Hello, How are you? Have you had a good weekend? I do hope you have.

This week, besides attending English lessons for 4 mornings at OTC, according to the requests and directions of Mrs. Kat Allie (she is on the photos on the page.) - Department Chair of Fine Arts & Humanities and Fine Art Gallery Manager of OTC, I have offered the title cards of my paintings for the art exhibition at OTC Fine Art Gallery since first Friday, Feb 5 to 29, 2016. Not only carried my art works to the art gallery in person, Mrs. Kat Allie checked the abstract, syllabus and the schedule of my course one line by one line with me and we had a good discussion about them.

Friday afternoon, when I came back home with the so thick Art History ( 6cm – about 2.36 inches) by Marilyn Stockstad and Michael W. Cothern which was sent to me to read by Mrs. Art Allie, reviewed her good directions -- to make Chinese History as a line… it was full of the gratitude and moving in my heart.

I was lucky enough for I have met Mrs. Kat Allie for she has given me the best opportunities in 2013, 2014 and 2016, they will become the milestones on the road of my dream seeking. I was lucky enough for I have met Dr. Jessica Gerard – the History Instructor of OTC for she recommended me to her two chairs of Department in 2009 and 2013. I was lucky enough for I have met Mrs. Hing Wal Hatch of Missouri State University for she recommended me to Dr. Jessica. Then I had the first demonstration on Chinese art at OTC April 29, 2010. Then I met Mrs. Kat Allie by a phone call I made according to an advertisement that I got somewhere accidentally in the car of my classmate Mr. Zhu Bin in Oct., 2013 when we drove on the streets to find opportunities...

To be honest, since I started my cross-cultural and comprehensive art dream, besides Dr. Bill R. Booth who is my American Art Mentor in Kentucky, listened to me talking to him and checked my art works which I had created before entering art schools for 7 hours in 2009, Mrs. Kat Allie was the first artist and manager who had given me her time for about 3 hours at the first time we met in 2013, to see what I had done in art colleges, and then it was she who gave me an important opportunity to have an art exhibition at their art gallery.

You cannot imagine what a significant event to have the first art exhibition at OTC first time in Feb, 2014:

-- Just for the art exhibition at OTC “Tied ” me in Springfield, MO from 2013 to Feb, 2014, otherwise, I would leave for China in Nov, 2013 and would not come back again.

-- Just for editing an albumin for the art exhibition, I wrote 22 articles to explain my cross-cultural and exhibition art dream, and the outline and thoughts of my art dream was getting clear.

-- Just for the honor that President Clifton M Smart of Missouri State University attended my art exhibition at OTC on 27, 2014 and he asked my educational background after he knew my dream -- to do the same thing for my Alma Mater – MSU as I had done in OTC as a volunteer instructor, I took part in the Chinese National English Examinations for I would like to get the qualification to write my dissertation for getting the degree of Master of Fine Arts from Chinese National Academy of Arts, and study in CNAA for 5.5 years ( I have completed all of the courses in the first 4 years already).

Although I have been failed twice already, I will never give up and I would like to try the 3rd time in Beijing on the last Sunday in May, 2016.

-- Just forPresident Hal L. Higdon of Ozarks Technical Community College rewarded me a Certificate of Appreciation at the art exhibition on Feb 27 and said “ Come back earlier,” when we talked about my comprehensive art dream, I have been preparing on arts and my health when I was in China for I would like to come back to Springfield to work on my art dream...

So, if there were no so many local American organizations and friendly people’s good help, support and directions, if there were no Mrs. Kat Allie’s far-sight, big heart and good artistic sensibility as a manager and an artist, I would not have today.

With so much gratitude, this week, I have made a decision:

-- I would like to donate whole of my income from this art exhibition (includes the income I had gotten from selling the 3 paintings on Jan 2, 2016 ) to OTC.
-- I would like to donate my best and the most important art works which I did when I could not stand up and could not walk and walked well for my disease in 2011, and my graduated works in CAFA ( China Central Academy of Arts) – Chinese Baimiao Painting: 87 Immortals to OTC.
-- I would like to donated the 64 pictures that I had donated to Springfield in 2010 to OTC.
-- I would also like to donate 25% to 30% of my income of art exhibitions in Springfield, MO in upcoming 10 years (2016 to 2025) to OTC...

