How are you?

This is the first time that I have not written for about 4 weeks since 2005.

I flew back Shenzhen from Beijing on June 26, instead of writing my new books as my original plan, I had to deal with many things and then had another several travels:

-- A lot of new books I bought in Beijing 2010 to 2014 in the water that I did not know where it came and the number of the ruined books has met 115.

-- I have been applying a new study opportunity for a degree of MFA at a Western University since July 1, meanwhile, to apply an Australia visa.

--I flew back Beijing July 13, to take part in the Commencement of the 8th Postgraduate Courses Class July 15; sent some data to the Western University according to their requirements for my application; delivered 23 packs back home from Beijing, bought another more than 100 books / teaching pictures for my project.

-- Then I flew to Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province to see my father and family members July 20, as usual, also I invited 4 families and 10 formal colleagues to have a lunch talking for they had helped me when I was the first instructor and the first assistant, to teach Chinese Classical language and literature while to raise my son baby since he was 46 days alone at Wuxi Administration Institute.

-- Then flew back Shenzhen on July 22 to pick up my packs that had been there already.

So, now, I have finished the study in Beijing for 4 years and come back home with so many appreciations to:

-- My bosses who approved me to study in Beijing in my sick leave Sep, 2010 to Sep, 2012;

-- My doctors and nurses who supported me behind my study and travels with 7 operations and numerous treatments Dec, 2009 to May, 2013;

-- My professors, tutors, class advisors and university leaders in Chinese National Academy of Arts and China Central Academy of Fine Arts who have led me to go on a right road, laid a strong foundation for me to start the second career in the rest of my life Sep, 2010 to July, 2014.

-- My professor, tutors, leaders of some college and university, city manager, artists, pastors, friends and students whom I have taught in Missouri and Kentucky, USA, for their kind help and opportunities that they had given me with their far-eyesight.

-- My work partners and guides in the Publishing House and on my web site, for their good leading and support at every key point.

-- My family members in China and in Australia, for their warm care for and understanding not only on psychology but also on the actual help.

-- All people who have helped me in the past 4 years, include the cleaning ladies, waiters in the restaurants, postmen in the express companies, the vendors in the vegetables stores and the clerks in the supermarkets …

With a grateful heart, I do feel if there were no these good people’s help, directions and supports, I would not have today at all.

With the same grateful heart, I would like to make the finishing time as a new beginning moment , continue to study and to work hard, to improve myself and my little cross-culture and comprehensive art program, to return all of these kind people, to help this world and those people who need help.

I have made some adjusting on my project's direction since the end of May, 2014 – to transform it from a business to be an academic project or mainly academic project + little business. To use Chinese classical poetry as its core, to connect traditional Chinese painting and Modern Chinese, to create a new, cross-culture and comprehensive art form with painting, music and poetry in art field; while to create a new subject that maybe able to be listed with Daily Chinese, Travel Chinese equally, names Poetry, Painting, Music: Comprehensive and Artistic Chinese. To do some actual work to help the progress of the civilization of Human Being with study, researching / teaching and creating.

Since this is an international project, I know clear, no matter my knowledge structure or art skills have not met the requirement of the project yet. Therefore, before I came back Shenzhen last time on July 26, I had made a plan to improve my English and set up a goal to get 7 points in IELTS -- International English Language Testing System as the brick picked up to knock on the doors of 4 universities in America, Britain and Australia in one year, in June or July, 2015. And I had started my English study every day for 4 hours.

However, it sounds like God has arranged everything for me already. June 25, my airplane did not fly, then I had time to check the web site of my original target university, then I found it will start a MFA – Master of Fine Arts degree since Sep, 2014 and I felt no matter its mission or curriculum were just like designing for me. There was no any hesitation, I put down my plan and all of the other jobs and started the application since July 1.

Until now, I have done all of the things that I could do according to the requirements of the Western University and completed my application already. And got my Australian visa as well. I am waiting for the result with a quite peaceful heart. I am thinking:

-- If I am lucky enough to be admitted, I will start a new arts study in the western country for 3 years base on my Chinese painting study in Beijing for 4 years. And my little program will be push forward because of the good study opportunity in the best circumstance.

-- If I am rejected, I will go back Beijing to study Chinese Landscape Paintings for another 1 year base on studying Chinese flower and bird painting for 4 years. Or I will go to Australia to have a reunion with my son and to think of settling down in Sydney in 2015. Or entered some English institute to improve my English… :- )

No matter what will happen to me, it will be a good news for me, and I will not stop my art learning and the working on my project.

As far as which university I am wishing to go, I will let you know about it and some touched stories relate to my application after I get the final result.

You are welcome to see the big size photos and their notes.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share in the past for about 4 weeks?

Photo Notes:

No.1: Ms.Gao Xianli - General Secretary of Party Committee & Executive Vice-President of Chinese National Academy of Arts, Professor Man Weiqi - Executive-Associate Dean of Chinese Painting School at CNAA and I- July 15, 2014

No. 2: Professor Man Weiqi- Executive- Associate Dean of Chinese Painting School at Chinese National Academy of Arts Hold Commencement Chaired the Completion Ceremony - July 15, 2014

No.3: Ms. Gao Xianli -- General Secretary of Party Committee & Executive Vice-President of Chinese National Academy of Arts Gave Us a Congratulation & Good Wishes at the Completion Ceremony - July 15, 2014

No.4: Professor Xu Jun- Associate Dean of Graduate School at Chinese National Academy of Arts accounced the Students who had completed the study and gotten the certificates.

No.5: All my classmates who were major in Chinese Flower & Bird Painting at Chinese National Academy of Ats at the Completion Ceremony - July 15, 2014

No.6: My schoolfellows and a part of staff at Chinese National Academy of Ats- July 15, 2014

No.7: Mr.Wu Tong - Associate Head of Teaching Department of Chinese Painting School at Chinese National Academy of Arts & I at the Commencement - July 15, 2014

No.8: Mr. Sun Qi - Instructor of Figure Painting Class & My First Tutor at Chinese National Academy of Arts & I at the Commencement - July 15, 2014

No.9: Mr. Lu Wenqing - Instructor of Flower and Bird Painting Class & I at the Commencement - July 15, 2014Sincerely,


Shirley Yiping Zhang
July 25, 2014 (Beijing Time)