Painted a painting that I like! I dreamt about it last nights and I can't wait to complete the image today. It is a painting of a cityscape! Some recall the painting a resemblance of Mr Lim TP's or Mr Chua EK's works. To me, a painting is just a painting! It is a works of my heart.

In this particular work, I was thinking how could the traditional Chinese landscape painting theories and idealogies be transferred to a newer context? As I laid my brush strokes onto the paper, I handle every building like mountains, the roads are the rivers. With all these combine together, the composition is more of the Mr Li Keran, the stroke is similiar to traditional Chinese "Chun Fa". I think I do have a style of my own.

Reflections

It is hard for us to realise our weakness! Worst still, as others pointed out to us, we stand firm and believe that there isn't anything wrong with our weaknesses, and if there is something wrong, it must the others' imperfection that contributed to the problem.

There isn't anything wrong by standing firm on our ground. But it is also important for us be sure of ourselves. As when others commented on a situation, we should always evaluate the situation with an objective mind. Many times, we are overran by our own stubboness, which lead us to blind spots that create failures in our life. Worst still, it might also lead to trageties for our love ones.

So, self-reflection is a vital tool in perfecting ourselves. And more importantly, we should focus on what we did and not to direct problems to others. We should start to change ourselves first before we could begin the changes in others.

Friends!

We do not have a choice when we come to who are our relatives, however, for friends, we do have the rights to choose the person we wanted to be friend with.

As Chinese like to say that, who you hang out with will influence the way you behave, we sometimes need to be very careful in selecting our friends indeed. Nevertheless, Confucius also said: as three men walking together, there would be one that we are able to learn something from. For the good, we will absorb and try to practise them. For the bad and ugly, we should reflect upon them and constantly remind us not to repeat them. No matter whether it is good or bad, there are always lessons we can learn from. Only through these lessons, we will be able to perfect ourselves one step at a time.

Growth and growing .........

Yesterday, Seow Jia visited my studio and later Yeow Sheng gave me a call. In past weeks, there are list of well wishes from friends and my ex-students. I am delighted and comforting that they remembered me. Sometimes in life, it's how we want the people around us to remember us. Kindness will return to you some day, even though not all will. But I am happy that most do! I remember once I helped a student to pay for her examinations fees and she disappeared after that. Years later, I received a thank you note plus the amount of money within. Honestly, I have already forgotten about it long ago, but the note that I received really make me feel great! It's good to know that she is doing well.

Many times, we do not need great things to make our life meaningful. Tiny little stuff can be as powerful. With every tiny little of care and love that we give, they might turn up to be lots of impact on others some day. Hopefully this enables the world to be a better place to live in!

Simply ART!

Painted a watercolours on canvas. The pupils were amazed by it. I was demonstrating to a group of kids how Chinese painting techniques can also be applied in watercolours, and watercolours are not necessary to be painted on papers. There are many common areas in both eastern and western art. Art is an universal language! Art has no boundaries and restrictions. As an art educator, we might have to remind ourselves that art is about creativity! Even we have to work within some limitations, we should not stop ourselves from exploring new boudaries, ideas and technical know-how.

I am very happy today! A group of my ex-students added my name as their friends. I set up the account just days ago! and a group of student in particular, that I feel very badly for not getting good results for their exams, added my name too! It's somehow make me feel better! I have never felt so bad for this group of kids as they work so hard for their exams and yet their results did not match what they should get! Sometimes, life is so unfair! they are such a nice groups kids and I really wishing them well!

Happy Year of the Tiger!

It is the eve of the lunar new year! Hopefully the year of the tiger can bring more good news to everyone. Every new year bring hope to us. We are constantly looking for better year ahead, this is the energy that got things going and progresses. As for myself, I have set some plans and hope that all my dreams can come true! In this year of Tiger, I prayed for less tragedies and good health for all mankind!

The scholar of the new and the old traditions

I was preparing some works for cancer society to raise fund. Saw this particular work that I painted last year which wrote the scholar of modern and past traditions. In the society of rapid changes today, many of us are trapped by the conflicts between the new and the old values. For me, I experienced many issues which do not permit me to do in the past and yet it is commonly practised today. There is always a question of shall I or shouldn't I do it? As one of my teachers once said, we are trapped in our own "treasures" (our past traditions and knowledge) and we are not willing to forgo them. Perhaps this is why I am so attached to old traditions?

Photos in the papers!

Found my photo on the papers! Recent exhibitions have quite some publicity for me. Happy about it and yet not sure what to do next? It is always important for all of us to improve all the time. I sat in front of my works and think .......... Answer don't come easy. Perhaps I should spend more time thinking about it!