SHENTONISTA

“Last year, I picked up the courage to make a career switch to Early Childhood Education after five years in Pharmaceuticals. The change was really tough on me at first, but thankfully I had guidance along the way. One of my students even said I’m their favourite teacher, which made me really happy!”

“I manage a bag retailer in Joo Chiat called The Bag Creature. As the face of the shop, my favourite part about working here is the connections I make with people and the cool stories they have to share. I feel that my purpose in life is to be the bridge that brings people together, so it’s what I’ll continue to do, whether at this job or elsewhere.”

We first spotted Clarisse, a freelance illustrator from Indonesia, 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.

“I’d give my son the same advice that I live by—do what makes you happy. Sometimes in life, we may find ourselves pursuing ambitions that don’t end up being fulfilling, so we just need to keep on chasing that sense of happiness.”

“After attending a course on the habits of highly effective people, I’ve come to realise that it’s important to work on ourselves first before anything else, so this year I’m hoping to prioritise personal growth and my wants and needs as a form of self-care.”

“I’ve been a Design & Technology (D&T) instructor for 25 years and I’ve seen the education system change a lot over the years. Like it or not, we have to learn and adapt with the times or we won’t be able to survive. As such, I now also teach 3D printing, laser cutting, and computer programming as part of the D&T curriculum.”

“I’m a student at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and I work with sculptures and ceramics as I’m intrigued by textures and the hands-on nature of the medium, plus you’ll never really know how each piece will turn out! For my works, I like to make use of recycled and unconventional materials that I find on streets and in bins—anything really, even an old bandage with fleshy bits stuck on it.”

“I’m currently an Associate Dean at a fine arts school and the co-founder of an art incubator, dblspce. Having been involved in Singapore’s arts scene for over 17 years, my dream is to see more engagements between artists and the community. There’s so much treasure in the stories that artists have to tell, if people only take the time to look, listen, and learn from.”

“As a foodie who’s also on a diet, I’ve been documenting every meal I eat on social media for the past four years to show others that you don’t have to give up on good food to be healthy. I believe that our diets should be a part of our lifestyles, so I eat whatever I want in moderation instead of curbing my cravings and binging after.”

“Art and painting has always been my thing, but trying to make ends meet has distracted me from my passion all these years. I’m now a full-time artist at 58, and it’s great to be back doing what I love again, living my dream before I get too old.”

“My family came to Singapore from Tokyo five years ago for my husband’s job, but we’ll be moving again to another country in a few months. I’m sad to leave as I love the warm weather, blue skies, and people here. To me, Singapore is paradise!”

“My favourite garment that I’ve created is Moss Coat, a wearable living sculpture I made that was featured on National Geographic. When I was living in New York, I noticed that there weren’t as many greens in the city as compared to Singapore, so I was inspired to incorporate nature into this body of work.”