Deeply honoured to have received a Canada Council for the Arts Project Grant (Research and Creation) for my upcoming project. This support enables me to conduct research into traditional Chinese woodblock printmaking. This project holds significant importance for me, as it bridges cultural heritage with contemporary practice. Thank you, Canada Council for the Arts, for believing in this vision.
This project combines academic research on traditional Chinese woodblock printmaking with innovative artistic exploration, influenced by my personal and cultural background. Growing up near areas renowned for their printing heritage, such as the historic Rongbaozhai studio (榮寶齋), famous for its water-based woodblock art, and communities known for producing Yangliuqing Nianhua (楊柳青年畫) or New Year prints, I developed an early appreciation for this craft. However, my understanding remained largely observational, lacking hands-on experience and material experimentation.
As a printmaker, I have worked with Western printmaking techniques for several years and later shifted my focus to print mixed media while pursuing my MFA at Emily Carr University. As a Chinese-Canadian artist, I now recognize the importance of exploring traditional Chinese woodblock printmaking techniques in greater depth. By incorporating contemporary themes and approaches, I aim to create a body of work that reflects my dual cultural identity and contributes to global artistic discourse.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
TO BE CONTINUED