Criss-Cross

Tell us what you do for work.
I’m a designer at a design consultancy by day and a paper artist by night.

How do you manage your time between both aspects of your career?
I just have to be a lot better at project management. To be honest, with two jobs, something has to give, so I don’t have much of a social life—priorities, I guess (laughs).

With my art, I try to take on a more curated approach to pick out projects that are more in line with what I’m trying to explore or ones that give me more exposure, such as through overseas exhibitions. But sometimes I have to force myself to pull the brakes and take a break, instead of just making and making and making!

Was art and design something you’ve always wanted to pursue?
Actually, my background is in architecture. I worked as an architect after completing my Masters but, as you know, the market gradually declined during Covid. I picked up paper art at that time and pursued it full-time for two years. After that, an opportunity in the strategic design space opened, and that was how I ended up with my two current jobs.

That said, my plan for the longest time was to be a teacher. I taught primary and secondary school students for a bit during my university days, and it’s something I think I’d still enjoy. It didn’t matter what subject I was teaching, I just liked interacting with children, seeing the world from their untainted view, and watching them grow. It also gave me a chance to nurture and point students in the right direction.

With such a busy schedule, what do you do to unwind?
I interact with people a lot in my day job; when I’m not at work, I like spending time alone to read, listen to music, and daydream. When I do want to partake in social activities, I like to chill with my friends over drinks.

Share with us the story behind your favourite tattoo.
The sun tattoo on my arm was drawn by my grandmother, who suffers from dementia. Although she doesn’t remember drawing it, I always use this tattoo as a way to strike up a conversation with her, and it’s nice to have a memory of her documented on my skin.