Life is a journey, and more miracles & blessings overflow to me!

I am a native Shanghainese, born and raised in a close-knit extended family in Shanghai. From six months to three years of age, while my father worked in Japan, my mother balanced her role as a public school teacher with caring for me. Both my grandmother and my mother taught at the same school. My early childhood was surrounded by warmth and collective support from my grandparents and relatives. At age ten, everything changed. My father was imprisoned for a year, and shortly after his release, he divorced my mother. That same year, I ranked first in my fourth-grade class. Despite the upheaval, I remained academically strong while my mother managed our lives with the help of our extended family. At twelve, I entered a boarding school focused on foreign languages. Also during this time, I learned about the Christian Faith from one of my roommates, as she prayed before going to sleep. Later on, I experienced school violence from an upperclassman while I stood out speaking for my classmates—an incident that left a permanent scar on my head and heart. Despite the trauma, I excelled academically. In ninth grade, my classmates nominated me for a prestigious high school award due to my academic achievements and character, but my teacher unjustly revoked the nomination. I later earned admission to another top high school through the national exam. During that time, my father remarried without informing me. I only heard about it through extended family, and I was gradually excluded from his life, especially by his new wife, who saw my presence as a threat. My father remained silent, especially when I was excluded from family gatherings just before the critical Gaokao exam. I continued to perform well, serving as a class representative and receiving honors for academic excellence, moral character, and athletic achievements. When I was 18, my half-sister was born, though I only found out from my uncle, not from my father. Over the years, I was repeatedly scapegoated for things unrelated to me, especially those involving my half-sister, whom I have never been allowed to meet. My father chose to prioritize peace in his second family at the cost of our relationship. However, he contributed some essential financial support, which he gave me, felt like “paying off a debt,” as if I had been a burden rather than a daughter. Incredibly, in 2025, he apologized to me for the first time. Yet I realized he sought my forgiveness not to heal the pain he caused but to ease his guilt. He still never asked how I was, how tired I felt, or what I had gone through. Even now, he speaks only of my achievements. My mother and father, although secure in time, finances, and social resources, have never visited me in the US. However, kindly, some financial help was provided in hard time, but limited emotional support and zero physical companionship to me through milestones like graduation, marriage, childbirth, or raising my son, now seven years old. All these significant life moments for me, without my parents, were once a pity, but now time makes these feelings fade away. They often offered control and blame rather than care. For a very long time, I have always felt ashamed, even though I thought like my classmates. I have a relatively warm-hearted campus life, often seen as part of a happy family. I had to internalize myself so that I could be generally positive, but I now fully accept that they never gave me unconditional love. I spent years trying to be “the good daughter,” carrying burdens that were never mine. At 34, I am finally learning to lay those burdens down one by one. I am no longer willing to sacrifice myself to gain their love or approval. Indeed, I will also cherish the fond memories of my parents in my heart. Yet I remain grateful: what they couldn’t give me, God did. I’ve learned to cultivate joy, create meaning, and pursue learning at every stage of life. I’ve earned every opportunity I’ve had through resilience, integrity, and faith. Though I was rarely seen or heard by my parents, I chose not to disappear. I became a mother who listens, an artist who expresses, and an educator who empowers others. I am healing—slowly but surely. It has been a long and arduous journey to live an ordinary life.

I entered Shanghai Chuansha High School through the Zhongkao (the Senior High School Entrance Examination). In my senior year of high school, I received the “Three-Good Student” award in 2009. This award recognizes students who demonstrate good morals, strong academic performance, and good physical health—attributes of well-rounded and excellent students. I also studied abroad in Australia during my high school summer program in 2007, it was also the time I encoutered to know more about Christian Faith. Although my Gaokao (The Nationwide Unified Examination for Admissions to General Universities and Colleges) scores were not ideal compared to my regular academic performance, I was assigned to my admitted major based on my one-time Gaokao exam result and studied at Shanghai Normal University, where I majored in a BA in Advertising Science (Journalism and Mass Communication Studies). There, I received academic scholarships for three consecutive years and graduated with a “Shanghai Outstanding Graduate” award in 2013. For my master’s studies, I applied to multiple prestigious UK universities and received offers from eight schools, including the University of Leeds and the University of Glasgow. Ultimately, I chose Queen Mary University of London because I preferred living in London, where I earned an MSc in Management and Organisational Innovation with Merit classification. After full-time work in a museum, I then applied to only one school, the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and was accepted. I graduated in 2019 with an MA in Fine Art with an emphasis on Drawing and Painting, including a summer term study abroad program in Florence, Italy.

