Across The Seas

Before we spotted Clarisse, we were having one of our slowest days out. The sweltering heat was keeping office-goers and shoppers alike indoors, while those who were out for lunch kept their gaze averted, dashing to and from the respite of one sheltered walkway to the next.

But then, as luck would have it, Clarisse appeared across the street, glowing in her vibrant pink outfit in the light of day, sipping on her iced coffee with her dad by her side as they strolled around, seemingly unbothered by the midday heat, in search of a good spot for lunch. She seemed a little guarded when we first approached her, but readily agreed to be photographed (only if it wouldn’t take too long) and warmed up to us as we chatted briefly about life and work in between shots.

A freelance illustrator from Indonesia, Clarisse has roots in Singapore, San Francisco, and of course, her hometown Sumatra. She tells us she studied design in LASALLE back in 2010, before moving to the US to further her studies and work in the field for a few years, before returning to Singapore for a bit and eventually moving back home to Indonesia. Now, she shuttles between Singapore, where her dad is working, and Indonesia, where the rest of her family is.

What is it that brought her back from the US, you might ask? Well, the answer is Trump, as she tells us, laughing, which we agree is a more than valid reason for this decision. But though she does miss her time in the US, she tells us it’s always nice being home, around family.

On that note, we wrapped up our shoot and sent Clarisse off on her way to enjoy the rest of day with her dad, while we continued trudging along in search of our next profile to shoot.