Personal Statement for applying MFA Degree

When art meets application, what will happen?  10 years ago, to pursue my dream of being an artistic designer, I started my creative life in Shanghai Institute of Technology, the most professional and reputable college in the field of visual design, majoring in Graphic Design.

Computing and its desktop applications such as Photoshop 2.5 and Pagemaker 5 have always fascinated me and for this reason I attended relevant training courses in 1998.  Also I learned the principles and processes of basic typography, typesetting, style, balance, composition, kerning, and all those other concepts that come with design for the print fields.  Meanwhile, 3 months' internship at an art studio had introduced me to the creative world of advertising before I graduated.  Also it was the first time for me to learn how to use MAC and WACOM tools, the most advanced facilities for professional designer at that time.

With the booming of network between 1999 and 2000 in China, I indulged in exploring the internet world and became a typical Internet Farmer.  Thus, my interest in IT-related design careers lasted for more than six years. Later on, my thirst to delve deeper into the arena of the website was slaked by hours of painstaking self-study.  I bought training books on Macromedia series, I began to study HTML, and even stayed up night building the first personal website.

After graduation, I joined a software company, where I worked with several Flash masters and 2D animators, designed the user interface of Flash games, enjoyed "interactive" pleasure every second in powerful Flash.  I decided to make a major shift to multimedia design as an occupation, then I accepted the invitation from CTO of Allyes AdNetwork, a leading provider of online advertising technology and services in China.  As a creative designer, I began to join brainstorming meetings with different clients.  While there, I learned the definition of both internal and external communication, made proposals and schemes for clients.  At the same time, however, I continued to study and expand my self-initiated design training.

In my spare time, I began to learn movie program such as the Premiere and AfterEffects, edited sound effect in Sound Forge, made Flash-based multimedia CDs, and I completely applied all the digital technique to my personal weblog – Joytoday.  My former company is the world's largest online language school – Englishtown.com.  For one of the E-learning video programs in school content , I were so happy to be invited by the production team as a temporary actress. The short experience of "actress" took my first steps in New Media technology, the digital formats for disc-based media and the Flash FLV movies for website.

Currently as a freelance interactive designer, I have been involved in various projects for local or foreign clients.  In order to push myself into a higher level of design pursuit and better prepared for my future career in my most interested area of multimedia design, I'm applying for the MFA degree in Open Media, which is offered by the Department of Studio Arts in Concordia University.

With your university, I aim to formalize my studies in media arts, new technologies and interdisciplinary practices. Your program offers just the right balance of traditional training disciplines and new forms of artistic expression which will help me to explore the fantastic digital media by using innovative technologies.

First and foremost, I expect a challenging and significant experience in Montreal – the world Multimedia Capital, an emerging hot-spot in the high-tech digital media and the film production center in Canada.  This is the fundamental reason for me to continue my higher education in Montreal. Without new input, there will be no sources for uniqueness and creativity.  Absorbing different design concepts in a foreign country full of rich and profound history of arts is my dream.  And Montreal is just the right destination for me.

On the other hand, with the rapid development of multimedia industry in China these years, the artistic concept and presenting skills I acquired in this field are somewhat inferior and need to be advanced.  So I feel a strong motivation to further my study abroad.  I believe the understanding of another culture and different styles of design will benefit my future design career greatly.  Owning to my six years relevant work experience, I have not only formed a consolidated foundation in the fields of design and arts, but also gained the specific skills in multicultural communication.  I regard this international exposure and graduate study as an essential factor to my growth and shaping of my own style.  I can foresee the hardships and challenges in the future study in a foreign country.  But I am fully confident of my ability of adapting myself to a new environment and my capability of accomplishing my academic pursuits in your university successfully and making a considerable contribution on bringing the culture and design concepts of modern China to your university at the same time.

My career dream is to be an Art Director with unique style.  Now, I strongly wish to meet this incoming challenging and exciting experience for realizing my dream.  Your favorable consideration upon my application will be greatly appreciated!