Han Tianheng picked up a carving knife at the age of 6 and never put it down. Today, the 79 year-old artist, one of China’s most respected living masters of seal carving(印章雕刻), calligraphy and Chinese painting, still remembers the incident the first time he held a knife in his hand.

“I cut my thumb badly and was scared by the bloody sight,” he said, adding that his mother applied ashes because she couldn’t afford to take him to a hospital. “The cut left a scar, which is still clear today.”

An eye for an eye and blood for blood, the incident didn’t set him back. Instead, it aroused his passion for the ancient art form. He was determined to pursue a path that would lead to a career in seal carving. Han said.

The journey of art exploration was a little bumpy for the young man in his pursue for excellence, and his seal works were seriously criticized by a famous old painter.

Most would have crumbled under the criticism, not Han. It made him even more determined. After six months’ hard work, he visited the painter again.

“This time, he asked me to carve a seal for him. This was positive affirmation,” Han said. “Praise is candy and criticism is medicine. We can live without candy, but cannot live without medicine when ill.”

Han rose to fame during the early 1960s famous for bird and insect seal art. Han’s seals are an essential ending part on the paintings of a long list of well-known artists.

“A seal for a good painting is like the buttons for an haute couture(高档女子时装). An experienced tailor always knows how to choose buttons that matches the whole style. What’s more, a good seal carver should keep his own style, and at the same time go well with the painting’s style.” he said.

From the moment someone is born, they are influenced by their surroundings. Perhaps the most substantial of these influences are the people they come into contact with:teachers, friends, co-workers and most importantly, family. My mother drew me to the medical field and my love and fascination of childbirth has led me to focus on becoming a labor and delivery nurse.

When I was four, my mom became a licensed practical nurse. I remember attending her graduation and knew that she gave people medicine and helped them. My mom inspired my father to also become a nurse, and shortly after her graduation he started his studies. I could never imagine at that age that I would follow in their footsteps in my adult years.

After my dad graduated, both of my parents worked in a children’s nursing home in Wabash. They worked doubles every weekend so my brother and I would usually stay with our grandparents. Sometimes my mom would let me stay home and ride to work with her. I would go in for shift change and ride back home with my dad. It was during this time that I met and helped many of the patients. My parents taught me what the different machines and devices were used for.

After several years, both of my parents switched from working in a facility to home health care. This meant they would go to a client’s house to care for them. Often times the kids would come to our house and stay for the weekend. This allowed me to observe and sometimes help with the everyday medical needs of the kids. In doing this, I learned a lot about life and the struggles these families faced in caring for a special needs child. Being enveloped in the treatment and care of the patients gave me the knowledge needed in the care of my own children when they became born.