20 seconds of courage,

“Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.” 

Revisiting a simple quote by Benjamin Mee from "We bought a Zoo", which truly packs a punch in challenging us to embrace spontaneity amidst our caged up stability. School's out for the year and it has been a good semester - discovering the undiscovered, brain wonders and life inspiring little talks. But the greatest takeaway thus far has seen me plucking the courage (all 20 seconds of it) to sign up for oil painting art classes at LASALLE college of the arts, and juggling academia while assimilating into the world of the artsy fartsy aka assignments and art critiques. Mondays and Tuesdays saw me scuttling around my classes in the University town campus with my big black folder and blank wooden canvases, which sparked off tons of conversations with curious onlookers and a spectrum of responses from "What, are you serious, you're doing this during your senior year in university?" to the much appreciated "Wow, proud of you, good luck!" responses. 

It baffles me on how stifling our environment can be when it comes to learning or appreciating any form of art. At least a quarter of the acquaintances I spoke to genuinely thought I was mad for even wanting to try this out during my senior year in college. "Why now? Aren't you worried about your grades?" they ask, but why not. When I was young, art lessons mesmerized me because I could freely express myself using an array of mediums. I loved school art competitions or any form of art classes, and took part in Batik painting and Chinese calligraphy at a young age (flourishing on compliments and constructive criticisms alike, my mum said the tadpoles I drew in calligraphy classes looked ambiguous if you get my drift). Even through Secondary class, I took each piece of artwork with pride and I would enjoy working on it at different parts of the day! It was safe to say that I always had that art streak in me, but don't raise that eyebrow of yours because it doesn't necessarily mean I have the flair for it, that's a different story. And alas, when it came down to making my choices of subjects, I wasn't courageous enough to take on Art and like any other model Asian kid, went down the path of ignorantly taking up triple sciences. In pre-university, I decided that Medicine/Law was definitely not my cup of tea (sorry mum) because I enjoyed something more outgoing and engaging. I was young, free and serious about challenging myself and taking up Theatre arts in IB but once again thrashed the idea because I was reminded harshly that that would severely close my doors for college. Merely missed opportunities? I think not.

Of course, that didn't stop my creative urge run so I turned to DIY projects and baking, which I simply adore doing in my free time. But instead of harping on what I have missed out thus far, why not look forward and putting those regrets behind. You need to start somewhere right? Taking that 20 seconds of courage to fill up the registration form for my first art class was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life thus far, God given. I love the element of fervour in my teacher's voice that resonates with each and every "Get rid of your inhibitions, this isn't a science course, it's an art class - BE FREE", for it makes me feel so alive in the studio. It's a structured course so techniques, conceptualization, process, bits of history here and there are all covered, and we get to experiment with different styles of colour palettes and paintings i.e. realism, surrealism, abstract, etc. I have yet to complete a full artwork as of yet so below are just snippets of pieces during studio practice. I'm also really blessed to have met a whole bunch of amazing people from all walks of life, shenanigans and singing in the studios is therapy I look forward to every week! Even though some of them clearly have the makings of a professional artist, it's really humbling to learn from them and to witness firsthand how Art does not discriminate and it is not always about how precise your calculated techniques are but how fresh your concepts may be or how receptive you are to new ideas. And of course, gobbling down my dinner whilst people watching on the green before Tuesday classes is something I would really miss.

Hopefully I get to marry the entities of Art and Psychology for clinical art therapy in the future ♥ So here's a push to those with aspirations and those who dream of plunging into fine arts but don't have the full courage to. Like what my teacher always say, "Stop questioning on the exact proportions, painting is an art and the magic of the colours can only be experienced firsthand" - isn't that the same with life at hand? Stop questioning, take that 20 seconds of courage and you won't regret when your palette holds a myriad full of colours.

It's my first time dealing with oil paint, I'm currently working on Survival of the fittest: adaptation of nature amidst barren circumstances, as well as experimental art in the artpiece of Hair-voc (end piece will look nothing like the above because I'm still waiting for the first layer to dry, will be drizzled in dark violet and have fine strokes). I love the movement it exudes now though, but couldn't finish it in time for my art critique! And also even though I'm barely half done, it looks ambiguous already - surrealism at its best.

Take courage, ciao!

