Play . Create . Grow
A trip to the Botanic Gardens, for a nature camp facilitated by a senior nature instructor Andrew. I was assisting them through the week. Interesting and fun things to learn about. Awesome!
Here are some personal art pieces that I have created since I started working as a children’s art teacher. It has given me such an adventure; the great memories doing art with the kids, the hustle and grind of back to back classes and the joy of meeting other art teachers who filled the journey with fun, support and bonding.
With Love.
Trees On Postcard
I started with using a lot of acrylic paints because of my work as a children’s art teacher.
I was exploring dry brushing techniques and created some simple trees. The leaves were done with dabbing motion, and the trunks with stroking motion.
Hearts On Mini Cards
Exploring hatching lines with colored pens. I loved going to the muji stores to search for their pens and their small cards to draw on. They were just lovely. Neon color hearts.
The Happiness Within You
Sunflower
Look. It’s a beautiful piece of wood that comes with its raw bark on the edges. I found it at an art store that I frequented for material sourcing and purchasing since teaching classes at a small school.
I have always been very inspired by sunflowers. They exude happiness and positivity with its bright and sunny disposition.
I have this classic love for palette knife painting. I enjoy exploring and playing with the textures and layers of the paint, coming out with objects that pop out a bit, and that just ticks for me. It’s been so fun and therapeutic to work with, and they just come out cute!
So I created the sunflower using palette knife painting, and there was so much learning throughout the whole process.
Let me pick 3 key learning qualities:
Patience . Stillness . Reflection
The general steps for this painting
I briefly figured out where I would like to position the sunflower and then began by drawing out the sunflower center, the petals and the stem.
For the petals, I began by drawing four petals, each coming out from one point; north, south, east and west. Next, I added new petals in between the existing ones, proportionately and consistently.
Once I had the general hues of the sunflower, I then decided on the background colors. I wanted a gradation and sunset sort of schemes, so orange and pink were chosen. And the white would have the sunflower stand out.
Sunflower, using Palette Knife Painting
The Growth Within You
I created this lotus artwork using palette knife painting during the same period as the sunflower’s.
Both pieces of artwork had been intense. It helped me to develop curiosity, courage and competency to create them within a stipulated timeline in order to enter for a painting submission.
I remember always having to make my way home to make these two pieces after my mornings at the farm.
To my younger self: I was glad I did it. My body and mind were asking for sleep and rest.
Lotus Flower, using palette knife painting.
Our Minds Are Like Flowers. The petals are slowly unfolding, and by the time you know it, you are already softly blooming in your magic.
ALOE VERA
Palette Knife Painting
I love those sweeten Aloe Vera cubes in drinks and desserts. It’s so refreshing and delicious.
This sturdy plant is so healing for our skin. I love seeing them in the gardens.
Aloes of bright and deep greens, growing on a cute pot with a plump heart. Growing strong on a soft ombre rainbow background with a clean white frame.
May We Grow In Grace
It takes time and effort to grow in grace, especially in our society today of such great globalisation.
The world can be hard. The solution is never to let our hearts harden over time and let the problem grow bigger.
Always surround ourselves with the sweetness of children and community. Then let the sweetness cultivate, and let us become softer looking at the hardness.
Grace will show up in difficult times.
LOVE
This wall piece titled Love has a few interesting elements. I found the whole wood lettering in an art store and decided to paint it white and to dress it with colorful pointillism art style. The textured edges done with palette knife painting. The little wooden hearts were painted red and sprinkled with white paint.
Treat Me Like A Rose
You give me room to grow. You shone the light of love on me.
~ Song by A1
This is one of my favourites. I adored the array of colors and elements found in this piece of painting.
The Roses; palette knife painting, swirling and circling. The Grass; palette knife painting, stroking and layering. The Sky; shades of blues, cotton wool, brush dabbing. The Big Circles; shades of blue, bottle caps. The Small Circles; orange and yellow, bamboo straws. The Smallest Circles; white, with tools I can’t remember. The Dots; shades of purples and white, pencils, pointillism tools.