Artist Shi Beiming stands beside one of his paintings.[Photo by He Keyao/chinadaily.com.cn]

"The creation of one painting is a process of exploration. I don't know what the final piece will be like until I finish it," said Shi Beiming, a Chinese migrant artist who lives in Canada.

Shi, born in 1964 in the northeast of China, studied traditional Chinese painting for 10 years before going to America for further education. His Chinese paintings received high compliments from art circles before going abroad.

However, New York City brought him a strong cultural and artistic shock during his studies there. The consistent pursuit of ideals and art made him rethink and recreate his works.