Colour splash,

I walked into art class the other day wearing a mint dress with matching feather earrings (currently having a penchant for those) and my Burmese friend couldn't be more quick to sprout: "You're finally wearing some colours on yourself!"while my other classmate raised her canvas to show how colour-coordinated I was with her artwork - good times. I have to admit, I'm a fan of brown neutrals and nude palettes, and of course the classical monochrome ensemble...but I'm starting to crawl back into the recesses of my wardrobe to dig up some colour splash into my everyday wear. Especially with R miles away, these colours can really help brighten up my day ♥ On a side note, it puzzles me to no end why some people think fashion is extremely inaccessible or expensive, it's not all about the haute couture labels but being able to improvise and rock that look even if it means you just ripped up half your shirt into a fringe or your bag is a 3 pound thrift store vintage find. 

Oops, I think I'm guilty of both. 

Lazy daisy,

Hello folks! The title holds a half truth, and I would like to think of myself as the dainty flower without an ounce of inertia but of course, it's really up to you to interpret. The past month has seen me labouriously checking off my college deadline to-do lists, meeting friends who flew off for their overseas terms, starting up our LDR once again and just getting used to being in senior year. I've also gotten myself a bundle of joy in a form of a big black folder, which holds my studio essentials for art school. Juggling between college and art school can be quite a strain at times, especially the shuttling from my Psychology seminar which ends around 6:45pm @ Kent ridge to my class at 7pm @ Lasalle every Monday - and to make matters worse, the peak hour jam exacerbates my situation. But all's good because God willing, my classmates and teacher are all extremely understanding and fill me up on what I've missed out on. And studio time is such therapy ♥

Insightful talks with amazing classmates with whom I've grown close to really remind me how precious life is and how we tend to take our freedom for granted - freedom to love, freedom of speech and freedom for religion alike. To be able to share openly about grievances and intense experiences within the coziness of the studio is a blessing, and really opens my eyes to underlying issues that may not be as apparent to a layperson. Funny how Art brings all of us from different cultures, nationalities and ages together.

R and I have also started up our LDR again, which is quite a bummer because I've gotten so used to having him by my side that it felt really unnatural for him to suddenly be a thousand miles away from home. Skype and whatsapp have nevertheless been such a delight to communicate through, and we're finally down to just 43 days of reuniting, I can't wait! Sometimes I just get the urge to hop onto the next plane ride out to London....while it feels really lonely at times, I think it's part and parcel of getting used to it and on the bright side, I get more personal time aka DIY and painting time (Just made a DIY fringe shirt, keep a look out for that). Counting down really helps with storing up motivation, or making plans way ahead of time so you can look forward to them,  here's a quick shout out to couples in the same boat to have faith ♥

On a lighter note, I've recently revamped the layout here and I love the refreshing change! Many of the tabs are still in construction, and will be updated soon. My inner geek is looking for more ways to improve the interface so do let me know if you have any comments for improvement or how you think about it please :) I've also started some new upcoming personal project such as featuring young talents and their stories, for I think it's truly inspiration to hear about their journeys and aspirations for the future. If you're looking to be featured, do drop me an email at yanting91@gmail.com.

Oh and before I forget, I've recently jumped the bandwagon (I know, I'm like a mountain tortoise in this) and hopped over to Instagram, so join me on Instagram with a click of a button below! Ciao and thanks for reading, hope you had a lovely weekend, I'll surely update soon ♥

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Home away from Home,

Woke up today only to receive an email from my previous landlord, stating that it would be preferrable for me to physically go down to collect my security deposit I made for my London apartment. Clearly out of the question as I have since moved out of UK a whole month ago, I'm still half gaping at this outrageous request. But anyhow, it did bring back memories of my apartment and I thought about how I would still recognize the same streets and almost every inch of my room (probably already filled up by the new tenants). Nostalgia had me flipping back to my journal 6 months back.

8 February 2013

Settling in has been nothing close to peachy: I recall the hiccups with getting the Carpenter court keys, dealing with heater problems in the cold days of January and opening up my bank account. Two words to sum it all up - British efficiency. Last weekend saw us missing our train to Paris (and frantically trying to get on the next train on) and having a one-day argument with R. Fortunately most of our petty arguments don't last more than 12 hours and we laugh it off after a while because it was pretty much baseless! With all that drama, it was quite timely for I to come visit from Roen, France and D to come visit from Tampere, Finland. Hosting and bringing them around was such a pleasure, it was especially nice to see familiar faces around and I missed their corniness :') They have since gone back to their respective towns. Iceland is next week during the reading period and I'm so stoked for travelling up North.

On the other hand, my coat and duvet are my best friends in winter...as much as my boyfriend's warm embrace. I've also been wearing my leather gloves so often that R says he misses holding my hand outdoors. This makes me smile :') ♥ The walls of my room are done up, adorned with loving smiles of my friends and family back home. I stare at them until my eyelids get heavy before I sleep, how blissful. My cosy bed is slightly creaky; the sink is just a hole in the wall; and my desk has two screws loose - but I'm happy. This is my sanctuary for now and I feel so, so at home. Goodnight.

