How Tasmania inspired a Chinese Fine Art student

Shanshan had worked in the media for Beijing Evening News as the Art Editor and reporter for eleven years. But painting had always been her passion.

Her father was an artist, so she believes painting is in her genes. She had always wanted to become a successful artist in her own right. Seeing the colours of Tasmania inspired Shanshan to bravely change her life and fulfill her dream. 

She told her colleague that she wanted to go to this place. He didn’t think she was serious.

“Its not very easy for a Chinese woman of my age to study abroad. I’m single, I’m not married, and I had a great job that I loved. My colleague didn’t realize my true thinking.”

She approached a study agency and they provided her with a few choices about where she could study fine art across Australia. They included an institution in Darwin, another in Cairns, and ironically, the School of Creative Arts and Media at the University of Tasmania.

The landscape totally captured my attention. Tasmania has the most pure colour. I can see the true colour of nature here. That’s why I chose this place.

“I also believe that the art centre in Australia is in the south. There is a more active art culture here.” 

Shanshan quit her job to come to Tasmania and start a new life as an artist.

“Some of my friends still think I’m crazy. I quit my job, left my Mum, my family, my friends and my dog to come here.”

Despite being on the other side of the world, Shanshan feels totally at home in ‘Tassie’.

“Of course when I first came I felt nervous about it, but UTAS is a very friendly place. The University gave me everything that I needed including emotional support and the things I needed for living and studying. I feel this is a second home.”

I love nature. I wanted to get out of the big city life. Tasmania has 17 national parks and many islands. The weather here is very similar to the weather in Bejing, with four clear seasons. The views are amazing and being a landscape painter, it was the perfect choice. I’m really happy that I live here.

“At first I doubted myself, because to get something that you want, you often have to lose things and give things up. But it’s worth it. I can see that I am progressing in my studies to fulfill my dream. I made the right decision.

Shanshan found that the approach to education at UTAS is very different to that in China.

“In China, art school is very much focused on skill. But here, the teachers and supervisors teach us about ideas and creation. The school is more active, more open-minded and draws on information from different countries all over the world. I think that is how artists should learn.”

Shanshan recently graduated with a Master of Fine Art and Design. She volunteered earlier this year at DARK MOFO in the House of Mirrors and regularly attended workshops by artists in-residence and visiting lecturers made possible by the Tasmanian College of the Arts' (now School of Creative Arts and Media) partnerships with MONA, TMAG and Contemporary Art Tasmania among others.

We have a lot of cultural exchanges at UTAS and visiting scholars from China, Japan, Germany and so on. They give us so many different ideas.

“The UTAS lecturers are also artists who do amazing work and host their own exhibitions. They are very professional. I want to learn more from them and follow in their footsteps.”

Shanshan has been at the School of Creative Arts and Media for 18 months, but she wants to stay in Tasmania and do research into the colour of the landscape.

My father told me there are two things that you cannot forget. One is English and the other is painting. So I am trying to follow his words. My father passed away a long time ago. I want to realise his dream, which is also my dream – to become a successful artist. And now I’m on my way.

“I encourage anyone who has a dream to be brave and try to realise it. Then you will not feel regret at the end of your life.”