The Versatile Master Artist-Chapter 57 - 49: I Won’t Wait for You

"I want to exchange some money. Yangon has regulations on gold exchange, and it’s not very convenient for minors."

Gu Weijing poured the gold coins from the small box onto the bed, counted them, and there were probably twenty or thirty.

"What do you need so much money for? To buy a gaming console, Xbox? PS5?"

Mona glanced at the gold coins on the bed. She thought a teenage boy like Gu Weijing was probably going to do such things with the money.

She stretched playfully, a strand of auburn hair poked out from her robe, her beautiful body curves faintly visible.

Mona pointed at the wall-mounted TV in the bedroom: "You could come to my house to play; we could play Just Dance together."

"I’ve actually been wanting to visit the orphanage lately."

"Orphanage?"

Mona gave Gu Weijing a sidelong glance.

Private schools have a culture that’s quite refined and self-centered; elite culture is the popular trend.

Especially since Miss Mona lives in a traditional Indian-style extended family, and in old society, they were termed as wealthy landlords, growing up cared for by servants of lower caste.

She might shed tears when seeing injured plants and small animals, but she didn’t have much compassion for the lower social classes.

That’s why she didn’t believe anyone her age would want to visit an orphanage and assumed Gu Weijing was just making it up.

Hmph, if you don’t want to say, then forget it, she thought.

"By the way... Have you started preparing your art portfolio? The school has an admission fair in May, and I’ve heard Erasmus University Rotterdam has a partnership with our high school, making it relatively easier to apply; how about joining?"

After a few seconds of silence, Mona changed the topic.

She looked at Gu Weijing expectantly, hinting.

There are a few ways to apply to art schools abroad.

The first way is to find the admission channel on the university’s website, applying for admission forms, mailing recommendation letters, some schools require academic exam scores, some only require language skills.

Then it all depends on fate, to see if the professors on the other side take a liking to you.

Everything is done by yourself, also known as DIY study abroad.

The second way is to find a corresponding study abroad agency, with fees ranging from one thousand dollars to several tens of thousands of dollars. They would guide your portfolio, handle application mailing processes, some who are extraordinarily capable can even get recommendation letters for you.

Unlike ordinary study abroad, in art departments, the recommendation letter from a renowned professor is very important.

It’s a heavy endorsement of your art style by a distinguished professor; as long as your portfolio isn’t too bad, it can almost open the doors to many top-notch art academies worldwide.

If a study abroad agency can get someone like Yakai Ichiro or Professor Lin Tao to write a recommendation letter, a letter with a few hundred words can start at tens of thousands of dollars.

But then again, when compared, it’s at least cheaper than donating a building.

At the private school Gu Weijing attends, there’s also a third and simplest way; since it’s an international art high school, naturally it has partnered international institutions.

In mid-May, the school will host an admission fair.

International art institutions that cooperate with this high school will send teachers and professors to attend the fair and conduct live interviews with the students.

If your portfolio is impressive enough and the teacher’s ratings are high, then you can directly get an offer.

Erasmus University Rotterdam is one of their school’s partners.

This university is a long-established prestigious school in Europe, ranked around 130 in the QS World University Rankings, sometimes surging into the top 100.

However, the school isn’t renowned for its art academy, only ranking around 200 in art

Compared to Dongxia, it’s the unpopular major in a tier 985 university.

It’s also Mona’s fallback application target.

She knew Gu Weijing’s painting skills are better than hers, even without hiring a private tutor for guidance, applying to a top 100 art academy should generally pose no major issue.

For his skills, Erasmus University Rotterdam is a bit of a waste.

But due to her little thoughts, she still hoped he would apply to the same university as her.

"My focus might not be on preparing the portfolio lately?"

"Then how about your portfolio?"

"I plan to paint a large piece, if time permits, I’ll put this painting in the portfolio."

"Just one piece?"

"Just one piece."

Gu Weijing originally planned to complete his portfolio in the first half of the year.

But now it seems the plan needs adjustment.

With only half a year until the art exhibition, plus the exhibition works must be determined in advance.

Painting a large piece is time-consuming.

He must focus his efforts on gaining experience points, preparing for the Lion City Art Biennale, finding it hard to spare time preparing a specialized portfolio.

No big deal, at that time, he could just put the photos of his prepared exhibition pieces into the portfolio.

Although many classmates have portfolios with hundreds of pieces, if it’s sufficiently impactful, one piece can also move the professors.

The market price can also show. Student oil paintings are basically worthless, while winning pieces at the Lion City Art Exhibition need at least several tens of thousands and even several hundred thousand US dollars to purchase, if it’s the best selected by the curator, it might even reach one million dollars.

