Do what you love

Tags

#illustration, dowhatyoulove, Floral, flowers, typography, wreaths

Unfortunately, not all of us can do what we love for a living. We still need jobs that pay the rent. But it’s a good idea to try to have that one thing that nourishes your soul. For me, art is a little oasis I retrear to when I am stressed. It’s an escape into a calm, happy place where I feel entirely at peace for a little while.

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Flowers in Singapore

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#art, #illustration, #singapore, flowers, flowershop, watercolor

Before we moved to Singapore, we always had fresh seasonal flowers at home. Something about them really elevates my mood after a long day at work.

After we moved here, for the first few months I tried to keep this up. But fresh flowers in Singapore are hella expensive! They’re mostly hothouse type flowers, which aren’t particularly fragrant. Also, having been in a fridge for days before they actually hit the shops, they die rather quickly after you bring them home. 

So, that’s something I miss, apart from having four seasons, winter clothes, and parties by the bonfire.

Illustrated Flowers

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#illustration, exoticgarden, Floral, flowers, ink, micador, purpleflowers, singaporeartist, sketchbook, spring

My mum-in-law came to visit us and gave me a small set of six  aqua painter pens by Micador. The description says they have the texture and opacity of acrylic ink (true) and can be diluted to get transparency like watercolor (not true). Anyhoo, I’ve been experimenting with them on my little Japanese moleskine and they’re quite wonderful. I just doodled these flowers freehand and then went over some bits with the black hightech-point V7. I love how bright and crazy they turned out, like some exotic greenhouse which exists only in my imagination.

 

 

Flowers in my Hair

Tags

#singapore, fashionillustration, floralprints, flowers, quotes, quotestoliveby, singaporeartist, totesadorbes, typography, watercolorflowers

Especially true if while putting on your business suit, you feel like there’s a hippie inside you and you kill him everyday. But it’s OK, because in life, you need to meet expectations, pay rent, buy food and wear nice clothes.

There’s some merch over here with this illustration. I especially like the print. It’s also on $5 off and free shipping just for today.

Bloom where you are planted

Tags

#bible, #illustration, #singapore, Floral, flowers, God, pink, redbrickhouse, singaporeartist, spring, watercolor

Bloom where you are planted

–Jeremiah 29:1-14

Hipsters, Coffee and The Grounds of Alexandria

Tags

#illustration, artisanalcoffee, australia, Floral, flowers, hats, hipster, humor, sydney, thegrounds, thegroundsofalexandria, travelaustralia

A friend who lives in Sydney told us we must visit “The Grounds” for brunch. So we did.

Built on a repurposed industrial compound, The Grounds of Alexandria is a eatery, bakery, produce market, flower shop and farm — all rolled into one mega cafe.

They have a small farm section with hens and goats, which means adorable human babies petting adorable goat babies — hours of fun for me. You can then choose to sit out at the pergola in their magical garden with flowers,  fountains, and fairy lights. Or you could sit in the overcrowded main section and order a breakfast board (average) and artisanal coffee (absolutely divine). Across the cafe is Garlands, a flower shop selling just-cut flowers, some of which come in strange psychedelic colors. A few steps behind that is a produce stall, where you can buy fresh handmade pasta, cheese, meats and some very expensive Himalayan rock salt. Bare, minimal industrial space covered with lots of green and flowers – it’s all very beautiful.

We went on a week day and the place was full to the gills with very stylish people and a lot of hipsters. I am never clear on this cultural phenomenon being Indian and all, but guessing by the number of flowing kimonos, geometric jewelry and wide brimmed hats, I might be right.