From 2010 to 2011, I worked as a translator for China's Chief Representative of the New York Advertising Festival, assisting with academic research, email correspondence, and translating promotional materials. In 2012, I interned at the MBA Admissions Office of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), where I assisted with organizing MBA candidate application data, helped coordinate recruitment events, and proctored exams. In 2013, I interned at the Harvard Center Shanghai, where I assisted with professional education programs, including lecture preparation, event logistics, and post-event coordination. In 2015, after passing the highly competitive public sector institution examination and interview, I became a full-time public staff under China's public institution system (known as the "bianzhi" system, which offers stable and long-term, government-funded employment) at the public welfare institution, Shanghai Natural History Museum (a branch of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum) as a museum educator and exhibition area & volunteers management. The year I joined, I also witnessed the reopening of the Shanghai Natural History Museum in its new location, featuring amazing architecture specially designed. My work experience in the museum was diverse, ranging from detailed tasks such as basic facility checks and environmental maintenance to coordinating within exhibition spaces to ensure a seamless visitor experience to highly self-directed projects involving the application of research funds or designing my own educational "gallery talk" in scientific knwoledge with natural-themed related to the exhibition and educational projects for the public, among other responsibilities. I occasionally offered interpretive support for the Exhibits of animal and plant specimens. Also, I individually designed and successfully launched educational small "gallery talks" on the permanent collections in one of the exhibition areas I was responsible for, where I freely selected my research topic. I successfully applied for the limited opportunity to rotate in the education center, where I taught specific educational programs to students during elementary school field trip visits to the museum. I successfully applied for the highest research funds available at that time, as this was truly an experience and a lasting memory. For my non-science academic background, it was a significant challenge, accompanied by a lot of pressure. However, I was also motivated to take a step. I received encouragement from my mentor at the museum, who always encouraged me to keep learning whenever I had a good attitude and a learning heart. I began with a small idea based on my regular work observations and visitor communications, and I am very grateful for the professional help that is abundant around me. I was always pleased to have good communication in cross-departmental collaborations. My research proposal focused on the "Exploration of the studies and accuracy of scientific illustrations in the dioramas depicting Coniferous Forests in the museum's ecosystem exhibition." Also, it required a presentation to the board committee, which included members from outside the museum, despite most of my colleagues in a similar position not expecting me to apply for the highest funds. Out of all the surprises, it was a success and approved, and was seen as valuable by real professionals! What I learned from that is that everything is possible. It was another practice of mine to integrate Art and science, as it expands my way of exploring interdisciplinary approaches, and reveals more depth in art and science, weaving in aesthetics. of thinking, how beautiful nature and life are! And more, I also successfully wrote and published an article on the museum official platform "growth rings of the trees" topic with the professional scientific date academic support from my specific science mentor from the museum reserach team, which reflects my interest in the subject, as well as being related to one of the areas of the museum for which I was responsible. I was also part of the team for the Museum Visitor Experience Research Project. I participated in performing in the institutional choir, which won first place in a Municipality-level competition among science institutions. It was a very enriching work experience, full of challenges but offering many opportunities to learn and improve, to rebuild myself at a life stage and in my faith, as well as to cultivate a more curious mind to explore the true nature of life. Although I contributed and delivered some meaningful results to my workplace, I made a little difference, to some extent. Even though I became increasingly accustomed to working at the museum, I gradually adapted to the very complex atmosphere within a unique public institution system. I also had a great balance between my work and personal life. However, I still chose to trust and obey in responding to God's calling on me to "Go Painting!" Also, 2015 was very important for I was baptised in Shanghai. Then, I resigned in 2016 to pursue my passion for art and further my art studies in the United States. Overall, I was fortunate to meet and get help from great mentors and open-minded top leaders with strong work ethics in various workplaces throughout my non-art-related professional work experience. 