If he can’t paint an oil painting that equals a hundred ordinary student works, then there’s no need for him to participate in any art exhibition.

"What’s wrong with you? One moment you say you want to exchange money with me to go to some orphanage, the next you tell me your focus isn’t on your portfolio, and now you say your portfolio will only have one piece."

Mona’s lips pursed together.

She turned sideways, the playful little smile on her face disappearing, and looked at Gu Weijing, the disappointment in her eyes was almost palpable.

"Gu Weijing, from the day I met you, you said you wanted to be a good artist. Now you’re about to go to college, yet you’re telling me your focus isn’t on preparing your portfolio."

Miss Mona’s fingers twisted together, the gold bracelet on her wrist making a jingling sound.

"I always thought you were a serious, practical person with clear goals. You have all the time in the world to paint big paintings, but right now, college is the most crucial."

Gu Weijing hesitated for a moment.

Miss Mona is someone he secretly likes in his heart, she’s his best friend since childhood.

Although Elder Cao’s bet is inconvenient to mention, he doesn’t mind giving his good friend a hint of his future plans.

"Trust me, I have confidence in my skills, and getting into a good university isn’t a problem for me. I should be able to go to the Central Academy of Fine Arts, at least."

"The Central Academy of Fine Arts, you’re talking about the Dongxia Art Academy that’s ranked among the top thirty in the world. Do you think getting into the Central Academy of Fine Arts is easy?"

Mona stared at Gu Weijing.

As the top-ranked art academy in Dongxia, known as one of the most prestigious in Asia and the world, she certainly knew what the Central Academy of Fine Arts was.

The admissions there are very strict.

In Mona’s impression, Gu Weijing’s level, even going all out, at most is only on the level of schools like the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

And it’s not even certain if he can actually get in.

Now he’s casually saying he can definitely get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts; Miss Mona entirely does not believe it.

"Trying to get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts with one big painting, who do you think you are? Monet or Titian, or some once-in-a-century genius in the painting circle? Be practical, Gu Weijing, or you’re really going to disappoint me."

There are often people like this in the art class, their ambitions higher than the sky, their fate thinner than paper.

They feel they’re very capable, not needing serious preparation. A couple of strokes and a professor would notice them, or they create odd, unconventional works, standing out, and few of these people have good endings.

We’re all students, how much difference can there be in painting skills?

Other people’s portfolios are thick stacks, yours is a thin sheet, impression points are deducted first. Unless the professor evaluating your work really appreciates it, your application is destined for the trash bin.

"My grandfather introduced me to a professor from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and he really likes me."

Seeing Miss Mona’s face slightly angry, Gu Weijing carefully added.

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Did the Central Academy of Fine Arts send you an offer, or specifically tell you when to fly there for a private admissions interview? Has the admissions office called you?"

Mona persisted in her questioning.

Gu Weijing shook his head, his relationship with Professor Lin Tao now in a Schrödinger state.

Mona didn’t let her concerns go.

Art academies do indeed have early admissions situations.

For instance, old-line art academies ranked in the world’s top five like the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts, Repin Academy of Fine Arts, and Royal Academy of Arts.

These schools have their own admission camps, international cooperation projects, and independent special admission interviews, attracting young painters globally.

If you perform exceptionally well in these programs and get noticed by a professor, you might receive an early admission notice.

Or, you win an award in international youth art competitions.

Such as the United States’ Children’s Competition Apocalypse Art Prize, London’s Youth Exhibition Saatchi Gallery / Deutsche Bank Art Prize for Schools, or Japan’s Tokyo Metropolitan Museum Children’s Art Competition being internationally recognized art competitions and youth exhibitions.

You might also receive an early call or offer from the school’s admissions office.

Overall, early admissions usually mean either having very solid achievements or having very solid connections.

Miss Mona knows Yangon certainly cannot compare to international metropolises.

There’s no substantial art competition locally that the Central Academy of Fine Arts’ admissions office would recognize, so the former is impossible.

As for connections—Miss Mona knows Gu Weijing very well.

Gu Tongxiang is indeed a kind elder, but their family’s conditions are not even as good as her own.

If it’s a local university in Myanmar, using some connections through back channels, she might reluctantly believe it. But a world-renowned institution like the Central Academy of Fine Arts, at most having a drink or two with visiting young professors.

Beyond that,

Do you qualify?

It’s unlikely a couple of polite words over drinks was taken seriously by Gu Weijing.

Such things without any written guarantee, it might just be casually mentioned, yet he could think it’s a guarantee to get into a world-class art academy.

Mona sees he somewhat lacks concern.

"Gu Weijing, I’ll remind you just once, it’s you who is responsible for your life. If you don’t get into a good art academy, I won’t wait for you."

She said with a cold face.