2020 was the year that turned out very different from what we had hoped for. Initially meant to be a year of new beginnings with the turn of the decade, it quickly turned into the year we would like to forget; to write off. Is this really true?
For me, 2020 was to be a milestone year, as I turn 30. Being a January baby, we always try to plan an overseas trip to celebrate my birthday. And on hindsight, turning another year older earlier than my peers has its perks – travel wise. After the craft-laden trip to Laos in 2019, I wanted another craft experience trip. Which led us to Jogjakarta… where I managed a low-key birthday with my (shaking) hands writing in wax. I tried out batik tulis, the process of drawing with wax with the canting tool, the wax being a resist before dyeing. My piece shows the hand of a complete beginner with the uneven thickness of lines and blobs form by the unintentional drips of wax. Despite that, I really love the organic results! Many thanks to the patient artists, Arwin Hidayat and Yuvita Raharti of Katuna Studio for guiding me. We also got to visit to Borobudur (a tick off our bucket-lists) and enjoyed the week away 🙂
Continuing on my year of learning, I decided to do some skills upgrading in my embroidery work. With one of my favourite embroidery artist, Adriana Torres, I picked up raised embroidery on her Domestika course. It was so nice to explore a new stitch language! It also brought some quiet comfort in the days spent at home during the circuit breaker, when movement was restricted in Singapore to curb the virus spread. With that, my repertoire of embroidery has expanded and I am excited to incorporate the stitches into my new work.
The wonderful e-class got me signing up for another punch needle class with the lovely Laura Ameba, whose work I also love. I have enjoyed using this new tool and have already used the new techniques in my work for Pameran Poskad.
Yes, during the circuit breaker, I signed up for another round of Pameran Poskad (my 4th time participating). After much toggle back and forth with ideas, and many deadline extensions later, I finally presented a mis-mash of pieces surrounding the theme of nature. It was during the time that we were told to stay at home as much as possible, that made me relish the daily routine of being out in nature. I always chose the route with tree-lined paths and made it a point to cut through the neighborhood park during the quick grocery run or errands to buy takeaway. It was on these trips I often spotted unexpected new toadstools, or birds flitting across the trees! It was lovely to see that life went on, in the time when all seemed so bleak.
What a pleasant surprise that I had my first sell-out at the exhibition. I am so thankful for the warm response to the pieces and glad that with the sell-out I got to donate more to Beautiful People. I had decided earlier to donate 50% of the sales to the exhibition’s designated charity.
The circuit breaker also made for many new ‘firsts’, becoming a reset button. I found myself often saying “this the first time I have ____ since circuit breaker” My First bus-ride, my First day (back) at work, conducting my First in-person workshop, First yoga class, First dine-in meal (outside the house), First swim of the year, First lunch out with friends (outside of the same household), First Zoom call, First nature walk beyond the neighbourhood park… it made every old experience feel new again. And it made me appreciate the simple things with new senses.
And indeed there were new routines being created too this year. My mum and I discovered YouTube yoga and started more yoga sessions at home. We started to ‘Walk at home’ and realised that actually our home is quite big! With less bus rides, we also had more neighbourhood explorations, especially for food! And uncovered new things like more effective ways to wash the dishes (soak first with hot, soapy water).
To reward myself for the hard work in the year, I also treated myself to a ticket to Soul Craft Festival, which went online this year hence becoming accessible to me. The talks I got to enjoy so far has been enriching as we work through the busy festive rush while listening to the wonderful conversations around crafting.
Looking back at my 30th year, it was a milestone year I am unlikely to forget in this lifetime.
ramblings. 