It only feels like yesterday when we were busy together at cSpace putting together our featured art pieces on the walls for display. But, in reality, two years have almost past since our group’s revival art exhibition. We can remember the chatter and laughter that resounded the hall space. Time and life may have taken their toll on our bodies but not our passion for art; it remains constant and perseveres in our lives. In essence, it is who we are.
We are not just fathers and mothers anymore, we are now grandparents with a new generation to look after. Therefore, in October of 2017, we put together our art exhibition titled, “Now, Then and Beyond.” We assessed our current status within our world of art and compared it with the past works we created, then we looked forward to, not only our futures, but the future of the next generation. How could we influence them and nurture them to love and enjoy the beauty of art in whatever shape, way, or form? This is how we learn to grow and develop. For anyone of any age, this is an important concept to take into consideration. We self-reflect and innovatively think of ways we can change or improve the situation. We constantly challenge ourselves to be the best we can be. We look optimistically towards the future.
We believe that this was achieved throughout the preparations to and at our exhibition. It gave us a chance to self-reflect upon the decades we devoted to our livelihoods and still managed to maintain our passion for art. It then gave us the courage to proactively do something about our passion for art. To reach out to the community of Calgary so that they could experience something that was unique. A group of Chinese immigrants who have lived in Calgary for more than 30 years and practicing art whilst balancing the worries of life. A group of artists who speak very little English reaching out towards a primarily English-speaking audience. It takes encouragement and courage to brave that frontier and to engage with the public. With help from our sons and daughters, we were able to bridge the gap between the two worlds. They gave us a voice to engage with the Calgarian community and we are proud of them for helping us spread the word of art.
We wish to continue to engage with the public and help influence the younger generation to appreciate the various forms of art. We hope to hold more events to further grow more confident in our abilities to connect with the public. We are grateful for everyone who showed up at our art exhibition. We thank all those who continue to support our endeavors. We also hope that those of the younger generation will be willing to join our collective so that there is continuation, growth, succession, and a passing of the torch to them. We wish to leave for them a legacy to carry on in the arts.
Have a happy summer everyone! Stay safe and take care. See you all in our next post!