My Art Space

Slide My Art Journey

Total Life.Art.Style
Experience

We have various art programs that allow you to learn, appreciate and enjoy art.

Meet Great
People

Meet like minded people and pursue passion of art together.

Relaxing
Ambience

Relax amidst various flora and fauna at prestige Istana Park.

Art
Exhibition

Showcase your art, appreciate and understand art.

Great Learning
Philosophy

We provide personalised guidance that develop your art style in long term.

Flexible
Timing

We have minimum 16 timeslots every week that allows you to choose according to your schedule.

Community
Engagement

Fulfill social responsibilities through our community art projects.

MEMBER STORIES

Art connects. When people are connected truly, there is more understanding and we will be able to embrace and appreciate ourselves, people, history and society in a different way.

Donna Chiu, Singapore

Tell us a little about you.

I’m Donna Chiu, a HK-born Singaporean who migrated here 26 years ago.

May we know a little about your family and cultural background?

I’m married with a teenaged son, and currently, my parents are staying with us.

What do you do for work and what do you enjoy about your job?

I’m a project manager in a communications technology company. My responsibility mainly involves using data to identify opportunities in customer experience improvement and digitisation of user journey. It’s a left and right brain job which requires data analysis, insight discovery and creativity in problem solving. It can be stressful at times but also very fulfilling when I can introduce and implement things that benefit both customers and the organization.

What motivated you to learn art and when did your journey begin?

My art journey started with photography around 2012, as my husband discovered that I have a flair with it and encouraged me to explore further. I started explore painting around 2017 as I was keen to expand my visual creativity language, with the belief that what I learn would eventually converge and allow me to have new ways of expression in art as a whole.

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What did you find the most challenging when you first started your art journey?

I kind of like to have my own way of interpretation and expression of the subject of my paintings even at the beginning. I guess as I’ve never really drawn or painted since primary school and with very raw skills, the journey of exploring how to do this is quite an adventure and I had to be with very thick skin.
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What is your biggest challenge today?

To take a bigger step to leave my comfort zone in my creative style and topics.

How has learning art changed you as a person or the way you look at life?

  • It’s a long process and the change is progressive but it means a lot to me.
  • I’ve become more open minded – to listen to and appreciate others’ perspective and interpretation of art – different points of view and there is no right or wrong – respect people.
  • I have learned to accept a journey with failure throughout and yet have faith in myself that I can bring a truthful solution for my art – I have to be less judgmental towards myself and accept that in my art creation, it’s necessary and unavoidably to encounter lots of moments that what I try does not work.

    I have to be honest to accept it, to be open to learn what work and what does not work, and move on to try again. I have to face this very often and there are always moments that I’m very fearful of the outcome of my attempts which potentially will bring what I have done back to zero. When I have the courage to proceed to try, the outcome is always worthwhile, not because my work turns out to be ‘better’ but because I have broken through a hurdle which imposed on myself. And this type of experience helps form an attitude which is more daring, perseverance and resilient, and also enables me to give myself the space to be more creative in solution finding and look for possibilities in life.

How has learning art improved your mental well-being?

It helps me deal with my emotion, especially those traumatic feeling which I find very difficult to express and unable to put it in words. This is very important to me these few years as what happens in my place of origin is very heart-breaking, so painting is actually a healing process of the emotional turmoil I have been going through.

How would you define your personal style as an artist?

My work is mainly abstract, usually as response, especially emotional response to life or social events. I love using texture to express, and experimenting different medium and materials as means of my expression. At this point of time, I tend to use black and white more in my work.

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How does My Art Space help nurture your personal style?

I’m really grateful that the teachers here, especially Chankerk, are very open to how I explore and attempt art, there is no judgement passed, but a lot of encouragement. As such, MAS is a very safe environment that I can trial and error and create. I also appreciate Chankerk as he knows very well what is the best way to guide and inspire me, this helps me to acquire a good level of independence in developing my own voice and sensibility for my growth as an artist.

Which is one of your favourite personal creations and why? Please share a picture.

At this moment, it would be “missing”. It’s my response to my mom’s temporary and momentarily condition of confusion caused by sodium deficiency during covid. It’s like part of her in her brain was missing. The whole episode is a quite an experience and this is my way to remember it.

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Tell us about one of your favourite artists and why you love their work.

Ivy Ma, a HK artist, is one of my favourite. Her work is delicately subtle and yet always touches my heart. Ivy has a way to leads viewers go through a sensual experience to share her state of mind and also initiate me to echo that emotion with my own journey. And this creates a deeper connection with the work.
 
I also admire her ability to continuously transform experience from various encounters in life into unique visual languages in her work.
 

In your opinion, what is the role art plays in making the world a better place?

Art connects. When people are connected truly, there is more understanding and we will be able to embrace and appreciate ourselves, people, history and society in a different way.

What advice would you give other artists to help them in their learning journey?

Don’t judge yourself and don’t worry, just try. If it doesn’t work, the worst case scenario is an ugly painting at home. It’s no big deal. (I also have to tell myself this from time to time).

 

All rights reserved by the artist for all images of artwork, please do not duplicate or replicate without permission.

"NO HIDDEN AGENDA
NO GOAL TO ACHIEVE
WE DO ART AS IT IS
AN ENJOYMENT
A FULFILLMENT
A PASSION OF THE SOUL"

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