What I wish is to use the first 3 items to be a part of the initial capital, to found a fund or a foundation by a cooperation with some departments of OTC under their foundation or the other ways, to work together on some helpful and meaning missions. To help more people in the world while realizing the value of my life.

I am not sure whether I am making a dream again, whether my dream will be true. However, I am a dreamer originally.

I am thinking, since everyday, in this world, there are so many people dead because of diseases, accidents, wars and so on, since I am still alive after experiencing and suffering so much, why should I not work hard and to make my life more helpful and more valuable by doing something I can do now?

Although I am only a little potato in this world and I have no so much money as Bill Gates to found a so big fund or foundation or something else, then, if every one can do a little bit thing to help the others, what the big world would become like? After all, when Bill Gates started his career, he had only $2,000 and started from a garage, now I have a little bit more than he had had. Right? :-)

And money for us, is important and not important, isn't it? Even though it is Bill Gates, as the richest person in the world, he can only live in one room, sleep in one bed and wear in one suit of clothes. If we can give our money to be used on something meaningful and helpful, is it a happy thing?

Anyway, I know, any great dream should be started by some specific work step by step, therefore, besides attending English lesson face to face daily, I have found a best channel to learn English. That is VOA, everyday, I read 5 to 8 articles that they sent to me and I do think it is one of the best suitable English courses for me.

Meanwhile, I have been checking the American state birds and I have accumulated more than 3000 birds and I have download all of the pictures of 7 states’ birds on Google. Because I can not land Google, Face Book and YouTube in the mainland of China, I would like to collect data for these first class web sites for my creating in Beijing as much as possible.

For having a foothold in Springfield, since Nov. 20, 2015, I invited my former classmate Mr. Zhu Bin to fix or remolded my new house. Now, my sunshine room, attic and stairs, the foundation of the house, the fence of the garden, floors of one of the rooms on the first floor, the bathroom, laundry and bathroom have been done. Then there is no time to re-fix the floors of the other rooms inside and print the walls outside, my garage and the roof will not be able to fix before I leave for China.

Thinking of Mr. Zhubin has to study at OTC for his certificate of automobile repairing every day and in 2 nights each week, this week, I myself painted my bathroom and laundry 3 times and I have changed the original blue, brown, white and yellow colors to be lemon yellow and white.

The funny things were, tonight, my house was flood twice.

--First time, whole of the water of my washer flood the laundry and the new floor of the room next to it – my classmate forgot fixed the outlet of a water pipe when he re-fixed the wash machine after we fixed the floor with ceramic tiles and re-painted the walls.

-- The second time, the new hot water pip under my new wash basin in the new cabinet was out from its hole. I did not know how to deal with it when the so strong hot water sprayed on my face and then flew into the room and into the mouth of the heater, be full of the drawers of the cabinet quickly. With so much scare and the trembled fingers, I called this or that, but no any answers, so that I had to call 911, but I could not speak clearly what has happened. With so much tears, I called 911 once more and quickly, 2 policemen came to “save” me...

Then I found things were in fact very simple, just I should turn off the switch. But I did not know where it was and I could not see anything when the water sprayed on my face… :- )

I am really impression on the nice service of the policemen of Springfield, MO. This was the second time I called 911 and got their quickly help. Although all of them army, they were so gentle and just like some university students. They did not only help me resolve the problem at once, but also, they comforted me and told me to call them at any time I have any problems. When I looked at them, I did feel safe and kind to live in the lovely city as a foreigner.

To be honest, now, I am really a little bit worrying about my house. If I was upstairs to work tonight as I had planed, if I left for China, what would happen in my house? I cannot imagine.

Do you have any good idea on a house maintain in the US? Do you know any professional company which works on the professional house management as Chinese property management company in Springfield, MO? I mean when I leave from China, I would not worry about my home because there is someone professional manages it and I just needs to pay a management fee – do you remember they had called me 7 times one night for they thought the smoke from my neighbor was from my home in August? Is there any similar company in Springfield, MO?

Do you have anything special to share in the past a week?


I am just a student on Arts of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do somethings with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Cross - Culture and Comprehensive Arts, Language & Friendship. To help the others and this world while improving myself and realizing my own value of life.

I would really like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Sincerely,

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Feb 1, 2016 (American Local Time)