artist
Shenzhen Daily:English Book Combines Chinese Poetry,Paintings and Music
Appalachla News-Express: A Taste of China's Art and Culture
Shenzhen Daily:An Ambassador for the Chinese Arts 
Missouri State University:Shirley Painting Exhibition & Demonstrations at PSU                                        Gallery 
Springfield District Art Council & Springfield Area Camp of Commerce:Visit China - Right Here in Springfield During Sep 4 First Friday Art Walk 
First Friday Art Walk: The Creamery Presents International,Local Art                    

I was born in Beijing but became one of "corps soldiers" in the frontier between Russia and China when I was 14 years old because of “the Culture Revolution”.

I was lucky enough for entering into a university as soon as the man-made tragedy was finished and since then, I have had my education in 9 colleges/universities in both China and America as a full time student for 16 years and a part time student for 6 years.

I was an instructor of Chinese language and literature and then a senior manager who enjoys creative and innovative jobs. I am now a candidate for my MFA of Chinese National Academy of Arts and a guest Chinese Art Teacher of 4 American K-12 schools, and have traveled one year once for 11 years between Chine and America. 

I love to work on painting, music (composing, singing and piano), language learning, reading and writing,

I love sun, sea, sky and nature. In my eyes, no matter a tree, a flower, a bird or a butterfly, no matter a cloud in the sky, a fish in the sea or a little kid by the street, there are all something beautiful in their hearts (if they have one) or on their bodies, and in all of the nature things, the sun is my favorite, because it can always give me some fresh energy, encouragement and a positive emotion to face any thing bad or good in my life… Every day, I get inspiration from the great nature, wonder why it has produced such a wonderful world and try to express its pretty with my own art works...

I also love the art of impressionism, Chinese landscapes and flower-and-bird paintings, European classical music and architectures, American light rock and China's folk music; I enjoy reading the works by Honore de Balzac, Charles Dickens and Shakespeare, watching the moves such as Forrest Gump, Titanic, and Green Mile...Now I am enjoying reading Bible.

I have been to America, Australia and Europe. I like the travels and the learning from the other cultures, especially I enjoy working on creating my own cross-cultural and interdisciplinary art.

When I got my MBA in the US, my son got his bachelor degree in Australia; and when I became a candidate for my MFA in Beijing, he became a citizen of Australia with his master degree…
 

With a grateful heart, I started to seek my “cross-cultural and interdisciplinary art” dream. Here's the track of my dream seeking: 

-- Since Oct, 2000, I started to organize a group of native-English-speaker graduates of Oregon State University in the USA and another groups of American Chinese or Canadian Chinese in Hong Kong City University to create a series publications to talk about American arts, mainly movie and music to help non-English speakers to learn American culture and language, I myself translated what they written and all of the 4 books and 4 DVDs were published by Jinan University in Oct, 2002.

-- In Nov, 2002, I started to lean vocal music.

-- In March, 2003, I restarted to paint Gouache which I had studied during I was a teenager.

-- In Nov, 2003, I started to learn Chinese painting.

-- In Sept 2005, I started to compose music for Chinese poems, sang them in Chinese and translate Chinese classical poems into English.

-- In 2007, I started to create paintings to match Chinese poems and started to sing them in English.

-- In 2008, came to the USA as a student to learn Management Arts and American culture.

-- in Sept 2009, I had the first art exhibition in the US and started to teach Chinese art in the USA.

-- In 2010, I walked into the best art college of China – China Central Academy of Fine Arts to learn Chinese painting.

-- In 2011, I entered the highest arts research organization of China – Chinese National Academy of Arts to continue to learn in their “Graduate Course of Chinese Painting” until 2015.  

-- In 2016, I got the qualification by passing a national examination and became a candidate for my MFA of Chinese National Academy of Arts.

-- In July, 2021, I got my Master Degree of Fine Arts from Chinese National Academy of Arts, finished my 11-year study in Beijing. Now I have  completed the transformation from financial and securities industry to the art circle, from an amateur to a professional artist.

