Haocun Cao
Haocun (Sandra) Cao holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and worked in the field of HR for over seven years until November 2017, when her life took an unexpected turn. The sudden passing of her mother deeply affected her, leading her to reassess her life and career.
Several months later, Sandra saw some paintings displayed in an art studio accidentally, which ignited a spark within her. Feeling rejuvenated, she decided to learn how to paint and draw. She pursued this newfound passion by enrolling in the Fine Arts Studio program at Centennial College, where she studied from September 2022 to June 2024. In March 2024, she was accepted into OCAD University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Drawing and Painting, where she will continue her studies in the fall of 2024.
In 2023, Sandra worked as an art instructor for summer camps organized by the Tzu Chi Foundation Canada and an after-school program at an elementary school. Previously, she worked for the Provincial Government in New Brunswick and multinational companies in Shanghai, China such as Christian Dior, Sanofi Pharmaceuticals and Qiming Venture Partners, etc.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Creating art became a therapeutic outlet for me during the pandemic, and it has evolved into a profound passion over time. My inspiration springs from personal life experiences, including significant relationship changes and travels. My work primarily explores themes of change and relationships, delving into the emotional reactions from a woman’s perspective.
I am particularly captivated by how women navigate life's transformations, such as the loss of a family member, the end of an intimate relationship, and the complex interplay between self, others, nature, time, and religion. Through my art, I express my reflections and emotions on these multifaceted changes and relationships, offering a glimpse into my inner world and inviting viewers to connect with their own experiences.
Haocun (Sandra) Cao holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and worked in the field of HR for over seven years until November 2017, when her life took an unexpected turn. The sudden passing of her mother deeply affected her, leading her to reassess her life and career.
Several months later, Sandra saw some paintings displayed in an art studio accidentally, which ignited a spark within her. Feeling rejuvenated, she decided to learn how to paint and draw. She pursued this newfound passion by enrolling in the Fine Arts Studio program at Centennial College, where she studied from September 2022 to June 2024. In March 2024, she was accepted into OCAD University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Drawing and Painting, where she will continue her studies in the fall of 2024.
In 2023, Sandra worked as an art instructor for summer camps organized by the Tzu Chi Foundation Canada and an after-school program at an elementary school. Previously, she worked for the Provincial Government in New Brunswick and multinational companies in Shanghai, China such as Christian Dior, Sanofi Pharmaceuticals and Qiming Venture Partners, etc.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Creating art became a therapeutic outlet for me during the pandemic, and it has evolved into a profound passion over time. My inspiration springs from personal life experiences, including significant relationship changes and travels. My work primarily explores themes of change and relationships, delving into the emotional reactions from a woman’s perspective.
I am particularly captivated by how women navigate life's transformations, such as the loss of a family member, the end of an intimate relationship, and the complex interplay between self, others, nature, time, and religion. Through my art, I express my reflections and emotions on these multifaceted changes and relationships, offering a glimpse into my inner world and inviting viewers to connect with their own experiences.
$300.00
Acrylic and pen on canvas.
14x20"
The boy, who stands outside the frame, turned 18 in 2023. He’s looking at the scene of himself playing with his friend in their childhood. That scene is spotlighted by the red lantern, which symbolizes the Chinese New Year. Here I juxtapose the 18-year-old boy with his younger self to demonstrate the elapse of time. As a mother, I feel sentimental about the passing of time without realizing it until I put the adult son into this painting with his childhood self. We don’t feel the passing of time until we see the growth of our children. At the right corner of the painting, I put a poem- "Despite being away half of your lifetime, wish you still have a young heart when you return." by a well-known poet of the Song Dynasty， Su Shi, as an expression of a mother's wish, hoping he will stay young at heart when he reaches middle age.
$300.00
Acrylic on canvas.
18x24"
The village of Oia, perched on the picturesque cliffs of Santorini, Greece, has long been well-known for its mesmerizing sunsets. While people were captured by the stunning yet fleeting moment of sunset, I was fascinated by the couple who were watching the sunset..
$300.00
Acrylic on canvas.
16x20"
In a small Italian town, I was doing pottery in a classroom when someone opened the windows beside me. Suddenly, I saw a beautiful scenery in front of me, taking all the weariness away. Life is also like this, when we're sinking in a dreary world, we don't know that God is going to open a window for us and show us the beauty of life. Always appreciate the beauty around us, even if it's minuscule.
$500.00
Oil on canvas.
20x16"
l looked back as l walked along the beach, just as I'd been looking back all these years and feeling lost about what I had left behind in my home country. l was living in the past. I painted this to remind myself not to dwell in the past, not to fear the future，but to live in the present.
$500.00
Acrylic on canvas.
16x20"
For women, it is of utmost importance to accept and love ourselves. In our Chinese culture, women are very conscious about their appearance and sometimes care too much so that they can't find their true selves. I painted my true self, no makeup, no cover-ups. This is a completely different version of myself than the ones others see. What I wanted to express here is that we all need to accept and love ourselves starting from now, don't wait until we achieve other's perfection. Accept the imperfect selves. Please ourselves, not others.
$400.00
Acrylic on canvas.
16x20"
I was deeply touched by the lyrics of this song called ‘There are so many people in the world’, which inspired me to create this art work to capture the emotion and wonder it evoked in me. Considering the world’s population of 7.888 billion people, it’s astonishing to reflect on the chances of meeing anyone in my life.
$280.00
Acrylic on canvas.
14x11"
The man in the rear mirror symbolizes the romantic relationship in the past. The view from the front symbolizes now and the future. We can look at the rear mirror every once in a while for reference when we are driving, but we have to stay focused on what is in front of us, not behind us. Life is like driving, we can’t dwell on the past, no matter how beautiful it was. Like Oscar Wilde said, “What past is past”. The hand with a ring on the middle finger putting on the steering wheel symbolizes the woman who has freedom and control of her life. To the women who still live in the past: You have choice and power, and you can control your direction, no matter how much you are obsessed with the past, please move on, there’s a brighter future waiting for you.
$300.00
Acrylic on canvas.
16x12"
During the Pandemic, we felt disconnected from others. When I saw the two bikes in the Don Valley Brick Works Park, I felt reconnected with people, even though I didn't see them in the picture. It was like I could hear the bikes' talk, just like the girls' talk. I wondered what they were talking about, maybe some secrets about their owners.
$500.00
Acrylic on canvas.
18x24"
This scene has been deleted from the database of memories. Sometimes, we have some memories lingering in our minds. We wanted to move on, but we couldn't let it go. Painting this scene is the outlet to release the complicated and obsessive emotions towards the past. I used the image transfer technique to illustrate the scene at the upper left of this painting.
$500.00
Acrylic on canvas.
24x18"
From fear of being alone to enjoying being alone is a long journey for the artist. Self-acceptance and self-affirmation make our souls peaceful. We no longer need validation from others or give power to anyone else to decide our happiness. This is the artist's current state of mind, and she wants to express it in this painting.