A study in China

People are fascinating. I like to sketch their smiles and frowns, the way their hair floats in the breeze or hangs in dense curls, the way their hands are poised above a keyboard, waiting for inspiration. My favorite subject to draw, in fact, is those around me. I love to sit in a corner and wait for someone interesting; when they do, I begin. By capturing a fleeting moment in time in someone else's day, I am able to include myself in that person's life in a way that I might never have been able. This anonymity allows me to connect with the world in a similar way to the artists of the Ming Dynasty did. During the 17th Century the capital was invaded and the Nobles fled, therefore a focus was placed on celebrating random moments of time because none knew how long their lives would last. This idea resonates. It's about celebrating life and treating every moment as an important event that might be shared with generations long to come.

In America, most of our understanding of the world is formed when we are young. We're taught through visuals until we can seek out information; I find however, that the visuals are lacking in our schools if they do not fit into a western or European artistic style. No significance is given to other cultures. As an art student I place a high importance on visuals. The art of our societies will last for thousands of years and define us long after we're gone, just as art has always been considered a major link between the past and the present. I'm ashamed to say that for a majority of my life I knew very little of Asian cultures. In my art history classes, Asian art and culture was altogether ignored. The paintings were barely mentioned; it seemed that the only Asian art that was of importance was their ceramics. As I am a painter, I didn't consider the medium to hold much rank. It wasn't until I accidentally enrolled in a Chinese drawing class that I realized just how valid and beautiful the art form really is. I was in New York visiting friends when I fully realized my mistake with classes, and I decided I would wait until after I saw the ,then- current exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Art of Dissent in 17th-Century China), and if I liked the art enough, I would keep the class.

To say I simply "˜liked' the art would be a tremendous understatement. I loved it. The strokes and the minimal color, the negative space and the way my eye was made to travel all came together to successfully make me feel as if I was watching someone's life unfold. It made me feel included. I realized that Asian art wasn't lacking; only my knowledge of it was. To amend my ignorance I took other classes that focused on underrepresented cultures: Chinese language classes, Chinese painting, and a history class on Asian and Muslim art, for instance. The more I learn the more I realize how little I know. It makes me think of other people who, for all I know, will never have a chance to appreciate Asian art the way I do. I realized that my way to bring more awareness to the beauty of the art was to illustrate children's books- giving youngsters the chance to see diverse visuals as I never did. If children see luxuriously illustrated examples of Asian culture, they could perhaps change the trend toward ignorance. I plan to use this study abroad experience to help me depict a region that is classically described as "shrouded in mystery", to allow others to learn as much as they can about diverse cultures.

The program will last two months and situate me in Qingdao, which is in Shandong province. It is a coastal city located in Northern China and is a popular vacation spot for people from many areas of China, which in itself allows me to interact with more people from various regions. Most importantly, though this program is carried out with the help of Qingdao University, I will not be living on campus. Often when students are placed in familiar settings within unfamiliar locations, it is too easy to rely on the comfort of the university and fellow English speaking students. This program, unlike many others, forces students to interact with the culture. Rather than rooming with students from my home school, I will be rooming with native Qingdao students.

I have invested 2 semesters in Chinese language preparing for the Tier 1 program in Qingdao. The program is 11 credits, and consists of four classes: Socializing in China and America, Engaging Chinese Culture, Practical Reading and Writing, and Overseas Study in China. We would meet five days a week for two to four hours each day, giving me plenty of free time to immerse myself in the culture. The program utilizes five different approaches to learning, allowing students to be involved not only on performance and autonomous levels but through human relationships, peer interaction, and community involvement. The entire program is designed to give students a more complete understanding of the culture of China. I could never fully experience all I will learn this summer by simply reading about it.

This program is challenging, rigorous, and immersive. I know the meaning of working hard for my success, however, especially when it comes to education. There have been times in my University career when I didn't think I would be able to afford my next semester. I have taken odd jobs hard to avoid putting financial burden on my mother. I've succeeded thus far. The struggles have made me appreciate my university experience, but it has also made me cautious about what I can and cannot do based on my financial status. Being a Fine Art major pursuing a program to China is not a typical choice. As a result there are not many scholarship opportunities available to me, as if the only study abroad options art advocates think I have are in France. I am asking for donations so that I might be able to use the limited opportunities available to me to create more for myself in the future. I chose the study abroad program offered by the University of South Florida because of the percentage of students who go on to accomplish more with the Chinese language. USF Alumni Marsh Louis, for example, went on to host a travel show in China for Chinese natives in 2011. I will use this experience as a stepping stone to further my studies; I am considering applying for various Mastery programs.

I hope to use my experience to encourage others to pursue all the paths open to them in their education. As the Chinese paintings at the Met allowed me to connect with the ancient Chinese culture, so too do I hope to be a link, an ambassador, between Asian and American cultures. China is still thought of as lying behind a metaphorical bamboo curtain, mysterious and hidden from the West. There is no barrier between our cultures, however; there are just moments in time- very human and very real- and even if I have to sit alone in the corner with my pencils, I hope to show people that there is less between all of us than a simple piece of paper.