Local Cat

 

This is a street cat I saw on the void deck under my block. I especially like the picture of this cat because it looks so mysterious. Those eyes are so captivating and terrifying at the same time. It looks like it has already locked onto a prey and is about to attack.

There used to be a lot more cats like this one in Singapore, but their numbers have decrease drastically, most of them rehabilitated with the help of SPCA. It is painful to admit how these majestic and beautiful creatures had been treated. sometimes people can be so cruel. Undomesticated cats should not be considered much less treated as pest for they have played a big part in controlling pests, like rats. Our complacency is indeed very disappointing

Stormy Sea

 

This picture was taken a few years back at a jetty in Singapore. I could not recall what I was doing there but I still remembered vividly of me being at that place. This jetty was located at a remote part of Singapore which I, unfortunately, could not remember as well. The only noticeable landmarks in the vicinity was a bus stop situated at the very end of the road, and a small construction site. I was not alone then, I was with my sister. She had asked me to tag along for some reason, reason unknown to me as of right now. The sky was overcast when we arrived, but we continued to the jetty anyway. I remembered the sea looking unnaturally dark and gloomy, it was exactly how it looked like in the picture. I had little memory of what happened after that.

Nikka Whiskey

This is a bottle of Nikka Whiskey, bought in Japan a long time ago. it is one of the many wine, scorch, and other alcoholic drinks my father collects. I have always loved the designs of their glass bottles, and Nikka Whiskey is possibly the favourite of the bunch. I like the Japanese Samurai design and it gave the bottle a sense of authenticity. Though I do not drink, I think I would still buy these expensive alcohol just because of how beautiful they look. It is really beautiful and elegant how the liquid sparkles inside. Wished they tasted as good as they looked...

Hindu Temple

 

This is a Hindu temple nearby Little India where I pass by almost everyday. No matter how many times I pass by the place my attention would always be attracted to it. The statues are so well crafted and complicated it is impossible to take them all in with a single glance. Hindu temples like this here, intrigues me because of their elaborate designs and colourful façade. It is like a big piece of art by itself. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to construct these temples.

Pop of Colour

 

Saw a row of colourful two-story buildings lined up alone the street when on my ay home today. I really like the primary colours used. It is interesting seeing something out of the norm like these buildings once in awhile. Living in a country like Singapore where most of the structures are in dull tones, possibly because of the harsh sun which  washes colours off, it can be quite inspiring to have a few pop of colours here and there.

 

Sometimes I wished Singapore was more like Puerto Rico or Greenland where they have cute colourful houses everywhere. Houses like these brightens up the landscape and make the place so much more cheerful. Compared to places like those, visually Singapore does look very plain with grey concretes and dull buildings everywhere, and in my honest opinion it does look rather depressing.

 

Singapore at night is an entirely different story though..



Straw Flowers

 

This is a flower basket made from straws and plastic, and the reason why I like it is because of its small size. The whole basket is smaller than the palm of a hand, and the flowers even smaller. The flowers are very detailed and finely cut and they look so beautiful. I just love the vibrant colours of the straws and ribbon decorations around the basket. It is interesting how boring objects like straws that we see and use everyday can be made into something so delicate and realistic looking. making these flowers must have took a lot of patience which I regrettably lack. Craft work like these are just not I'm used to, pieces that I had made were usually incomplete or of poor quality. My indecisive and rash/rush nature is to be blamed, though I hope I would change...

Street Artists of Melaka

 

This is a portrait drawn by a street artist in Melaka. There are many street artists in Melaka that does the same thing and it is interesting to see each of them having drawing with their own style. It is surprising how they could attain such accuracy, pin pointing out the features of an individual, and also with such speed. It must have taken a lot of practice.

 

Like I mentioned before, there are many artists in Melaka displaying and selling their work. It was not uncommon to see their sitting at a random spot sketching away. The effort they put into their drawings were more than I had initially imagined. Some landscape pieces were so detailed and realistic, capturing the essence of the old colonial architectures and the new modern architectures coalescing so smoothly.

 

The people, the buildings, and the culture there are so different from Singapore's even though they are just our neighbors. I had expected Melaka to be rather similar to us with the comparable history, I was wrong. My visit there truly been very inspiring for myself. This is why I love travelling, to be able to explore and see the ways of other people whom I am sharing the world with.

Power of Imagination

 

These two photos were taken last year when I visited Gardens By the Bay with my family. There were a lot of flowers and exotic plants, probably even more than 200 species, all accumulated in the domes and the vicinity. It was really a sight to behold. There were so many plants that I had never seen before in my life, they came in all shapes and size from minute cacti to massive plump tree, it felt almost like I had fallen into Wonderland. Most of the plants there could have never survived Singapore's climate if it wasn't for the greenhouse domes. The design of the infrastructure was very neat and well planned, I really liked the oval shapes of the building and the repetition of lines on the walls. Garden by the Bays is one of those inspiring places that showed the creativity and potential of what we can do. Those ginormous domes were imagination brought to life, indeed nothing is impossible.

The Star Vista II

This is a 150 x 390 cm oil on canvas painting by Boo Sze Yang called "The Star Vista II". It was one of the exhibits in NAFA's gallery 2. My attention immediately went to this piece by its sheer size. I was very impressed because its not only huge but also very detailed, it must have taken a long time to complete. It is interesting how the artist used colours that are more subdued and neutral which created a more soothing ambiance. I like how the whole structure of the vista is connected and all the composition goes well together. It is a very inspiring creation and I will certain look up more about this artist and his other works.



Fanta Under the Sun

 

This photo was taken on the roof of NAFA building 1 using my iphone by accident. I particularly liked this image even though it is very simple and, at first glance, might be uninteresting and common but if you looked close enough you could see every detail on it. I like how all the focus was on the Orange Fanta and the background because the background is blurred out. This picture is so detailed that you can see everything single drop of condensation on the can. You can even see a finger covering the side of the photo because this photo was never meant to be taken at all. The product of spontaneity can be so unexpected, sometimes in a very good way. I used to be one of those people that demands perfection and when I draw I would make sure every line has to be perfect which is why I took such a long time getting things done. Losing control once is a while might not be such a bad idea after all

Lonely Betta Fish (Part 2)

This was the second Betta fish that replaced the former majestic creature that reined the fish bowl. He was a red/blue crown tail Betta fish, a very suitable replacement I would say. His tail and fins looks torn at their tip, which led me to think that he was biting himself but no, that was just how the way he look; less grand than the previous betta fish but still as beautiful in his own way. What truly made him different was his personality. He was not aggressive at all, which was very unusual of a male betta fish. He was a humble and curious creature and seldom flare his gills whenever somebody was close by. Sometimes, he changed colour when exposed to the sun, his fluorescent scales would glint under bright light and the blue would become much more obvious. I often found myself just sitting in front of the fish bowl for a long time just staring at him, admiring his fluid movement and flashing his beautiful tail.

 

Popeye on the Wall

 

This is a graffiti of Popeye painted on the wall of my room. It was drawn by my father when I was still a child. This drawing was one of the many cartoon murals I have on my wall, like Barney the purple dinosaur, though I don't ever recall liking those characters. It used to be just decorations for my room but the bright colours of these cartons had really made my room much more vibrant. I cannot imagine not having them because they are the first thing I will see every morning when I wake up.

Countless times, I wanted to remove them from the wall because I have long grown out of it but in the end I would always leave them as they are. That is how they survived through more than a decade and still look as new as ever. However, I think their time is about up and even though I wish I could preserve them forever. The reason why it is so difficult to let them go is because they are a huge part of my childhood and hold significant sentimental value.