Story Behind the Art: "New Sky" (2013)

 

"New Sky" is a painting I created in 2013, using acrylic on canvas, with the penguins illustrated on watercolor paper and glued onto the painted surface. To date, it's perhaps my most popular artwork. But few people know the story behind it, and what I've learned from this creative process. So here's a short blog post sharing this story.

In the middle of 2013, I was a member of an art group called Heartspace, founded and led by art therapist Joanna Tan. The group met almost every Saturday from 9am to 1pm to create art, share about our artwork and reflect upon the stuff behind it. The sessions were held in an art studio at a Catholic church, but it was open to all, and some of the regulars themselves were not Catholic. I loved the inclusiveness of this group, and that it brought people together through their love for creative expression and spiritual exploration. However, because I'm so not a morning person, the times I did show up were very few and far between.

One day however, I made an effort to get up early, gather my art materials (materials are provided at the studio but I like using my own stuff since I'm used to them), and took the 15-minute bus ride to the church. (Now that I think about it, it really wasn't much of a hassle for me to be there, which goes to show how lazy I am!) When I attend such sessions, I tend to approach the process with a blank slate mentality and allow things to just unfold according to some greater higher cosmic creative power. After a brief welcome and introduction by Joanna, we had 2 hours to create, then the last 45 minutes would be when we gathered to share about our creation.

I had no images in mind, so I browsed the photos in my iPad. I tend to collect photos that inspire me whenever I come across them, like through Facebook, Instagram, sometimes during my Google searches for reference images. That morning, it was this photo of a beautiful sunset that got my attention, and I honestly don't remember where I got it from so I'm not able to credit it to the photographer at this time. (If this photo belongs to you, let me know so I can link it back to you!)

Such a beautiful picture right?!

To me it's of a sunrise, the creation of a new sky, a clean slate, a brand new day, a fresh beginning. It evokes in me feelings of freedom, joy, and adventure, that anything is possible. I really wanted to recreate this, and as a self-taught artist who hadn't taken lessons on painting, I knew it was going to be a challenge. But nevertheless, since this sunrise makes me feel like anything is possible, here was my opportunity to attempt something outside of my artistic capabilities and comfort zone.

It took... a long while.. I did what I could in the 2 hours at Heartspace, but after that at home, I worked on this for perhaps a total of 10-15 hours over a few days. It was really outside of my comfort zone and abilities, as most of my painted works up to this moment were much simpler (as you can see in the paintings from my first solo exhibition a few months earlier). Secondly, this canvas was 18 x 24 inches and much larger than what I'm used to. So I struggled through this painting, getting discouraged by how unlike the photo it looked, and distracted by easier works, TV shows and Facebook stalking. I wanted to give up so many times, and finally I had to accept that I can only do the best I can, and even if it looks nothing at all like the photograph, as long as I'm happy with the result, it was complete. Strangely though, even when I declared that my sunrise was finished, it didn't look or feel finished to me. It was as if something was missing.

(Oops.. I don't have a picture of the sunrise painting without the penguins.. So, um, just use your imagination and keep reading..)

If you've seen the artworks from my first solo exhibition, you'll know that they tell a story of penguins who live in the clouds, fly across the sky, and pursue the things they are passionate about. After that exhibition, which was held in February 2013, I was working on my first children's book illustration project, and hadn't really done much painting for a while. So when mid 2013 came around and I picked up a canvas and paintbrushes again, I thought maybe it was time to create something else, something new, perhaps without penguins. Initially I had expected this sunrise painting to take me in a different direction, but as I stared at it, I had a hunch that perhaps the new beginning I needed wouldn't completely deviate from what I'd done before.

So I took out my watercolor paper, drew and colored 3 flying penguins, cut them out, and blu-tacked them on the sunrise just to have a look. And to my surprise, with the addition of these 3 penguins, the painting was and felt complete. That was when I realized that my little sky penguins weren't really going anywhere else just yet, that it was just the beginning, and there were many more of them to come.

As the sun rises over a new horizon, bringing with it a brand new day and a brand new sky, what are you creating for your life today? With this clean slate and blank page comes the freedom to write, paint, draw, sing, dance, perform... do whatever you truly want.

