 completed and open to traffic in 2020.
On May 27, a trial train ran from Hefei South Railway Station, along the Hefei to Huzhou section of the Shanghe-Heifei-Hangzhou high-speed railway, through Wuhu to Huzhou. The joint test of this line has thus been successfully completed, and now it hasbeen transferred to the operation test stage,which means the operating time of the whole line is getting closer and closer.
It is understood that the Shanghe-Heifei-Hangzhou high-speed railway is a high-grade railway included in the national mid- and long-term railway network planning. Stretching 795 kilo meters, the line starts from Shangqiu station of the Xulan high-speed railway and ends at Hangzhou East Station of the Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway. Due to the density of cities and the large population along the route, this expressway has become the most important traffic artery connecting the Central Plains, The Yangtse River and the Yangtze River Delta, and is known as the "Second Passage in East China".
The southern section of the Shanghe-Heifei-Hangzhou high-speed railway will undergo a one-month trial operation to ensure it will be ready for operation by the end of June. The completion of the high-speed railway will be greatlysignificantin diverting passenger and cargo transportation, driving the evolution of tourism resources, and helping the region achieve higher quality integrated development.
In the same region, the Keqiao to Shaoxing section of the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expresswayhas also been undergoing an upgrade, integrating intelligent applications. Tests of the new smart systems which can recommend the best route to drivers, actively discover and report road accidents, and optimize and improve road security facilities have been basically completed.
“In the test section, average road speed increased by 8%, traffic capacity increased by 20% and road congestion time decreased by 10%,”the person in charge from the Zhejiang ExpresswayCompany said.The next step is to expand the experience of smart construction to the whole Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway in 2020 on the basis of pilot projects, so as to better serve the flow of people and logistics in the Yangtze River Delta.Gavin: Hey Kate, first thing, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Kate: I was born in 1981, making me 33 years old. I grew up in a really small town, which I feel greatly contributed to my wild imagination and sense of adventure. I love cozy beds, soft blankets, tea, VW square backs, film, sewing, photography, colorful sneaker, and art of course.
Gavin: What first got you interested in art and what were some items that inspired you early on?
Kate: The first time I realized that drawing was awesome was around the age of 6. My family had a Japanese exchange student living with us, and she taught me how to draw Snoopy. I fell in love with the process and would spend hours drawing and redrawing Snoopy which later turned into numerous hours of drawing the characters from the Sunday funnies.
Gavin: What specifically drew you toward illustration and your medium?
Kate: I'm one of those people that has to try a little of everything. So, I spent my childhood, junior high, and high school years drawing a lot. In my early college days I didn't draw much, I got more into restoring vintage bicycle, sewing, and street art. Around 2009 I was taking some film classes at the University of Utah for my major and signed up for a traditional animation class. There was a ton of drawing involved and it got me back into drawing all the time. It's been non stop for me ever since then.
Gavin: What was it like for you prior to college honing your skills and figuring out your style?
Kate: As I mentioned I have gone through a lot of different stages to get where I am now. I started with Snoopy and the funnies, then I moved on to an obsession with drawing men with mullets in cowboy boots. After that I had a series of characters I drew throughout high school, I got really into screen printing in college and stencil and graffiti art, I have pretty much spent the last five years changing my style and trying to find something I feel comfortable with. I feel like over the years my style has reflected whats going on in my life, and that is really true of my current style.
Gavin: You received your Bachelors from the College Of Fine Arts at the University Of Utah. What made you choose their program and what was your time like there?
Kate: I chose the University of Utah because I was living in Provo and wanted to get to the big city. Ha. I originally started at the U majoring in graphic design. I took a film class on a whim and fell in love with Final Cut Pro and the whole story telling/editing process. My time there was pretty great, mostly because it reignited my passion for drawing and design.

Kate: During my college years I didn't really have a set style, I still think my style is evolving. I think I'm mostly drawn to the color palette of mid century art more than anything.
Gavin: How was it for you breaking into the local art scene and getting your works added to exhibitions?
Kate: Aw, man that's a tough question. I feel like it's really random. It seems pretty difficult to get your work displayed in shows. There's a lot of talent in Salt Lake City and if you know lots of people your chances are a lot more likely. It seems like if I'm looking for a show I can't find one, and if I'm not looking it finds me. Also, I take every opportunity I can get to hang my art. Even if it seems like nothing will come of it and it's a silly place to be showing my stuff. I want to reach all ages and types of people. For instance, I have a bunch of pieces going up tomorrow at the University of Utah in research park.
Gavin: What made you venture more into being a professional artist as a second-gig rather than go completely freelance?
Kate: That would be really dreamy to be a professional artist as my full-time gig. I actually work an 8-5 job Monday-Friday. I make art at night and on the weekend. I definitely put in a lot of hours between the two and just making art would be rad! That's what I'm working towards and if you were to ask me where I see myself in 5 years, I'd say professional artist, full-time gig!
Gavin: How do you go about creating a new piece, from the concept to the final product?
Kate: Lots of my ideas come on at the most random times. Most days I have pockets full of sketches, ideas and notes. If I don't have access to a paper and pen, I text message myself when an idea strikes, so I don't forget it. Once I have an idea I think I want to run with, I sketch it out and scan it into my computer. I use Illustrator and Photoshop to digitally color it. The digital process is fun but, I'm ready to switch back to a canvas and acrylics for a bit.
Gavin: Do you change a lot of things as you work on them or do you stay with the original idea?
Kate: I do make a lot of changes. Sometimes I finish things and something doesn't look right to me. In that case I will either try to fix it or move on to a new idea. I don't usually stay hung up on things that aren't going as planned, I feel like I have too many idea in my brain to waste my time on something that maybe didn't pan out how I envisioned it to.
Gavin: A lot of your work focuses on individuals or groups of people. What inspired this direction in your artwork?
Kate: Yeah, it's kind of funny because I'm not the most social person but, people fascinate me. I love people watching and I love seeing what people wear, listen to, and talk about. Most of my characters are based on people I know or saw in public. I have gotten a lot of inspiration from public transportation, coffee shops, old folks homes, and grocery stores. Whether it's a quirky clothing combination someone is wearing, a haircut or a hook nose, I like to bring those people into my art. The best part is they have no idea they're my inspiration, and chances are I will never see them again. Who knows someone reading this may be a part of one of my pieces.
Gavin: How has it been for you branching out beyond an online presence and selling your works at festivals and fairs?
Kate: It's fun to sell art in person. The thing I really enjoy the most is watching what types of people are drawn to the different pieces and why. Something I love to play with in my art is nostalgia, so I love when people tell me why they are drawn to a certain piece. When you sell online there is no story behind why a particular piece stood out to the buyer. It's funny too because often times people think the character looks like them or their sister, uncle, cousin, dog or whatever. I did have a guy recently walk up to me at a fair and tell me all my characters look just like me, I guess he could be right.
Gavin: Aside from prints and originals, do you offer your art on other items or are you mainly sticking with those formats for now?
Kate: I have sold my art on all sorts of things. I print a calendar every year, and