How are you? Have you started a wonderful new week? I do hope you have.

It is 4:30a.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2014 Beijing time, I came back Chinese National Academy of Arts last night from Springfield, MO, USA via Chicago, Hong Kong, Shenzhen. Now I have been in Beijing for 12 hours.

I started this letter to you last Monday, March 3, I wished to send you the last letter before I left for China. However, I had to get up at 3:30a.m., March 4, to catch my first flight from Springfield, MO to Chicago at 6:00am, then I continued it on the airplane from Chicago to Hong Kong, at my home in Shenzhen City, and now at my apartment in Beijing.

In the last week I was in the USA, so many things happened, here is a simple list:

On Tuesday, Feb 25, 2014:

-- At 10:15a.m., President Clifton M Smart (he is on the first, 10th, 11st and 12nd photos) of Missouri State University met me in his office. When he heard one of my dreams was to Combine Traditional Chinese Painting and Modern Chinese language together, to create a unique cross-culture and comprehensive art, to help non-Chinese speakers and anyone who is interested in China to learn Chinese culture, art and language naturally, easily and artistically, he stood up and scheduled his time on the computer in person, then he told me that he would like to come to my art exhibition at 3:00p.m., Thursday, Feb 27, 2014.

-- At 5:30 to 8:30p.m., two groups of music students of Mrs. Marilyn Dunn – a senior vocal music and piano instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College attended my demonstration of cross-culture and comprehensive art, they did not enjoy Chinese paintings, music and poetry with me together, but also they followed me to read, to recite and to sing some Chinese classical poems and to do it by themselves along with the music that I created facing the paintings I painted for the poems and music. We had a good time in the cheerful chatting and laughing.

-- At 9:10p.m. – 10:00p.m. Mrs. Marilyn Dunn invited me to have a later dinner and we had a good talking.

On Wednesday, Feb 26, 2014:

-- At 10:00a.m -- 5:00p.m.,I carried my little books, DVDs and new albums of paintings, to visit some professors, scholars and friends while to invite them to come to my art exhibition in person.

Then I met and had a good talking with:

Dr. Jason Jolley(he is on the 3rd photo) – Head of Modern and Classical Languages Department at Missouri State University;

Dr. Madeleine F. Hooper(she is on the 4th photo) - Associate Dean of Art and Letter College at Missouri State University;

Dr. Elizabeth J Rozell - Associate Dean of Business College at Missouri State University;

Mr. Thomas A. Peters (he is on the 6th photo)-- Dean of Library Services of Missouri State University;

Dr. Steve K. Olson - Professor of Business College;

Dr. Weirong Yan - Coordinator of Asian Arts of Modern and Classical Languages Department Ms. Anna Brashers - Administrative Assistant of the College of Business.

Also, I left some of my works to some one I could not meet on the day and wrote to those whom I had no time to visit before I leave for China.

-- At 7:30p.m., I went to meet Ms. Peggy H (she is on the 5th photo) at her library in downtown of Springfield. We agreed with moving my next art exhibition at their library from 2014 to 2015.

On Thursday, Feb 27, 2014:

-- At 12:30a.m., Mr. Thomas A. Peters(he is on the 6th photo) – Dean of Library Service of Missouri State University came to my art exhibition.

-- At 1:00p.m, Mr. Andrew Bishko (he is on the 7th photo)– A music instructor of OTC, his wife and children cam to my art exhibition.

-- At 2:00p.m., Mr. Lonnie Funk– President of Rolling Oaks Group of Companies LLC that was my landlord and his wife Mrs. Leslie Funk (they are on the 8th photo)came to my art exhibition. I sent them the first painting that I had painted in their apartment as a memory.

-- At 2:15pm. Dr. Weirong Yan Schaefer – Coordinator of Asian Arts of Modern and Classical Languages Department came to my art exhibition.

-- At about 2: 30pm. Mrs. Hing Wal Hatch – a per course instructor of Art and Design Department of Missouri State University came to my art exhibition.

-- At about 2:40p.m. Mr. Lance Renner (he is on the 9th and 13st photos)-- Dean of Ozarks Technical Community College, Dr. Steven Rishop -- Provost of OTC(he is on the 10th and 13rd photos, the first one from right) came to my art exhibition .