Such freedom can be scary sometimes, because when possibilities are endless, you may not know where to begin, or even which direction to face. So here's a few things I've learned from this creative process that may help:

1. If you don't know where to begin, find a place to start.

I didn't know what I was going to paint that day at Heartspace. The idea that artists are always inspired is a myth. Most of the time, inspiration comes only when you go looking for it. Similarly in life, we sometimes have no answers, or too many options, and we get stuck and don't know what's next. As such it's always a good idea to keep a collection of images, quotes, writing, videos, books -- anything, really! -- that can inspire, prompt or remind you when you're uncertain of where to go.

2. When you've started and get overwhelmed or discouraged, work on it one small part at a time, and keep going.

Sometimes the direction we take may require certain skills or knowledge that we don't have, or we may get discouraged by the immense gap between where we're at and our destination. Keep going. Find a way to work at it one small portion at a time. Get help if you can. As a wise friend recently said to me, you can go as fast or as slow as you want, but the important thing is, you have to keep moving.

3. Learn to trust your gut when something doesn't "feel" right.

Call it intuition, or a weird feeling, or psychic or whatever.. if something doesn't feel right, pause and figure out exactly what that is. Try something different. Approach things from another angle. Don't discount anything until you find your answer. And trust that you will know when you've found it.

4. Practice, and practice consistently.

Good things come unexpectedly, and usually when you put in the time to do the necessary work. When it comes to art, doing the work means showing up consistently and creating, even when you don't feel like it, even when uninspired. When it comes to intentionally living your life, you need to consistently take time to be with yourself and connect to yourself. Now that I think back to it, I should have made it a point to attend those Heartspace sessions regularly, as a means to consistently create and express myself through art.

So what are you creating for your life today?

"New Sky" (2013) is still available at S$750.00. Chat with me at penguingirlart@gmail.com if you would like to take it home!

7 Steps to Create Your Vision Map for 2016

 

What’s Your Vision for 2016? Follow these 7 steps to find out!

 

Step #1: Find a quiet place for 1-3 hours for this exercise.

 

Set aside about 1-3 hours for this exercise. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for that duration, preferably in a space where you feel you can be as authentic as possible. Turn your phone to silent mode and put it away where you won’t be distracted by it. Let your family members or housemates know not to disturb you during this time.

 

You may also light a candle or some incense to create a more relaxing atmosphere.

 

 

Step #2: Visualise the 2016 you would like to have.

 

Give your imagination the permission to wander freely. Adopt either a sitting position or lying down, and let your eyes close (Ensure that you’re not too comfortable, or you may doze off during this exercise!). Focus on your breathing — inhale creativity and vitality, exhale any tension or worry. Allow your entire body to relax by imagining soothing waves spreading over your entire body from the top of your head, down your neck and over your torso, all the way through to your feet and out the tips of your toes.

 

When you feel completely relaxed, bring yourself some time into the future, 1, 2 or 5 years from now. See yourself in the various spaces of your life — your home, your workplace, your favourite spots, traveling, etc. For each of these places, notice what is around you: How large or small is the space? What colors, textures and smells do you sense? What is the energy of the space like? Are you alone or are others with you? Who are they and what are they doing? What impact do you have on them?

 

Allow yourself to connect with what brings you the most joy and fulfilment. What do you truly enjoy? What values do you honour in the various aspects of your life? How would you like to create your life in the coming years, months, or even weeks? Stay in this space for as long as you like (without falling asleep), and allow yourself to take in more details and fully experience the feelings and sensations of living this life. Know that it is a reflection of who you are, and your values, voice and vision.

 

When you’re ready, slowly come back to the present time. Remember that you can always re-visit your vision whenever you wish.

 

 

Step #3: Journal your experience.

 

Take a moment to journal about what you’ve experienced. Either in free flow writing or doodling or both, record in as much detail as you can remember, including the images, colors, sensations and emotions. If you’re working on this exercise with a partner, feel free to take turns to share your respective visualisation. Use these questions to deepen your exploration:

 

- What was the experience like?

- What did you notice at various aspects of your visualisation?

- How did you feel about the experience?