Along the Thames,

 A fine weekday night on boat Jubilee along river Thames. Newfound friends, great music and timeless dance-offs till the wee hours of the night - perfect start to my stay here. The night skyline of London was gorgeous, with the Big Ben, Tower bridge, London eye and Waterloo bridge illuminated in its glory, such a sight to behold (except that it was quite painful to stand there in the bitter cold)

Cold winter, but so heartwarming that we had to shed our coats after we disembarked ♥ 

God save the Queen,

19 January 2013

The days are getting colder, for we are approaching the midst of Winter. It hasn't started to snow yet, much to my dismay - but it's freezing and I can feel it down in my bones. Got in touch with a Hongkong girl before I came to England, and we decided to meet up at Buckingham palace - she's really sweet and demure. Half past noon, we're standing in front of the gates barely knowing each other - but it's cold and we clicked immediately in a common goal for warmth. A nearby tea kiosk saves the day and rekindles my faith in surviving winter! Armed with my tea, we walk on in awe of the majestic palace and the slow-dying trees around. I feel every part of my body inching towards any glimpse of a sun ray.

It was a pleasure meeting you Manyi throughout my stay in London ♥ Please take me to the best dimsum places in Hongkong if I do ever come visit hehehe ^^

Mounting lions,

9 January 2013

Settling in didn't take much time - friends avisiting, pub grub taking over the simple ole Asian fare, laughing at the occasional horse poop near Horse guards parade and gallivanting amongst the lions of Trafalgar. Standing as tall as lions, as the winter unfolds - bring it on mother nature show me whatcha got. Post-note to self after 6 months: Brr, mother nature is not to be messed with.

Moving in,

The first week of moving is all about expectations and reality setting in - although my flatmates and I all come from different countries (and continents!), it's amazing how we can get along so well with each other and for that I'm truly thankful ♥ Administration wise, it was a huge headache. We had some trouble settling payments since all of us were international students and overseas transfers take time to get verified. Not surprisingly, it took a long while for us to get hold of our keys, which was such a pain for me and Yvonne as we arrived early January and had no place to crash. We also had problems with the heating system, and I remember that faithful night where we had to boil a pot of water to keep ourselves warm in the kitchen (winter woes). Later on, we also realized that our inventory report ridiculously states that the electricity gas meter was "too far high up to be read" which obviously warranted a lot of giggles from us! But such is the queer (and infectious) charm of Brit coolness, because here I am sitting by Mornington crescent station having a cuppa Earl grey tea at Costa coffee. Rewinding back, Yvonne meets me at the coffee place with her second hand pink bike she bought on Gumtree and we walk back to the apartment. As the other two girls arrived much later in London, we had to lug back an ambitious amount of cutlery, heavy kitchenware, pots and pans and whatnots back home in the winter cold all by ourselves - welcome to independent living.

But after all the hassle, the 'We finally got our house keys bitches!' moment was immensely satisfying, and the rest as we know it is history ♥

Christmas market,

I usually stay home for family gatherings during the december period and not travel out, hence it was my first time attending a Christmas market amidst the winter season. So, within the first few days of arriving in London, R brought me down to the Winter wonderland in Hyde park. Albeit the cold, the Christmas spirit was really heartwarming and the different cuisines were pretty alluring (not the prices though). While it sounds gimmicky, it was worth the trip down for the atmosphere and the mood in itself.

Tried mulled wine with Viking's blood and loved it - something tells me that warmth, wine and winter can never go wrong together. And amazingly after this shot, the angelic boy who posed for the photograph shoved a 'Tips' cup in front of us, nice one there lad.

Sauerkraut, German sausages and roasted potatoes for dinner, which was extremely filling if you ask me - cost us 7.50 pounds of yummy goodness. Our wonderful chocolate crepe cost about 4 pounds!

There were tons of games around like any good carnival should have - so we invested in this hoop game. Tried relentlessly to aim it into the bottle neck, it's harder than it seems really! Finally stopped after coming to terms on how we were just throwing pounds away, but it was quite fun seeing everyone's ialmostwonamillionbucks face (disclaimer: they were giving out reindeers)

Outdoor concerts and beer despite the cold, I'm loving it.

Tacky looking oriental pavillion that served chinese wok noodles

Soiled our shoes on our way out, but it was a night well spent even though it got really cold towards the end (the icy wind was just pushing it) Definitely worth a visit with your friends and family if you're into carnivals!

Winter wonderland 
Annual event 
Hyde Park, W2 2UH, London
More information here