SHENTONISTA

“I work in tech but I studied illustration in school. I just happened to get a job from a friend after graduating, and somehow it’s been four years since then. I don’t have the hustle to pursue illustration full-time, but I still draw at home.”

“I love the freedom of boating. I have the freedom to lie down, smoke, and do whatever I want. There are no supervisors or superiors, just me. And I love the ocean—it’s very peaceful, just me and the water.”

“I want to be able to wake up every single day and look forward to what I’m going to do because I believe in sustainability. If what you’re doing for work isn’t emotionally and mentally sustainable for you, then one day, it’s just going to collapse.”

“To maintain a work-life balance, I really try to limit my phone time. Everything is about social media right now, and I used to use it indiscriminately and just posted whatever I wanted, because I thought “It’s my life what, who cares?”. But now I think there needs to be some thought behind it.”

“Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is my favourite place in Singapore. I saw so many animals that I can’t see in France, and this is so crazy to me. For example, it’s strange to see crocodiles in nature, because in France, I can only see small animals in the wild, not reptiles.”

“The freedom of living independently is very refreshing. Back home, I have a big family, and sometimes it can be quite overwhelming living together, so it’s good to be able to manage my time on my own and not have any rules to follow.”

“My folks are very typical Chinese folks, but then again, they’re a little bit different as well because they never question what I do as an artist, and are pretty supportive. In fact, I think I got a lot more critical comments than praise about my work from them.”

“I decided to pursue my interests in terms of my career, and it’s been the most liberating thing I’ve ever done for myself. Before this, I’d always been following what my parents wanted for me, but we all have different paths to choose in life.”

“One of my all-time favourite books is Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight. It’s taught me to always be fearless when starting on something new, and to just go all-in to achieve my dreams.”

“I think the biggest thing I’ve learnt in school is how to start over again. Sometimes I get really stuck in my work, but I’ve learnt to not to be so hard on myself, and to give myself time to grow. I think that’s quite important.”

“I’m very particular when it comes to cleanliness. I think I got that from my dad. Friends who know me will know how particular my dad is, and it runs in the family, I guess.”

With her floppy sun hat, statement dress, and bright smile, Christel caught our eye immediately as we wandered around Gillman Barracks.