-- At 3:00p.m., Dr. Clifton M. Smart*(he is on the 1st, 10th, 11st and 12nd photos) -- President of Missouri State University, Dr. Hai Higdon (he is on the 10th, 11st, 12nd and 13rd photos)– President of Ozarks Technical Community College came to my art exhibition.

For answering the questions of President Smart, I introduced the kinds, characteristics of traditional Chinese painting; relationship among Chinese painting, music, language and the other arts; how I have tried to combine the traditional Chinese painting and modern Chinese language together to create my own cross-culture and comprehensive art, to help non-Chinese speakers to learn Chinese culture, arts and language naturally and artistically. And one of my plans: As a volunteer instructor and teacher to start two classes: Traditional Chinese Painting and my own creation: 诗。画。乐：综合艺术汉语 Poetry, Painting, Music: Comprehensive and Artistic Chinese at OTC and at Seymour R-II Shool, continue the study and explore with the local experts and students together, to publish more publication while to find the most suitable running model in the upcoming another 3 years since 2015. Meanwhile, I expressed my wish: hope to do the something for my Alma Mater as well.

It was lucky enough that President Smart not only asked more questions, but also, he gave me some very helpful and inspired directions on how to work with the multi-media style, such as to publish the stories relates to my comprehensive art in some mass media and to publish some CD or DVD and so on.

-- At about 3:20ap.m. I sent my Alma Mater - Missouri State University a Traditional Chinese Painting: Wu Lun Tu – The Harmonious. It was luck enough that Dr. Hai Higdon(second one from right) – President of Ozarks Technical Community College and Dr. Steven Rishop (first one from right)– Provost of OTC witnessed it

-- At about 3:30p.m. Dr. Hai Higdon – President of Ozarks Technical Community College sent me a Certificate of Appreciation of OTC.

-- At about 3:40p.m., I sent a painting that has been published by the publishing house formally – My Art 708 –Integrated Arts 75-A81: Painting , Music, Singing, Translation & Article for Chinese Classical Poem Jiang Pan Du Bu Xun Hua -Fining Flowers by the River Alone to Ozarks Technical Community College.

-- At about 4:00p.m., I sent another paintings that has been published by the publishing house formally – My Art 706: Integrated Arts 74-A79 Painting , Music, Singing, Translation & Article for Chinese Classical Poem: Die Dongda - A Farewell Song for Dong Da to Department of Fine Arts and Humanities at OTC.

On Friday, Feb 28, 2014:

-- At 9:30am,Friday, Feb 28, 2014, Ms. Leah Hamilton (she is on the 15th photo, on the right)– the Director of Arts Administration Program at Drury University and the former Executive Director of Springfield Regional, MO, the first sponsor of my art exhibition in Springfield in 2009 came to my art exhibition. I invited her to sing one of my favorite Chinese poems that I had created a piece of music for it. She told me she needed me to translate my music from Chinese numbered musical notation to staff. :- ) I did feel that was a wonderful topic for me to learn a new class of music. :- )

-- At 9:30am, Friday, Mrs. Faith Eostman and her aunt(she is on the 16th photo) - a 92 years old artist came to my art exhibition.

-- At 9:30am, Ms. Carissa K Griffin (she is on the 17th photo)a parent of my student came to my art exhibition. I was surprised for she asked me to follow her to a painting of mine mystically. When I went to her, she took out of a notebook and read in Chinese. Wow! That was a classical Chinese poem. She read it or me in Chinese. I was so happy for she could read a Chinese classical poem alone already. I did feel so much comfort for my former hard work for her daughter. :-)

We have made an appointment to continue our Chinese classes via Internet via some way best suitable and I will let you see how she video soon.

-- At 9:45am, Ms. Stephanie Cramer(she is on the 15th photo in the middle) – the Director of Programs and Exhibitions of Springfield Art Council and the first sponsor of my first art exhibition in 2009 came to my art exhibition.

-- At 10:00am, Friday, Mr. Zhang Peng - a staff of vice president office of Missouri State University came to my art exhibition.

-- At 10:30am, my art exhibition at OTC was finished.

