As a landscape architecture major, University senior Jennifer Surdyk spends a lot of time in Lawrence Hall. One day last year, Surdyk happened to see a flier tacked to the wall, which eventually resulted in her camping atop the Great Wall of China and having her artwork exhibited in a Chinese gallery.
This past summer Surdyk was one of 12 University students who participated in the inaugural Art & China, a three-week summer program where students traveled to China and worked on art projects with students at the Shandong University of Art & Design.
“Working with the Chinese students was really fun, but really challenging,” Surdyk said. “It was really fun to get their perspectives on China and also their perspectives on America.”

The trip was put together by Ying Tan, an associate professor in the University’s Department of Art. A former student of Tan’s is the president of SUAD.
“She’s the one who really spearheaded the organization of this trip,” said second-year graduate student Edwin Way, a political science major. “She did so much; it’s hard to imagine anyone else doing as good a job.”
Having previously lived in China for two years, Way went on the trip as a program assistant. Fluent in Mandarin, he also served as a translator, helping participants with everyday tasks such as locating Internet cafés and doing laundry.
“There’s so much to see,” Way said. “The country changes so incredibly fast and every time I go back, it’s so amazing to see how it’s changed since the last time.”
From Oregon, Art & China participants traveled to Shanghai, the sixth-largest city on earth, where they learned about Chinese architecture. From there, they went to SUAD, located in Shandong province’s capital city, Jinan.
“Shandong is the birthplace of Confucius and the birthplace of (“The Art of War” author) Sun Tzu, so it’s a really traditional part of China,” Way said. “The heartland of ancient China.”
At SUAD, the University students collaborated with the Chinese students on art projects in a variety of mediums.
“There were no requirements at all; it was just up to what the students wanted to do,” said Surdyk, who dabbled in digital arts, sketching and watercolors.
“And at the end of that, we got to exhibit all our work at the gallery on campus,” she added. “I got to translate (my background in landscape architecture) into artwork, which was the fun part for me.”
Much of the art created in the eight-credit course came back to the University, where it’s hanging in Lawrence Hall’s LaVerne Krause Gallery through today.
Before returning to the United States, the participants went to Beijing, where they camped under the stars atop the Great Wall of China, a highlight for both Surdyk and Way.
In September, the Department of Art will sponsor Art & China 2008. Way will once again serve as program director, and he’s excited to see everyone he met last summer. Surdyk, too, is excited for other students to see everyone she met last summer.
“It was excellent,” she said. “I’m really glad they’ll be doing this trip again.”
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