During the studying in Beijing, I have come to the USA 10 times in the past 10 years, for teaching and art exhibition here and to practice what I have learned in Beijing and hope to combine both of them to create my own “Cross-cultural and comprehensive art” on both theory and practice.

Therefore, now, I have done something below:

I Creating:  I have found 3 series of art works and did 1562 paintings. 

 1. Shirley's Comprehansive Art 

   1) Vocal, Bilingual Poetry & Painting Series

   2) Stories behind Chinese paintings

   3) Original Music for Chinese Poems

 2. Shirley's Chinese Painting

   According to technique:

    1) Chinese Gongbi--Realistic Paintings
    2) Chinese Xieyi--Freehand Brushworks
    3) Mixed Gongbi & Xieyi Paintings
    4) Chinese Mogu Painting
    5) Chinese Baimiao Paintings

  According to color:

   1) Colored Paintings

   2) Ink Paintings ( ink and wash painting, dry ink painting)

  According to Content 

  1) Chinese Flower and Bird Painting

  2) Chinese Mountain and Water Painting /Landscape

3. Shirley's Gouache 

II. Art Exhibition:

 I have had 6 Art exhibitions in the USA and Participated in 5 exhibitions in Beijing.

 6. Shirley’s Cross-cultural & Comprehensive Art Exhibition at Ozark Technical Community College, Feb, 2016

5. Shirley’s Cross-cultural & Comprehensive Art Exhibition at Brentwood Branch Library, Sept 04 – 30, 2015

4. Shirley’s Cross-cultural & Comprehensive Art Exhibition at Ozark Technical Community College Feb 07 - 28, 2014

3. Taste of China – Shirley’s Art Exhibition at Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center May 10 – 24, 2013

2. Shirley’s Art Exhibition at PSU Gallery, Missouri State University May 06 – 24, 2010

1. Visit China – Shirley’s Individual Art Exhibition at Creamery Art Center Sep 04 – 26, 2009

III. Teaching

-- Sept, 2009 - Nov, 2010 I have taught 330 times for 470 class hours for about 6,728 students (person-times) for free in 39 American schools or art organizations and 2 Chinese schools.

-- Until Feb 12, 2020,  I will have taught in 40 American schools will be 40 times for 500 class times and for about 7,328 students (person-times).

 

IV. Research

   -- 诗 画 乐：综合艺术汉语 Together with Me, Learn Chinese Language & Culture by Enjoying and Practicing Painting, Music and Poems II (1 book, 1 DVD and 1 closed web site) was published by Jinan University Press in March, 2018

-- 诗 画 乐：综合艺术汉语 Together with Me, Learn Chinese Language & Culture by Enjoying and Practicing Painting, Music and Poems I (1 book, 1 DVD and 1 closed web site) was published by Jinan University Press in May 2013 

Since I re-went back my art dream in 2000, I have been seeking my "Cross-cultural & Comprehensive Art Dream" for 20 years. 

I do appreciate the  process for it has helped me to live with a peaceful and calm heart.

With an optimism and a positive life attitude, every morning, when I walk in the golden sunshine, I often feel that " I am just 25 years old" and I would be 23 next year, then maybe someday I would be able to “grow out” a new tooth. :-)  anyway, sometimes, I am also weak and easily to weep...:-)

This is me, a native Chinese with black eyes and hair; a dreamer who has been seeking an art dream…

I am happy that my little web site has been found and alive for 15 years since it was found in 2005. I do hope via this little site, to study, research and build an little electronic bridge, a cross- cultural and comprehensive art bridge, and also a friendship bridge, to help non- Chinese speakers to learn Chinese culture, arts and language, to make my limited life to be more meaningful, helpful and beautiful in the process to help the others...

I would really like to get your good understanding, advice, help and support with a big smile.

If you have any questions, suggestions and comments, feel free to write to info@ebridge.cn or leave your message on the web site in Message Board . You are always welcome. :-) 

Sincerely

Shirley Yiping Zhang