-- At 12:15am, I visited Mr. Darren Young - Assistant to the Associate Vice President, to account and to packed the 64 paintings that I had donated to Springfield and stored in the shop of Mr. Joe Jinkens by the witness of Executives Manager- Mr. Brad Bodenhausen of Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and have been stored in the office of Mr.Stephen H Robinette since Mr. Joe Jinkens was sick in 2011. I was happy that except 1 of them was sent by me, 7 of them were stored in the house of my former classmates Zhu Bin during the shifting 2011. After experiencing shifting 4 times, 60 paintings of 64 there.

-- At 12:45a.m., Mr. Stephen H Robinette(he is on the 18th photo) - Associate Vice President of Missouri State University met me in his office and he would like to help me to store the 53 Chinese paintings in his office building during I left for China.

-- At 1:00pm, sponsor of my 4th art exhibition Mrs. Kat Allie (she is on the 8th, 9th, 11st, 19th and 20th photos) – the Department Chair of Fine Art Gallery Manager of Ozarks Technical Community College sent me a beautiful art work and a card that she did in person.

-- At 1:15p.m., Mrs. Kat Allie invited me to see a perform of a play that her students did.

-- At 2:00a.m., we had a pizza lunch and I sent each employee of the Art Gallery of OTC a little gift as a memory and to express my appreciation to their hard work and effort for my art exhibition.

-- At 2:30p.m., I went to the Chinese Restaurant that I had almost every dinner there, and sent a little gift to the lady owner – Mrs. Xiao Qing, to thank her good looking during I was in Springfield.

-- At 4:06p.m., Mrs. Kat Allie and her assistant sent all my things to my apartment. We said Good Bye, Good Luck and she wished both of us to do our best to prepare the two classes in her college in 2015.

-- At 4:20p.m., I went to the Campus of Missouri State University to give the painting that I had sent to Missouri State University to Kristan E. Gochenauer -- Executive Assistant to the President, to express the little heart of me - a Chinese graduate to my American Alma Mater.

-- At 4:25p.m., I went to another office to send a book and an album of my paintings to Mrs. Dandan Liu whom I have not met yet, to thank her for she had helped me to do the shifting of my painting second and third times -- carry my paintings from Mr. Joe Jenkins, and then gave them to my temporary son – Qiu Xiao. During the process, it was her husband carried 4 of them to Kentucky as the examples of my speech at Kentucky World Language Conference in Sep, 2011.

-- At 7:30p.m., I went to the Chinese Baptist Church in the campus to say Good Bye and to thank God and his messengers – Dr. Wenping Qiu and his wife, Mr. Zhang Peng and his fiancée, all of the sisters and brothers for their good help.

On Saturday, March 1, 2014:

-- At 6:30p.m., I visited Dr. Yuhua Qiao – A Professor of Missouri State University and his family members with fresh flowers, to thank her good help and sent a warm blanket to me in a cold morning.

-- At 9:00p.m., I sent a little painting to my American roommate Toria to perform my promise since she had asked me to paint for her and I responded Yes.

On Sunday, March 2, 2014:

-- At 9:30a.m., I prepared to go to the Springfield Assembly Chinese Church to say Good Bye, but the snowstorm closed the church and stopped me.

-- I completed the first draft of the Syllabus of my 诗。画。乐：综合艺术汉语Poetry, Painting & Music: Comprehensive & Artistic Chinese for one of my classes that I would like to start at Ozarks Technical Community College in 2015 and sent it to Mrs. Kat Allie before I left for China and hoped to get her good directions and help.

On Monday, March 3, 2014:

-- At 3:00p.m., I visited Mr. Toney Martine(he is on the last photo in the middle) and Mr. Steve Reed (he is on the last photo on the right)– the manager and the head of maintain of the apartment build Jefforson that I had lived for 5 months and 20 days in the USA Sep 13, 2013 – March 3, 2014, sent each one a little painting that I painted in their lovely apartment, to express my thanks to their good looking after during I lived in their building. I was lucky enough that they would like to help me to carry my big painting board to the house of my former classmate by their truck after I left for China.

-- At 4:30p.m., my former classmate Mr. Zhu Bin carried 5 paper boxes and 1 suitcase of mine, included my keyboard of 88 keys to his car and stored in his house.