 

If you don’t like visualisations, here’s an alternative exercise (combination of Steps #2 — #3):

 

Set a timer for 10 minutes. During this time, allow yourself to journal freestyle where you see your life in the future. Keep writing or drawing nonstop, and if you get stuck, quickly shake your whole body and carry on journalling. When the timer rings, look over what you just recorded.

 

What surprises you? What excites you? Where can you further develop it?

 

 

Step #4: Bring your vision to life with a collage.

 

Materials need:

- Magazines, photographs, junk mail, catalogues, marketing materials that inspire you.

- Glue (a glue stick would do just fine, but you can also use tape)

- Scissors

- A surface to collage on - foam board, large piece of sturdy paper or cardboard, poster board

 

Set a time limit of 10 minutes and go through the magazines to find images or words that evoke what you experienced in your vision or journalling. Cut or tear out pictures and words that speak to you somehow, that resonate with you emotionally. Don’t edit yourself, just keep cutting. You can always keep any extras in an envelope for another time.

 

 

Step #5: Organise the images in a way that has meaning to you.

 

After the 10 minutes are up, sort through your collected images and start grouping them. Arrange them to tell the story of your future. Allow yourself to organise the clippings in any way that feel right to you. You may create categories of your own,  or let your images naturally organise themselves in an arrangement that has meaning to you.

 

Don’t worry if you had certain words in mind and couldn’t find clippings of them. You can always write them or doodle them with a sharpie later on.

 

 

Step #6: When you’re ready, glue the images down.

 

You can start to glue or tape the images onto the collage surface once you have a feel for the flow. Feel free to use a Sharpie to doodle and write on your collage, or to highlight certain key things, or even just to decorate any part of your visual map. As long as it feels right to you, go for it!

 

 

Step #7: Put your map in a place where you can see it every day.

 

Because this map is your guide for the year, put it up in a place where you will see it daily. Use it to hold yourself to the path you intended to walk on, especially during times you may take a wrong turn or get distracted from your vision.

 

Remember that nothing is set in stone, and that we are constantly changing. If there are parts of your vision map that no longer resonate with you as the year goes by, you can always edit the map where applicable. The wonderful thing about collages is that adding on to it is easy, and you can simply paste new clippings on top of the images that are no longer relevant to you.

 

 

 

Have fun creating your Vision Map for 2016! Share it with your friends, and encourage them to try creating one for themselves too!

 

 

My Vision Map for 2016: "Making Your Art Work with Love, Possibilities and Gratitude"

What's Your Vision for 2016?

"Life is a journey that gives you the liberty to draw your own map, and choose your own route."

- Dennis E. Adonis (Educational Author, Novelist, and Musician)

 

11 days into the new year, and I finally got round to creating my Vision Map for 2016.(Better late than never I guess…)

 

You might be wondering — what’s a Vision Map? Basically it’s a visual guide that you put together such that you have an idea of where you’re headed, whether it’s your life as a whole, or for your career or your business, or even just for this year. When you're traveling, in order to know how to get to your destination, you need to consult a map. The more detailed and clearer the map, the more effective it is in getting you to your destination efficiently. In the journey of life, whether you're creating your own map or following a standardised one, both gets you to a certain endpoint and neither is right or wrong or “better” than the other. However, I’d rather chart out my own course, and should you wish to create your own Vision Map, you can check out my blog article “7 Steps to Creating Your Vision Map”.

 

So I went though these 7 steps, and here’s my Vision Map, summed up with my vision statement for the year: “Making My Art Work with Love, Possibilities and Gratitude.”

 

My Vision Map for 2016.

2015 has been a year of uncovering difficult truths about myself, and how I’ve failed time and again to love the most important person in my world — myself. It has been painfully amusing to see certain patterns repeat themselves and how I keep making the same mistakes, but I’ve learned a few important lessons along the way. Firstly, I’ve started to accept the high probability that I will repeat those mistakes a few more times until I actually learn my lesson. Secondly, when I think I’ve learned my lesson, I should never assume that I’ve actually learned it. And thirdly but most importantly, that I have to do whatever it takes to remind myself of the bigger picture, the higher path, and the greater self that I’m fighting the good fight for. So that’s where creating my Vision Map comes in - as a tool to keep me on my intended path, because based on past circumstances, I already anticipate many wrong turns and side-journeys to come. In the words of bestselling author and speaker Dr. Steve Maraboli: “A wrong turn doesn’t end the journey. If you feel lost, just look at your map and get back on the road. The map will always lead you in the right direction."

