A BUDDING ARTIST gets to pursue her dream

By Francine Zhang

Jigmed Lhamo is a Seng Girl whose life is being transformed.  She is such a sweet girl with a gentle personality.  Since 2009, Jigmed has been sponsored by one of our very special child sponsorship family members in Australia (thanks Leisa).  I met with Jigmed last week and have this beautiful story to share. Thanks to a scholarship provided by the Fung (1906) Foundation, Jigmed was able to enrol in an advanced Qinghai art school studying painting (this commenced in Sept 2014).  So, she has been able to continue pursuing her passion in art. It’s so good to see her happy and feel that her heart was filled with passion and energy. There is nothing more reassuring than a girl who comes from a poor family can get the opportunity to pursue her dreams.

This is Jigmed’s story as told to me.

“My name is Jigmed Lhamo. I turned 20 years old in September of 2014.  I am at Qinghai art school to study art. Being able to go to a good school and learn drawing from professional teachers is always my desire of many years, after so long waiting, I finally came here, I am very very happy.”

“There are lots of students here, and we have three arts classes, each class has more than 30 students. Most of my classmates have studied painting for many years, their foundation is very good. I was so anxious at the beginning and worried about my poor performance would make me leaving. But when I think that I’ve waited so long for this opportunity, I can’t easily give up. I need to double my efforts so I take the initiative to ask the students questions, such as how to adjust the colour and how to deal with light.”

“Drawing major courses includes sketch, gouache, appreciation, perspective, which teach us how to see things and to seize the outline, Chinese painting. My eyes are opened and I’ve never known that drawing can be divided into so many types. I found it difficult to learn gouache, because many colours mixed together, it is difficult to distinguish what image it is. I spent more time practising gouache, effort does pay off, and now gouache became my strength subject. Each semester my teacher takes us to the close by park to practice painting, beautiful scenery brings good mood, we naturally can draw beautiful pictures. Through this past year’s study, I’ve learned how to observe objects, and then draw and colour it.”

“My goal is that after graduation I will draw Thangka painting, what I have learn now is definitely a solid foundation for my future study. Thangka painting is hung specially inside of temple, the painter who draw Thangka wins a lot of people’s respect. After this summer I go to the Grade 8, I would keep working hard and to strive to achieve excellent results when I graduate in June 2017.”

“Thank you Captivating International for your generous support. Thank you also to my sponsors. Because of your unselfish giving, my dream can become true someday in the future and my life is totally different now.”

For more information about this project or to find out how you could partner with Captivating to bring lasting change to families and their children in remote, rural locations, contact andrewc@captivating.org

(Photo – Jigmed and some of her amazing paintings)