-- At 5:30p.m., I invited my younger Chinese roommate Jingjing whose bedroom and bathroom are all next to mine to have a dinner to say Good Bye, since she said that she had felt the taste of mother when she ate the food that I had cooked for her at the first time she arrived in the USA. :- )

-- At about 11:30p.m., I started this letter to you, and then I left for the airport at 4:10a.m. Tuesday.

-- At 4:10a.m., Tuesday, March 4, my former classmate Mr. Zhu Bin came to pick up me and sent me to the Springfield Airport.

-- At 8:30p.m.,March 5, (my second airplane flew back the Airport of Chicago after flying for a while, because there was ice on its wings, so that I stayed on it for 15 hours and 30 minutes) my younger friend who is at the same age as my son picked up me at Hong Kong Airport and sent me to the Customs of Shenzhen.

-- At 9:30p.m., March 5, a young boy who drove my car during I was not in China picked up me at the customs of Shenzhen that is the most modern city of China, with a population of more than 10 millions, its economic power is listed No. 4 in China.

My 5th travel for about a half year in the USA was finished.

After completing this list, the biggest feeling is:

What a lucky Chinese art student I am! What a lucky graduate of Missouri State University I am!

First of all, I am luck enough that President Smart (he is on the first, 10th, 11st and 12nd photos) of Missouri State University not only met me, but also came to my art exhibition in person, so that I do think: just like his family name, Missouri State University has a Smart President. Why?

-- He was so smart and so sensitive that as soon as he heard something I mentioned to him first time: One of my dreams was Combine Traditional Chinese Arts and Modern Chinese Language Together, to create something unique and helpful, he decided to come to my art exhibition in person at once. That really let me feel that I have met a leader and a scholar who was interested in my work and understood the value of my effort for 13 years in my Alma Mater.

Really, the first question he asked me at the art gallery was: how did you combine the two arts of Traditional Chinese Painting and Modern Chinese Language together?

-- During we were talking at the art exhibition, he did not only ask questions, but also gave me some actual directions, such as to work with the local newspaper office, make CD, develop my work via multi – media and so on. To use a multi-media style: Traditional Mass Media + Internet & new Media + Face to Face, to publish the information real time, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, to make products naturally is really the transmitting style that I had thought for a long time and I have designed for my own little project. That also made me feel that I had met a smart leader and maybe entrepreneur who had a deep understanding about the transmitting and running style of infromation via multi- media in the Internet times. :- )

-- At the time I see him off, I was a little bit surprised that he drove by himself and did not have a team following him. The President, Dean and Provost of OTC did the same thing. That also made me think of something that maybe I can write for my new book – My American Stories for my Chinese readers.

To be honest, what President Smart did for me, not only warmed my heart in the cold winter in the USA, but also, it changed a big decision that I had made before he met me, gave me much more confidence that come back to Springfield after completing my study in Beijing, to serve for Missouri people yearly, to return the good education and the sincere help of the local people.

So, when he asked about my future plan, I said, I would like to come back to Springfield to be a volunteer instructor and a volunteer teacher at OTC and at Seymour R-II School yearly in the upcoming 3 years, to open two classes: One is Traditional Chinese Painting; the other is my own Poetry, Painting and Music: Comprehensive & Artistic Chinese, to share something that I have learned and studied earlier than the others, to study and to explore a unique subject on both of academy and business levels with my work partners together. Meanwhile, I wished I would have an opportunity to do the same thing for Missouri State University as I have done and I will do at OTC and at Seymour R-II School.

Do you know? Now, I do have a feeling: just like 20 years ago, in 2013, the first few meetings with Mr. Wu Fengyi -- my formal boss at a national securities newspaper office, had affected me positively so much, so that I gave up the highest salary and the best work conditions in Shenzhen Stock Exchange in China at that times and worked on a quite creative job from an editor, a department manager and then a vice general manager in his team for 8 years, created a first class work result and established an excellent corporation from zero with his team together, changed my life in China for about 20 years. Maybe, today, I have met a new leader who will affect my future road in America for another 20 years? :- )

Anyway, I have left most of my things in Springfield for the next travel already.

