Summer Meng
"There is a vitality, a lifeforce, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open..."
- Martha Graham
This is my favorite quote about being an artist, an artist of any form. I don't believe Art indeed has class or definitions, it is the expressions of our feelings and conscious. We all are creating our unique art in our canvas called Life, and together they form the beautiful art in a much bigger frame called Universe. To me, this is the meaning of life.
I was born in a very small town in South East of China. It was a beautiful place that had sealed with my most precious childhood memories. The absence of Internet and modern technology back then somehow preserved the organic way of life. I was companied by childhood friends, adventures and dreams that I didn't even realize how lucky I was to be surrounded by nature and be raised in the richness of culture.
As the only child of my full-time job parents, I had nothing else to do in my summer breaks but to get lost in the nature and the world of my imaginations. That was when all my artistic senses started to grow. I would draw my imaginary fairies every day or write stories about the insects that I had observed for days.
I have endless curiosity about the world, about the stuff that I don't know. This curiosity led me to my first career - Journalism. During the 7 years of work as a journalist and editor for a TV station in Shanghai, I had interviewed a lot of people with a variety of backgrounds. I enjoyed listening to their stories and learning different aspects of life. However, when my life started to feel comfortable and even a little bit predictable, a feeling of desire for the unknow world was calling me for another bigger adventure.
That was when I decided to move to Canada and start my new career as an artist. Being a journalist, meeting new people and hearing new stories everyday was a thrill and challenging life, but my artistic nature is another part of me that was longing to emerge from the cocoon.
Today I have been living in this second home for 15 years. When I look back, I appreciate my decision of leaving my comfort zone and allowing the great part of me to grow and thrive.
Since a kid, I already knew that my life is about exploring and adventures. There was always something I was looking for in the unknow places, which had drove me to leave one and another comfort zones. And now I know that the "something" I was looking for is to see myself evolving into different versions and growing into a more profound soul. Being an artist is my way of exploring myself and expressing my feelings about the world. It's not a job or a prize, it's not a category I belong, it's not a destination either. It's the identity that comes with my blood. and the channel that connects me to the world.