 

My direction for 2016: "Making My Art Work with Love, Possibilities and Gratitude."

 

In a nutshell, this statement is a reminder of my fundamental responsibility as an artist — not only to make art, but to make art that resonates with me, art that I love. One of my core values is Love, and I intend to bring out my love this year as much as I can. During the final months of 2015, self-love was a recurring theme in my life, and it is going to be the one in the foreground for 2016. Possibilities refers to my belief that dreams can come true, that penguins can live in the clouds and fly across the sky. And finally, Gratitude caught me by surprise, but for various reasons, I believe it’s going to be a recurring lesson for me this year. More on that for a later time.

 

So there you have it, my vision for 2016.

 

What’s your vision for your 2016? What would you like to create?

How will you grow this year? And what do you need to let go of in the process?

 

Create your own Vision Map using these 7 steps, and share it with your friends when you’re done!

 

Studio of Self-Love

Photo contributed by Michael Tan.

Recently I was one of 10 artists selected to participate in the Noise Festival Singapore 2015, as part of an installation showcase called Studio of Wonders. The artists and I set up our respective little cubicles along the theme of "Curiosities" - essentially creating a studio space based on what inspires us and our art.

Well, initially I was gonna write about setting up the installation, post some pictures, the usual stuff, but an unexpected comment on my Instagram post about my Studio of Wonders changed the course of my writing:

(Read what's circled in ORANGE).

Screenshot of my Instagram post and the comments from a follower.

So I got this comment from @katybobsyouraunty and turns out she thought that this was an area of my studio! My initial thought to that was... Haha I wish!! ... because the space I created looks pretty darn awesome, a far cry from my real-life studio. (It's a mess, and very cluttered, and needs a long overdue spring-cleaning LOL..)

And that was when it hit me - why doesn't my actual studio look like this?

I had spent a month creating the design for this installation, creating new artworks for it, carefully measuring and planning, sketching when I have pockets of time, painting late into the night (as I currently work full-time). Then on a Monday evening, after 9.5 hours at the day job, I spent 3 hours to put this space together, agonizing over whether I should change my original plan, whether the paintings can be seen from the holes... And then ALL OF IT is sealed behind a wall with some tiny holes for people to peek into, and it's quite ironic that I invested much time and energy into this because no one actually gets to see the full extent of what I've created. And that's assuming they're intrigued enough to peek into the holes to begin with. Which again begs the question -

Why did I put in that much effort to create this studio-for-show than the real one in which I work from and look at every single day?

Well, for me, it's a really simple answer. Because besides myself, nobody is there to look at it, so there really isn't a need to beautify it, to care for it, to make it worth spending time in. It's serves its basic purpose as a space I work in, as a space to contain all my art-related stuff and clutter, and that's all I need from it, or so I believe. But tell me that a gallery owner might possibly stop by and take a look, and watch me scramble to fix it up and make it beautiful.

And really, when I faced up to it, it really isn't about the studio. It's a reflection of my own life, and how I love myself. How much time do I really invest into myself, to do something that's purely just for me? To do something that's not about impressing someone else, or living up to a society's expectations. To do something that's important to me simply because it is important to me (whether I'm aware of it it or not), and because I'm worth the investment of my own time, energy and effort.

I know a single mom who took on a 5-week project to redo her master bedroom because it reminded her too much of her failed marriage. It was one of the most difficult things she had to do, because there were always seemingly more important things than her project, like caring for her son, running errands, working over-time... but she stuck to her commitment to herself, and transformed the entire room within 4 weeks. And she felt happier, felt more connected to herself, and it improved her interactions with others, and especially with her son.

