Racy Lim 

As an inhabitant of the Earth, I am constantly reminded of its perishability. It seems only right that we give thanks to our space and treasure what borrowed time we have by taking care of the very element that holds and sustains us, instead of contributing to its destruction. 

We never marvel enough about the fact that we share the very same space as species that walked on this earth millions of years ago. As we claim the space for future use, are we simultaneously eroding the history of our space – just like the beings that have long since been gone?

Swedish folk band Brothers Among Wera - made up of Wera Westholm, Linus Hasselberg, Roméo Sjöberg, Viktor Henriksson, John Kenntoft Hof, Mårten Hasselberg and Ludvig Jerner - sought inspiration from their love and appreciation of nature and our roots into their latest release, Mammoth.

We spoke to the band’s guitarist, Linus, to find out more about the song and the concept behind their inspiring music video.

Your band has an interesting beginning. You initially played together and went on separate ways for a while, then came together again as a seven-piece collective. I am sure our readers would love to learn the full story!

We were 19 and had something to escape from. I think we shared the urge to do something else after playing together for a long while. I went to Latin America, Wera to Berlin and the others did what they had to do. What we all learned from being apart for such a long time was that we needed it and did the right thing. Three years was not a day too much. You cannot force a good project to emerge or proceed - it needs air, space and of course, time. And time is what we gave it.

Why the name 'Brothers Among Wera'? 

It is meant to symbolise the brotherhood around our singer, Wera. Also, my older brother plays keyboard in the band and our family home has been the base for the band. We have had a lot of band meetings there and shot our first video for Land of The Free in the living room. We also produced the first sketches for the first EP in that basement. So the name is intended to describe the project as a family-run one. 

What do you usually write about? 

For the most part, the subjects are very ordinary. The songs could be about anything - it is the angles and the contexts surrounding them that would be the interesting part. I try to make all the lyrics I write uncomfortably personal but at the same time, very universal. That is a huge challenge and therefore what I like to do most. It is never easy to be brutally honest and personal, and communicate that with people that do not know you. 

In All That We Don’t Have, I tried portraying the complexity of relationships - how you will always dream about something you do not have. It is an inevitable part of human nature and you cannot blame yourself for that. But you can choose whether or not you approach life that way, such as fulfilling your constant need to climb higher in society, or searching for something you think you want in your relationships. At the same time, it is the most personal song for me. It is almost sexual in its intimacy. 

Life is changing, and life has just begun
tell your stories, smile and make me come 

I work very hard with my lyrics and I like to get them just right. It is a very self-exploratory act and they change a lot during the process.

Mammoth reminds me of a cry to save the space that we live in. What is the song really about? 

You got it!

What is it then, about our space, or the Mammoth, or nature that you feel so strongly about? 

They are everything, aren’t they? Our space, all the different species sharing it, and Mother Nature who rules it all. These are what we all write songs, books, and lectures about, only from different perspectives. This angle would be the most basic or simple one; the lyrics describe mankind (or the mammoth if you so will) almost as a godly phenomena or a force being thrown down on Earth for a reason we know absolutely nothing about. For me, that is much more interesting than lots of other things mankind has created during its short stay on this planet. 

There is a lot of nakedness - of people, sea, snow and animals - in the music video. What is the story behind the concept?

In the video, Wera is playing the Mammoth, and she also communicates with the last living species before her. It is an extinct race, just like the human race will be one day. We are just as endangered as the last mammoth was a couple of hours before it disappeared from the surface of earth – still, the mammoth lives on inside of us. 

I wanted to portray nakedness like it really is. Not the way you see it in movies or commercial posters. I think we really captured that - the bodies are very non-sexual and you look at them more as flesh than anything else. Swedes are brilliant with getting naked. We do this every winter - sauna-bathing and then roll around in the snow. While Wera represents the individual alone in the wilderness, searching for somewhere to die in peace, the naked people represent the opposite spectrum – a very ecstatic and euphoric state of mind. 

Sadly, people have been reporting this video to YouTube. We had to take it down for a week because of these warnings - our YouTube channel could be shut down any day because of this but we decided to take that risk. Apparently, Miley Cyrus can lick a sledgehammer completely naked for three minutes, but when you show one or two nipples rolling around in the snow, you get censored. That seems like how the world works.

Mammoth certainly looks like it was a lot of fun to shoot. Tell us about the production process! 

The video was shot in both Sweden and Iceland. Kentsdottir Production is a Stockholm-based production company with roots in Iceland. They are amazing and it was fantastically fun to shoot and work with all the naked actors. They did not complain about anything. I just had to run and get them a bottle of wine every once in a while!

What do you do on your free time to prepare for the next songwriting or music-making session? 

Travel. I had just been to Mexico for almost three months, where I came up with the idea for Mammoth. I also filmed with a fantastic production company, Adrenorama, for our next video. I try to work hard when I am working, and rest hard when I am resting. It is easier said than done. Somehow, you are always working anyway.

What lies in the future for Brothers Among Wera? 
We are releasing a video in June, doing a couple of shows this summer but most exciting of all, our first full-length album comes out this fall. We have been working on it for two years now and cannot wait to get it out.

Find Brothers Among Wera here.

Racy Lim

Mooziq held its pioneer gig at the laidback Bacon & Booze in the heart of Punggol End. The drizzle failed to deter support as the crowd had already built a heartwarming full house half an hour after band of the night, The Tripsters (formerly ‘THreshold’), played their first song. The platform’s founder, Joel Ee, was kept busy hosting gig-goers and settling logistics, even having to hunt for extra chairs at one point.

