Little by little, one travels far

Browsing through old art pieces. I'm slowly finding my style. I used to always question what my "style" was and why some artists would have such a distinct taste and eye whereas I would never have drawn it in the manner that they saw it. I used to pour over magazines and buy art books on "how to draw" and "fundamentals of drawing" or I'd buy a tonne of art materials only to get frustrated from not getting what I imagined when I used them. I used to tell people I loved art but yet never have a portfolio of work I could show. In short, I used to be all talk, I admit it.

Hell, the biggest wake up call for me was when I worked with an art director in Beijing (he's American and reminds me just of John Lasseter, the famous Disney animator dude) and he asked me: "so you can draw?" I said yes, I love drawing! He said "great! Design a character and show it to me tomorrow." I couldn't. I did, but it sucked and I dared not show it to him. It was a disgrace and it shook me; how could someone who claimed to love art so much not even have a connection to the arts? What was I, a fraud?!

And so.. after I got back from China, I resolved to change. I had to. I'd wasted enough time doing shit with my life. I've still got a long way to go but I think I've finally carved out a path. And I don't know where it will lead but for now I just know that I have to keep doing work - and all the answers (your style, your techniques, your line work...) will fall together. 🌞

Left: 2017 | Right: 2013

Original post: Wolfe / today I went to an art fair and was pretty lamed out; I wondered if I was being too critical but I felt sad that the art fairs here will never compare to the markets in Paris. Of late I keep comparing Singapore to elsewhere. I told dad yesterday: "you know, in Paris, everyone greets each other, even on the streets and in the lift! The fundamental acknowledgment of another human being is so important yet so often overlooked!" - he looked at me like I was being absurd. "It's not in our culture, girl." says dad flatly.