We live in a world filled with busy-ness, taking on various commitments to the people or causes that matter to us, constantly running and striving for success in various forms, but what is all of that really for? Who are you trying to impress? What are you really working towards? And if none of your answers is for yourself, your own happiness, or your own growth, then it really begs the question - how are you loving the most important person in the world - YOU?

So I'm about to jump into what's perhaps one of the more confronting projects of my life - to actually turn my real studio in a Studio of Wonders. It's something I've been thinking about ever since the space was created almost 2 years ago, but I never got down to it. I'll be sharing more on that later, so stay tuned for updates, and I hope this inspires you to create something for yourself simply because it just makes you happier. :)

Here are some pictures from setting up on Monday, 14 September 2015. And also pictures of my completed Studio of Wonders. Before it got walled up :(

The exhibition runs from 16 September - 11 October.

View from the top on Setup Day, 16 Sept 2015. That's outside my Studio of Wonders, scratching my head.

The original plan was to have the Penguin piece in the center.

Dream Tree Totem all setup!

Finished Studio of Wonders!

With sketches on the left wall...

And the Dream Tree Totem and more sketches on the right wall!

Closer view of what's on the table...

7 Tips for the Aspiring Artist

It's been almost 2.5 years since my first self-run solo exhibition in 2013, which brought me from an aspiring artist to a professional one within 2 months. Despite my initial success, I've had many struggles in the past 28 months (mostly within myself), and am still rather clueless about how to run a business of selling my art. That's gonna be a work in progress for a while (more on that next time), but for now, here are 7 things I've learnt that need to be done consistently if you really want to become a professional artist.

1) Meet people.

Make it a habit to meet people. It’s not that difficult - one easy way is to join Meetup and attend events that interest you. People on Meetup want to meet you too, and can be just as shy sometimes. You’ll never know who you’ll meet! One of my clients was someone I met through Meetup and a year later, she commissioned me to paint a mural for her restaurant. So set a target to meet a certain number of strangers every week or “network” for a certain number of hours. You’ll also need to create a system to keep track of all your new friends and their information.



2) Support local arts events and local creatives.

Attend their art show openings, join communities (both online and in person) and participate in their discussions, projects and activities. Make friends, support one another, be open to collaboration opportunities. Create your own creative events and invite these artistic friends! Ask to be an event organizer in a creative Meetup group. Or just put together your own event and invite your friends and new contacts to attend. There are always creatives out there who are looking for something interesting to get into.


3) Step out of your head.

Stay connected to the world around you, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s okay to shut off once in a while, but don’t get too comfortable being there. Take a walk when you’re feeling cluttered. Journal out your thoughts and feelings. Follow up with a new friend and catch up over coffee. Spend time with your family.


4) Share your work.

Share on social media. Send images, video clips or mp3s to your close friends. Post your images in forums to ask for feedback. Share the stories and the ideas you have. You’ll never know who may find your work and fall in love with it. Share it even when it’s still in progress. Share consistently and at least once a day. It can be scary to share your work or your process, and most creatives are rather private individuals, but when you’re new, sharing your work is the only way to know how the world responds to it.


5) If you don’t know something, do your own research.

Ask people. Post on forums. Create surveys. Go out into the world and get your answers. Answers don’t come from being in your own head, or listening to your own assumptions. Talk to other creatives with more experience. This isn’t about taking what you find as the “right” answer; rather, it’s about gathering data so you can create a bigger overview of things or a reality check for yourself.


6) Be yourself in your art.

Work with what you have and what you already do well in. Have faith that there is someone out there who will love your work, even when you don’t think it’s good. Yes, technical quality and skills are important, but the people who truly fall in love with your art are going to fall in love with who you are as expressed in your work. And chances are they will be similar to you. Your art is just as unique as you are, and no one can ever replicate that in the exact same way. So embrace your art for what it is, embrace yourself for who you are, and work at both every single day.


7) Start now.

Procrastination takes you in the opposite direction of your dreams. Start NOW. Even if you have other commitments and can only put in 30 minutes a day. Even if you think you need to get more training first. Even if you feel that you’re not ready. Just get started. Ask yourself, if not now, then when? Don’t wait for tomorrow because you can never be sure what it brings. All we really have is this moment, and whether you like it or not, your life is happening right now.