Secondly, I was lucky enough for I had met Mrs. Kat Allie – Department Chair of Fine Art and Humanities and Gallery Manager of OTC . Just for her professional and artistic sensitive, far-insight and strong leadership capacity, I have had the good opportunity to have an art exhibition at OTC and to be able to give some demonstrations, presentations, or classes to her students and the local public. Also, this event was reported by the local media, such as TV and newspaper.

I do think the significance of this art exhibition at OTC, has really been beyond a pure art exhibition, it is really a milestone of my little project and me. Because:

-- In theory, first time, I mentioned out the idea: to compare the Traditional Chinese Painting and Modern Chinese Language together, to create a unique way and system to help non - Chinese speakers and anyone who is interested in China to learn Chinese culture, art and language naturally, easily and artistically

During I edited the album of my paintings as a data for the art exhibition, I wrote 11 articles to summarize the former study and exploration. They had really helped me to think of many things clearer, to find something more and exact behind the traditional Chinese painting, to make sure the connecting between traditional Chinese painting and modern Chinese language base on the 7 relationships among the 7 elements of a Chinese painting.

This will may become the core of my cross-culture and comprehensive art and maybe become my own core-competitiveness, to serve for two groups of target users in arts and in Chinese language as the second language.

-- In practice, it has not only helped E-bridge Cross-culture and Comprehensive Art first time entered the classroom of music base on the former poetry and painting teaching during the art exhibition, but also, I will have an new opportunity to teach at OTC few weeks in the upcoming 3 years.

The wonderful news was: Mrs. Kat Allie told me except many instructors in her college would like me to teach, she would also discuss with the International Department of OTC, and I will have my own class to teach. Even though I mentioned out of being a volunteer, they would like to think of giving me a payment. : -)

-- What Mrs. Kat Allie, his bosses – Dr. Hai Higdon -- President of Ozarks Technical Community College, Mr. Lance Renner -- Dean of OTC did and will do for me have really helped me knowing much more about American culture, American spirit and what the true American Artists look like.

With so much appreciation, I am thinking how to use my own series books to be the text book by the local American students, instructors taking part in the editing jobs, such as singing some Chinese poems, then to use the textbook they own edit to learn Chinese culture, art and language with me together, to create a top class and a top series publications by the good directions, help and support of Ozarks Technique Community College, Seymour R-II School, Missouri State University and local people in the USA; my Alma Mater – Chinese National Academy of Arts, China Central Academy of Fine Arts and the Publishing Press of Jinan University in China.

Therefore, before I left for the airport, I had written out of the first draft of my syllabus of Poetry, Painting, Music: Comprehensive and Artistic Chinese for one of my classes and handed in Mrs. Kat Allie already. I would really like to improve it within the upcoming the 3 year, to make my biggest effort for creating a top Cross-culture and Comprehensive Art in the world.

Until now, my first goal that I had established on the New Year’s Day 2014 for the upcoming 3 years : to open at least 2 classes in a university, or a college or a K-12 school has been true 200%.

But, I know clear, as a student, my own knowledge and skills are quite lack to run this cross-culture and the interdisciplinary project. So, one hand, I have been finding and I will find someone more powerful, stronger to make a merge, or to make an investment, or to be hired, or to cooperate or to be my sponsor... The other hand, before I left for the airport in the USA, I had enrolled, to apply my second master degree – an master degree of art at Chinese National Academy of Arts that is the highest art research academy of China.

I will go to the headquarters to accept the test and verify my finger marks after I send this letter to you, to take photo on the spot at CNNA face to face. Then to attend an national English examination May 25, 2014. If I can pass it, I will start my paper writing by the direction of a tutor. Otherwise, I will do this once more next year or to attend an program for an master degree of art in America or in Australia.

I would really like to improve myself not only on technique, but also on theory, to make sure how to combine multi-Chinese arts with the best way in the international times. During the process, to return the good educations of my Alma Maters in both of China and in the USA, to return all of the organizations and people who have helped me and supported me in the world.

Since I just came back China in a hurry, I could just upload the photos on my web site and write the notes quickly.

So, you are welcome to clink at the link to see all of the photos in a big size and their notes.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share in the last 2 weeks?
Sincerely,


Shirley Yiping Zhang
March 11, 2014 (Beijing Time)