Today we’d like to introduce you to Anya Zhang

Hi Anya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I have loved art ever since I could remember. I love all art forms, creating them, and living with them. My parents are not very artistic, that’s why they wanted to cultivate artistry in me. My mom would read me stories every night before I went to sleep, and they have been taking me to drawing, dancing and piano lessons. I was not able to understand the fun in some of the classes, and now I do, I should’ve taken the classes more seriously because it’s gonna be useful for my artistic career. But I don’t want my career to be limited to only one art form. I enjoy on stage performances, as much as I enjoy drawing and writing in my own time. I believe ideas need to be executed in different forms in order to achieve the optimum effect. I want to build a comprehensive artistic career, not limited to one or two identities. It’s going to be a hard path, which I can already foresee many obstacles coming on the way. But I still want to give it a shot. It’s only a beginning, but I want to leave my mark on this world.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Because of certain cultural values, I have barely received any professional training other than acting, which I took conservatory programs in different studios. I have so many things I want to learn but don’t even know where to start. For so long I felt like I’ve been delayed, looking at all the young people who are taking the classes I wanted to take, and seeing others learning the things they want to learn. I think if I realized what I wanted sooner, or if I had a stronger voice about it, maybe things would be different. But I can’t change the past, and I can only start now. And to know that solved one of the biggest challenges I’ve met. Instead of passively waiting, I now need to take control of my own life. I choose what I want to be and my actions are me. And nothing is ever too late.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I am a non-binary multilingual artist based in New York City and New Jersey. Most of my acting works are theater, and occasionally there are some on-screen works. One of the credit I am most proud of is my own production of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, which is a multilingual adaption including 9 different languages. The production premiered this January in New York City Under St. Marks theater, and we have managed to sold out for all 5 of our shows.
I have also done two collaboration art exhibits with my art therapy colleagues in Queens, and I am definitely planning on doing more art exhibitions to show off my visions and my stories.

How do you think about happiness?

Knowing the fact that the future right now is very uncertain, I think finding the sparkling moments in everyday life now is one of the greatest resources of my happiness. Right now my cat has contributed the most to my daily sparkling moments. I am not a very sociable person, and sharing my personal space with someone has always been hard for me. When I first got my cat, it took me almost 2 years to get used to having a little fluffy animal around me. A cat is very much like a roommate and a baby, and it took me a while to adjust my life style. There were difficult times, but now thinking back, I’m just grateful for my cat to be here with me. With her by my side, I can picture a future I want for her and be motivated by her presence. I have also grown so much as a person after spending time with her. I am happy that I am able to form healthy connections, and I want to keep my cat happy with everything I could do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aosakitarou/