ampulets

The idea that, come Monday, for the next 14 months or so I would be a student again is a strange one for a self-professed workaholic. The reality has not quite sunken in yet. And in a way, I am still trying to digest and understand the lessons from my past 2 years at work. But as a precursor of this study break from work, J and I had a near-perfect day this Friday (I was on leave on what was officially my last day at work) of meetings together. First up, we trudged up Mount Sophia to meet a group of interior designers, architects and design researchers who had recently come together to form a company held together by their Christian faith. J and I walked away from their office excited about the spatial possibility of illustration and graphic art. More than that, I was just happy to get to know design folk who can be so grounded in their ideals and trying to live out their faith in their work. We walked down the hill to have lunch with tym and daydream about having a studio of our o...

my fellow commuter who is past heeding the Prime Minister's call to procreate - click for larger flickr view On a bus, a younger colleague who had just gotten back from studies in America last year glanced outside at the new entrance to the Orchard MRT station and remarked, "sometimes I feel like a tourist in Singapore. Like when I come to this part of town, there's always something new and I think - wow, I've never seen this before...". She said this casually, without any angst about "a sense of belonging" or any pointed reference to the pace of change on this island. Her sentiment is not unique, though the shades are as many as the folks who express it. A few are captured in Troy Chin The Resident Tourist , a 3-part (so far) graphic novel about his move back to Singapore after 9 years in NY and Philadelphia. The Resident Tourist is no different from other graphic novels with an autobiographical slant in having these elements: a somewhat depressive a...

Get this now. Comes with a limited edition Invisible City poster at Kinokuniya and Books Actually. Despite this being a small island, I'm a little ashamed to confess that I don't have any recollection of ever having been to Lim Chu Kang - no memories, I imagine, of its squishy red earth, low houses, damp greenery or live animals. J and I had wanted to catch these 2 documentaries that investigate the filmmaker's memories of the community and subsequent development of Lim Chu Kang, but we have somehow always missed the screenings. If you're like us, don't miss the upcoming screenings at the Arts House on 19-20 September. Tickets are available here .

design by amps J! Every time I have a chance to visit this school and observe its students, I think - there's hope yet for our small island! If you've never had a reason to troop down to the School of the Arts/SOTA (their interim campus is the old Goodman Rd campus for LASALLE), the faculty and teachers there have given you more than one to do so this week. From 13-16 August, this Wednesday to Saturday, the School's holding their first ever festival of student performances, film screenings, exhibitions and readings, together with performances and workshops by a rather impressive line up of experienced practitioners and educators. J and I will try to make to Thursday's series of evening performances. Admission is free, but registration is required for some of the activities and I heard seats are going fast! The event calendar and various links are here , and the map to the school is here .

Cave on the right 3 years ago Lee Fook Hong drew a forest of lines and titled it "Big Land". At this year's VSA annual show , J and I found his new painting "Cave" - and were pleasantly surprised. Chinese ink on paper, this time the brush strokes have introduced more expressive lines and a sense of abstraction. There remains a preference for graphic flatness yet, perhaps as the name suggests, there's also a new sense of depth and perspective. I like looking at the painting - its walls and surfaces, the hint of an entrance. According to the short bio, Lee Fook Hong still aspires to be graphic designer. Amps wish him well!

I found 3 boxes of colour pencils in the cupboard, including a box of 48 colours meant for one of J's nephews some Christmases ago... click for flickr view Pa J's gambling paid off for him last weekend (unfortunately, more encouragement for the vice). As such, the family was treated to dinner at a restaurant. Over a dish of fried belachan kang kong, 5th Brother J - the keeper of bird and fish - turned to us and: Bro J: Eh, I set him free. Y&J: The arowana! Bro J: Yah... I promised him mah. Y&J : ... [ but figures it has something to do with the whispered deal between the fish and Bro J for Pa J to strike 4D ] Bro J: It's a promise. Must keep. Y&J: Where did you release him into? Bro J: XYZ Reservoir. [ smiles, and whips out his mobile phone to show us the video of the fish swimming in the water ] See. I walk and follow that fella all around. Luckily no one see except my friend. He jun-jun was there fishing. Y&J: Isn't that also illegal at a rese...