Meet Shuoran Zhou | Metalsmith, jewelry artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shuoran Zhou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shuoran, what role has risk played in your life or career?
One’s willingness and courage to take risks are always admirable, in my opinion. I applaud to those who take risks in their life and career, and so is how I navigate my own. I like accepting challenge, which also is my coping mechanism when facing uncertainty and unexpected changes in life. I do think by taking risks, whether succeeding or failing at the end, it is a painstaking but rewarding way of learning, growing, and breaking through one’s limits and comfort zone. I have been taking risks in every step of my life so far. I studies piano for ten years, and after getting a certificate, I started studying art (painting in particular). Seven years later, I decided to study abroad in the US and shifted my artistic focus from painting to metalsmithing. By pushing myself out of my comfort zones over and over, I learned such a broad variety of knowledge along the way and am becoming more and more clear about what I truly hold passion for, and what kind of a person I want to be.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I studied painting for seven years before grad school. Even though I was doing well in painting, it didn’t feel like my calling because I didn’t feel creative at all. For me, painting has too much freedom and no limits. When there is no absolute write and wrong, this kind of freedom became my biggest limits. Therefore, I shifted my focus to a more material and craft based practice–metalsmithing. I so much enjoy working with all kinds of materials and solving mechanical problems–working with restrictions makes me so much more creative. This also applies when the pandemic hit. We lost our studio access and I could not practice metalsmithing properly during quarentine. I started exploring materials that are more practical to a domestic setting and so is what led me to creat so many projects of beadwork. I appreciate the adaptability I have that allows me to cope with very restrictive conditions and be adventurous in my art practice. This problem-solving mindset I developed along the way has given me a more positive and fearless attitude toward life, especially in a world that changes so rapidly nowadays.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Luckily for me, this just happened two weeks ago. My best friend came to visit me and we had a great week in NYC. We went to the MET, Guggenheim, Central Park, walked on the Brooklyn Bridge, but my favorite sites have always been the High Line Park and Chelsea Market. We had good food as well, great pasta at Piccola Cucina, and Sweet Rehab which has the best desserts ever.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Many people have provided me with immense help and support, which remain profound in my life and career. If I can only name one, that would be my dad. He has always provided me unconditional love and support, emotionally and financially, and had given me the freedom to make my own decisions. The aspect of his parenting that I appreciate the most is not forcing me into what’s ideal in his own vision. Instead, he always supports me even when I made a choice that’s the opposite of what he would prefer, as he believes taking consequences for one’s own choice is a great part of learning and growing. This has allowed me to learn how to know myself better and better along the way, and has fostered my assertiveness and decisiveness when it comes to major life choices. He played a huge part in making me who I am today.

Instagram: @shuoranzhou