Since 2016, my artwork has been showcased in eight group exhibitions across Florence, Italy, as well as in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Alameda, San Leandro, and Pleasanton in the United States. In 2019, I held my first two solo exhibitions in Alameda, titled "Landscape and Memory: The Traveling Series of Landscape Paintings." That same year, I also organized and curated four community-based art and music events, including "Spark Joy" and "Parenting with Art" in Alameda, as well as the "Sailing Boat Art and Music Salon" in Oakland. From 2020 to 2022, I planned and successfully hosted approximately forty-five free online Zoom events for the community, including regular bilingual storytime music and art sessions, family music ministry, reading clubs, and art events, ensuring there was something for everyone, most of the participants were American Chinese from different cities in the US, China, and elsewhere. In 2024, I began designing original art products and gospel-themed gifts inspired by my illustrations and paintings. In 2025, I held my third solo exhibition, "A Blooming Joy: Walking Through Music, Travels, and Faith," in Alameda, which was displayed for six weeks. This exhibition featured a teaching event related to the theme I designed and taught, which was open to the local community. In addition to these public projects, I have illustrated educational books and created commissioned artwork on various themes, including landscapes, scripture, music, education, and more.

From 2017 to 2019, I have also continuously cherished the chance to enrich my teaching experience part-time, including designing and teaching bilingually in art-integrated Mandarin language learning in the local educational and language institutes of summer camps and after-school programs, being the substitute teacher in a Christian elementary school and several public and private secondary schools, and volunteering to teach art in children's museum throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in several cities such as San Mateo, Oakland, Alameda, Redwood, San Leandro. In 2020, I expanded my practice to include online, bilingual art courses for students aged five and older, primarily from the United States and China. My teaching is deeply rooted in faith, and I believe that educators should cultivate an environment that fosters learning and nurtures each student’s unique existence and expression. I design multidisciplinary courses that incorporate various mixed media, including graphite pencils, charcoal pencils, colored pencils, pastels, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, ink & pen, markers, and digital tools such as iPad Procreate and Photoshop. In addition to my teaching, I collaborate with my husband, Dr. Samuel Bai, to lead our family music and art ministry. We serve the local community in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as international Christian groups. In 2018 to 2019, I involved different creative art musical or visual art projects locally in the SF Bay Area in Catro Valley and Alameda. Additionally, since 2020, different Chinese Christian organizations or insitutes in both the US and China have invited me to collaborate on art commission, art-teaching, art lecture, illustrating the faith-based educational text books and publish my artwork with gospel message monthly on one of the largest Chinese Christian newspaper for evangelization, and more. For our own family, we have been homeschooling, roadschooling, and worldschooling our son for seven years using our personalized, faith-based approach that integrates music, art, nature, and science into our home education. Also, these years were a challenging time for our family, because my husband, who had graduated with a PhD in Biochemistry, then decided to pursue a music career. At the same time, I gave birth to my son in 2017 while I was pursuing a second master's degree in Fine Arts. We continue to explore and grow together. I am grateful for the unwavering love from my son, who continually encourages me.

After leaving my full-time job at the Natural History Museum in 2016, I came to the USA to study painting. It was a calling for me to paint. It is an important work given to me by God. My artwork—especially landscapes—is a celebration of God’s magnificent creation in nature. The process of painting and praying has become a way for me to dwell in His presence. As I create, I find myself renewed by His word and inspired by the beauty that reflects His glory. Through community-based projects and personal work, I hope to encourage appreciation for nature, inspire gratitude for life, and invite others to seek true peace and joy in God. Drawing and painting have always provided a soothing outlet for my mind and soul. Over the years, I’ve experienced God’s healing through both art and nature. I now offer these gifts in service to others. My practice spans from tiny sketchbooks to wall-sized canvases, from intuitive expression to thoughtful storytelling. Reading continues to nurture my inner world; books have always been my companions and guides. I often draw from everyday moments, travels, and quiet reflections—integrating emotion and faith into my work. Music is another essential aspect of my life, as singing is what I love and an outlet to express my voice. Ultimately, art has become more than a personal outlet—it is an offering of love, gratitude, and healing. I choose to draw and paint joyfully, recording the little moments of happiness with gratitude.