I painted this artwork titled 'Blossom with Confidence'. The girl goes barefaced and confident with her acne and freckles, and the blossom flowers beside her represents vanity.
Day 2
I think that every day full of downpour is a beautiful one as long as it is not happening in my head.
Day 3
On the day of my art exhibition, I felt the excitement within me to see everyone with the passion in art coming together, exchanging ideas, and putting up a great event.
Day 4
I spent my weekends guiding the special kids from Very Special Arts, it warms my heart to see them being able to convey their thoughts and feelings through art despite struggling socially.
Day 5
It was rather odd to see a beautiful canvas hanging on the walls of an apartment staircase. I wonder if everyone who walks up this stairs would fully appreciate the artist's effort or just pass by without even noticing its existence?
This week was more about learning how to compromising and work with people. I did face a few challenges around people. Personally, I classify myself as an introvert. My mind is like a storm yet at times I only manage to utter a few words about how I feel. I felt disconnected. I miss my friends back in homeland. I miss how effortlessly it takes me to socialize with people back at home. When my classmates were laughing along in class, there was this uncomfortable feeling in my heart. I didn't feel like our topic of interest was common. However, I have made it one of my key goals of this year to improve my social skills.
1.How could a baby fell out of a 20th storey building onto the ground and live? The baby fell from the first floor.
2.There are 6 eggs in the basket. 6 people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket? The 6th person took the basket and left the 6th egg in it.
A Picture A Day
Day 1
This lighting installation from the Night Festival is inspired by the vintage Tetris game from the 90s, which gives me a nostalgic feeling.
Day 2
This sculpture is called 'Passage III: Project Another Country' by Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan. I thought it was really creative and innovative to be able to cast out different silhouettes of the shanty towns from different angles.
Day 3
I went to Singapore Night Festival. There are two kinds of light from the disco balls- the glow that illumines and the glare that obscures.
Day 4
I stared at the sculpture in fascination, as the mechanical flowers open and close in a realistic motion.
Day 5
It was an awe-inspiring night to watch local talents perform and believe in pursuing their passion. I hope to witness the growth of the local music scene and give them my full support.
This week was an eventful and inspiring week. I was inspired by the various exhibitions and performances at Singapore Night Festival. For this week's Creative Thinking class, we learned about lateral thinking. I thought the IQ questions given to us were really interesting, although it took me a while to answer them. At first, I couldn't get the answers. But as I took a step back, thought about it in a bigger picture. I was elated to get the right answer. I realized it was pure logic. Indeed, it made me squeeze my brain juice out.
In this TED Talk, Amy Tan shares about her creative process as a novelist.
Identity Crisis
The roots of the creativity is to have a sense of identity crisis, to know who you are, and why are you like this.
Childhood Trauma
When one is faced with the prospect of death very soon, you'll start thinking about everything. That's where creativity sparks, in a survival sense. Creativity is also found in the inability to stop looking for associations things in life.
There was a part of the talk where she mentions that her mother does not believe in randomness, and that she does not believe in absolute truths. Personally, I disagree with that point because I believe in God as an absolute truth. However, constantly questioning ourselves and our existence does help us learn and discover.
Ambiguity
Ambiguity is something uncomfortable. Nobody likes moral ambiguities in some sense, yet it is necessary when writing a story. We will have a response when we see a situation. And there will be an ambiguity of what we should do, and we will do something. Sometimes the result of that may not match our initial intentions.
In conclusion, I think there are no complete answers, if there is even an answer, it is to remind us that there uncertainties in everything that is good, and through that we can discover something new.
Mind mapping
Documentation of our responsive discussion towards the final mind map.
Adding final touches to make the poster look attractive.
Feeling confident, we smoothly presented our presentation as how we rehearsed together previously.
For this week, we are supposed to work on a mind map titled "How does education fit with our dreams of a happy life?" Before the presentation, my group confidently volunteered to have a go as the first group of the class to present. We held up our mind map confidently, facing the class and Ms. Debra with great satisfaction. However, Debra's first statement totally shot us down, to our dismay. Little did we realize that we've totally forgotten about the key aspect of this topic- 'Family'. I was partially ashamed for this mistake.
Indeed, how could we ever survive without our family? Without the support of our family, could we ever really achieve anything? Personally, without recognition of what I have achieved from my family, I would not consider that as 'achievement'.
Besides that point, the presentation went on smoothly. Everyone came prepared as they'll ever be, I'm so proud to say that the most introvert group member, Victor, definitely aced the presentation this time.
Looking 10x2
Our group member, Victor, pasting up one of his points onto the whiteboard.
This was beautiful mess. We worked as a group efficiently and the tasks were delegated evenly.
Our final mind map about Van Gogh's Starry Night painting.
After this activity, I was able to scrutinize a situation given, list out all my thoughts and understanding it. I think 'Looking 10x2' breaks down my complicated thoughts when I'm first given the painting. It untangles each thought and lay them out side by side to be analysed. I feel that it is definitely an important skill to hone in the creative industry.
A Picture A Day
Day 1
Tranquil waters from the artwork and the dramatic painting gives me a soothing feeling.
