For most middle schoolers, a sketchbook is a private thing. It’s filled with doodles, half-finished ideas, and maybe a few pages torn out before anyone can see. For Olivia Zhang, it’s become the blueprint for some of the most popular items in her school store.
The seventh grader at Beijing Royal Experimental School has spent more than eight years on the same campus, moving from kindergarten through elementary and into middle school. Along the way, she’s quietly developed an artistic voice that’s anything but ordinary.
“I’m dedicated to exploring the collision and integration between the flowing expressiveness of traditional Chinese patterns and the structural depth of Western oil painting,” she explains. It’s a sentence that sounds like it could come from a university thesis, but for Olivia, it’s simply how she sees the world.
Her recent cardholder design puts that philosophy on full display. Chinese lattice windows and a statue of Confucius set against a Van Gogh-inspired oil painting background. It’s bold. It shouldn’t quite work. And yet it does.
Olivia’s influences come from two very different places. On her shelf sits “Examples of Chinese Ornament,” a pattern book whose flowing lines remind her of dragons and blue-and-white porcelain. But it was a trip to the UK that opened her eyes to Western art. Visits to the Scottish National Gallery, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Wallace Collection left her mesmerized by bright colors and expressive brushstrokes.
“Seeing both styles made me wonder how I could combine Eastern and Western art in one piece and bring the best of both together,” she says.
Her middle school principal, Ms. Ming Ying, sees something deeper in this approach. “This student holds a profound sense of belonging and sincere affection for our school,” she shares. “She naturally integrates iconic cultural symbols of our campus, such as the statue of Confucius, into her artistic creations, and infuses her works with her heartfelt emotions towards the school. Her creative philosophy of integrating Chinese and Western cultures aligns perfectly with our school motto, fully embodying the outstanding qualities of students nurtured under our educational philosophy.”
For Olivia, certain images recur repeatedly. Lattice windows, which she calls an art of “framing scenery,” transform natural light into poetic patterns. Different patterns carry different meanings: “Bubu Jin” and “Hui Wen” convey wishes for academic success, while “Binglie Wen” and “Haitang Wen” symbolize resilience and the pursuit of beauty.
And then there’s Confucius. His statue has stood on campus throughout Olivia’s eight years, and in her paintings, he represents something deeper.
“When Western colors burst vividly across the canvas, the calm and dignified presence of Confucius always brings the composition back to serenity and harmony,” she explains. “He is the anchor of my artistic creation, reminding me: no matter how far I venture, I must never forget my cultural roots.”
Last June, Olivia had her first joint exhibition with a friend named Amy. “It was such an exciting experience because I got to show my artwork to other people and hear what they thought and felt about it,” she recalls. “Seeing people enjoy my work made me feel proud and confident.”
That confidence soon translated into something bigger. Olivia and her friends had been sketching campus life and dreaming of turning their designs into real products that could share the beauty of their school with others. When teachers noticed their passion, they helped make it happen, establishing a cultural creative merchandise team.
The result? A collection of stationery that’s become the talk of the school store. Satellite dish sticky notes, Confucius statue file folders, and Year of the Horse limited edition card holders—all incorporating elements from the campus library’s lattice windows, the school gate, and those familiar symbols Olivia has spent years exploring.
Principal Ming Ying sees this as something more than just a successful school project. “Grateful and thoughtful, she has applied what she has learned to practice, vividly expressing her love for our school through the design and creation of cultural and creative products,” she says. “She is truly an exemplary student worthy of recognition and praise.”
When asked about what makes BRS special, Olivia doesn’t hesitate. “During my more than eight years at Royal School, what I have felt most deeply is warmth and support and the care from teachers and the school.”
It’s a reminder that behind every student’s achievement, there’s a community making space for creativity to flourish. For Olivia, that space has meant the freedom to blend ancient symbols with modern design, Eastern tradition with Western technique, and classroom sketches with products her classmates actually want to buy.
“At this moment, our efforts have finally been rewarded,” she says simply.
Images: Beijing Royal School
