Exquisite Arts Magazine Vol 1 - July/ August 2016 | Page 18

Meiyi Yang is a jewelry designer born and raised in Shenzhen, the biggest jewelry market in China. She
is currently a second year Metals and Jewelry Design MFA student at the Rochester Institute of
Technology. Meiyi is dedicated to pursuing her passions in life and her love for nature. She enjoys
observing all of the magnificent details that occur in life and often draws inspiration from them. Meiyi
has a deep interest in fashion and clothing design; this fascination allows her to explore the relationship
between jewelry and clothing, as they complement each other. She believes that our bodies are a
platform to express our individualities, and that jewelry and apparel are the best methods to do so.

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How Would You Describe Yourself?
I don’t think of myself as just being a designer; I am
also a dream chaser. All achievements I have made
now are derivatives generated while pursuing my
dream. If I could sum up my life in only one word,
I would say “bravery,” and being brave is a
fundamental factor for me doing almost all things.

Tell us about your artistic background.
My father is an architect who opened the door to the
art world for me. Since I was three years old, he
taught me how to draw, told me what art is and often
discussed art with me. He would hang up my
drawings, whether good or bad to help encourage
me to improve my skills. My mother however,
expected me to become a teacher or a doctor but
respects my decision for studying at an art college.
She sometimes questions my creations but never
stopped supporting me.
After graduating from the art college, I began going
to the Rochester Institute of Technology (USA) and
joined the Metals and Jewelry Design Program.
This is a very important stage for me. Each
professor of mine spared no efforts to help me and
they expected me to perform at the height of my
talent; I am very grateful for that. During the
summer vacation after my first year, I fortunately
obtained an intern position with a Manhattan
jewelry company. My employer patiently taught
me a lot of knowledge about the jewelry profession.
They have been inclusive for some mistakes of
mine, sincerely hoping that I would never stop
trying. At that time, I seriously thought about my
life and decided that I should make meaningful
contributions to society while making great
achievements.

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