Day 2
Standing in these dusty streets, I realize this place is a window to the past, To a time of life's simpler pleasures.
Day 3
When I saw this scene, I pictured a love triangle as the grey and dark brown cat are both in love with the adorable white-brown cat.
Day 4
The desaturated colour of this cactus species from Gardens By the Bay has the same tone with the metal railing, which makes it aesthetically pleasing.
Day 5
Words cannot describe how adorable this chinchilla is, though it makes me wonder how it could survive in this warm weather?
For this week, I felt like my feelings were all over the place this week. I feared that my abilities were not up to standards. I constantly have doubts of my decision to pursue art. I felt lost about my future, often questioning myself where would this path that I chose lead me to? But then I tell myself, God has a plan for each person in this world, I just have to believe in the plan he has given me. Eventually, I will see the light and find my way to success if I am willing to work hard and earn it.
In this TED talk, Tony Fadell talks about his job as a product designer.
I think as creative people, it is our job to notice 'invisible' problems in our everyday lives and try to fix them.
1. Look Broader.
Take a step back and look broader. Combine, or change some steps to get the big picture. This would simply the whole process.
2. Look Closer
Focus on the tiny details, even the ones that we think it is insignificant. Maybe, there could be a way to get rid of it.
3. Think Younger
Gather young hearts and young minds in a team and motivate each other to think younger. Go back in time when we see the world more clearly for the time and habits get in the way.
I feel that it is time for us to challenge ourselves to get back there, feel frustrated of the problems. Scrutiny those little details, look broader, look closer, and think younger so we can stay beginners.
See, Think, Wonder Presentation
One of our group members, Asyiqin, adding final touches to the drawings on our presentation.
When my group was assigned to this topic- 'Straws' for the 'see-think-wonder' assignment this week, my mind went blank. I was clueless, questioning the possibilities of coming up with at least 50 uses of straws. I mean, let's be rational, isn't the only purpose of the invention of straws for drinking beverages?
As we begun on our assignment, I started to get the hang of it. I realize the reason why I got a mind block was because I've been overthinking about it. The entire agenda of this assignment was to generate ideas upon ideas, think extraordinary, scrape off the old habits. As the 'flow' of ideas came rushing through my group members and I, with pure drive and energy, we managed to finish our assignment in just a matter of 2 hours. Everyone collaborated really well and it was a great success. I learned that sometimes it is better to calm down and take a step back, you may fully understand the picture.
A Picture A Day
Day 1
My friends and I took 4 hours to complete this 4m banner in a day. I learned that it is the power of teamwork that made everything possible.
Day 2
I wonder if there is an easier way to carry a huge basket of durian apart from carefully holding them one by one with gloves?
Day 3
I learn that every blossomed flower must grow through dirt, every successful person goes through hardships!
Day 4
I am incredibly blessed to live in a generation where book vending machines is actually a 'thing'. What an innovative invention!
Day 5
My watercolour painting of a cringing old man with wrinkles, I think he was cringing at the loud pop music playing next door.
It was truly an eventful week! I feel so blessed to be able to work with such a great bunch of artists across different verticles to work towards our art exhibition. We managed to complete doodling on a 3m long banner within 4 hours, which was a major accomplishment to me. I finally stood out of my comfort zone to draw in the presence of people. Being the youngest kid in the group, it stressed me out as my art skills were definitely not up to their standards as they are experienced in the design field. However, on the positive side of it, I truly learned a lot from them; and already getting myself prepared for the world next time.
TED Talk: Steven Johnson- Where do good ideas come from
In this TED talk, Steven explains about how ideas are formed.
The Liquid Network
The environment which ideas are generated, often through chaotic scenes. It is crucial to be in a suitable environments to generate innovative ideas. In this case, it is places like coffee houses.
The Slow Hunch
Time taken to generate ideas. Through a long incubation of idea process, the eureka moment will appear. This particular moment usually occurs when the person is alone and he/she would be the whole source of the idea.
From my opinion, I think that the liquid network would be a better way for me to generate ideas. I prefer to share my thoughts with my peers and improve from their comments.
A Picture A Day
Day 1
This was my very first attempt of doing graffiti. I was glad that I stood out of my comfort zone to try out something that I've never done before. After all, that's what being a creative person is all about.
Day 2
When I look at the sky, the thought of how the galaxy is infinite, reminding me that I'm not alone. The universe conspires only to give the best to those who work hard.
Day 3
There was a hornbill outside my balcony this afternoon. Interesting. I wish I could keep it as my pet.
Day 4
Inspiring quote written on the window at Campus 1, "Success is the best revenge".
Day 5
Old streets of Jalan Besar is only of the heritage sites in bustling city. Some of these stores even sell items that are no longer recognized by children of this generation. I learned that it is very important to know your culture and tradition and remember your roots.
For this week, I went to Scape and felt really inspired by the young talents. It is wonderful to know that youth's passion is recognized here in Singapore and there is a building for them gather together and express their interest. I learned the importance of participating in things that you want to achieve. Opportunities will not always come to us, it is crucial to grab the chance with no hesitance of the thought of people judging you.