Mooziq is run by Joseph Goh and co-founders, Joel Ee and Joel Lam. Once musicians themselves, the team understands a struggle that any starting musician is bound to face – finance. Money may not buy you happiness, but it sure is needed to feed yourself. Often, what budding musicians earn per gig is not sufficient to pay for bills, meals and essentially, music gear.

The Tripsters embraced the night seaside setting and stirred our hearts with their interpretations of tender songs like Love Me Like You Do, Somewhere Only We Know, Thinking Out Loud and more.

We can expect more of such intimate shows at cafés, bars and other venues around Singapore. Mooziq sets to bring about a new phenomenon in appreciating local music, involving not only musicians but music-listeners as well.

What inspired Mooziq?
Mooziq was created for Musicians by Musicians. All of us on the team used to be active musicians but we realised that our passion was not something we could build our eventual careers around. Considering the hours put into practice and the costs of renting a rehearsal studio, the amounts we earned were barely enough to cover our living expenses. Our band mates decided to get full time jobs after completing their education and that really affected our progress. 

One of the ways that we thought was plausible was to encourage a culture of paying the musicians instead of paying for the music. We are currently trying to promote this by implementing a tips-based system for performers. A similar concept to this is the free walking tours provided by SANDEMANs New Europe.  Each tour has a tips-based remuneration system where the guide earns solely from tips. Basically, the guide’s income is fully dependent on how much people have enjoyed the tour and this motivates them to give a good tour.

Coming back to Mooziq, we intend to change the way live music is experienced by granting the audience the power to support musicians they love. Likewise, this means that musicians benefit even more financially when they give better performances. This also provides budding musicians the openings they need to break into the commercial entertainment scene. With a tips-based system, we also allow venues to ‘try out’ bands before committing to a contract. Ultimately, we hope to open up more venues to more bands as the associated risk is ameliorated.

Where do you see Mooziq progressing from here?

Our debut gig saw a much higher turnout than expected and we are very encouraged by it. Our short-term goals are to empower musicians by supporting them financially and opening up more avenues for publicity and performances. In the long run, we aim to revolutionise the culture of local music around the world starting with Singapore. We want to allow aspiring musicians everywhere to have equal opportunities as more established musicians do. Whether they are writing originals, recording covers or just performing, we wish to see a world where musicianship is a cultural norm and audiences have the power to support any musician they love. We want musicians to have the power to be heard wherever they are in the world.

What did you see in the local music scene that propelled you into creating Mooziq?

Having been involved in the music scene as musicians for about a decade, we think the current local music scene has tremendous potential. However, we have also witnessed many talented musicians fade away. The reasons they cited for leaving the music scene were pragmatic; they were not able to pay their bills, there were not enough opportunities and there was social stigma. The fact that a musician may be anything but a professional has also resulted in others around them advising them against following their dreams. Having heard all of these reasons, we wish to change the situation.

As much as being a musician is about the passion for music and the performance, there is the desire to be able to ‘live’ instead of merely ‘surviving’. We believe that by giving musicians the opportunity to perform, feel appreciated and more importantly, the financial capabilities, we can drive real change in the music scene - first in Singapore, then regionally and hopefully across the globe.

Mooziq has been making improvements on user interface, branding and live shows. How has the feedback been from musicians and audience?

The musicians we have reached out to love the idea because we are putting the spotlight on them. We are also giving them the opportunity to do what they love and to do their best. Receiving appreciation for their efforts is something musicians love about Mooziq’s tipping system. We personally know musicians who would do all of that without any remuneration, even paying out of their own pockets just to play live. But that is the magic of the tipping system – it is not just about getting paid but also being appreciated and gaining control of your life and career.

The first gig was a great success, and we could not have asked for a better audience. The bar was fully packed and the audience had a great time with The Tripsters and loved the concept because they now have a legitimised platform to give back to the musicians if they wanted to. However, we feel there is still a need to continue to drive the message that our musicians are people with lives to lead and families to feed it is through paying them that they will have the incentive to provide us with the entertainment we love.

We are also currently streamlining our platform to make sure it is convenient for people to show their appreciation towards musicians. This allows audiences to better discover local musicians they love, performance or music wise.

How do you hope to work with the audience in making sure that Mooziq is here to stay and benefit local musicians in the long run, apart from urging people to tip?

Music is a tricky business to be in because we have to satisfy both the audience and the musician. Tipping is just the tip (pun intended!) of the iceberg for us and is just a representation of the core concept we are pushing for – increasing the level of intimacy between audience and musician.

Whether live or on record, what compels people to pay for music is the relationship that the audience has with the musician. We aim to change the culture of music from one where musicians are ‘in service’ to the people, to one of mutual respect where musicians and the audience are one.

Find Mooziq here and here.
Mooziq : Live’s second hosted event at Hood Bar and Cafe will feature bands KR Rockers and Efficient Public Transport. Be sure to head down on 28^th June, 7.45pm onwards.

Racy Lim

Dru Chen describes himself as a bit of a history book when it comes to music making. The Melbourne singer revels in music from the 50s to present day. Without a doubt, watching Dru live leaves you in awe. The first time I saw Dru perform was at an intimate set. In that short duration, I felt like I was being given a temporary escape from everything around me, where all that mattered was breathing in soulful perspectives about life and love in the form of funk vibes and letting your body spin instinctively to the music.

 

Known for songs like Turnaround and You Bring Out The Best In Me, Dru also composed other hopeful songs like Lovelight and Involved. Dru’s new single, You Got It Babe, proves his progress as a maturing musician with a polished sound that is still imbued with a graceful honesty that lives in all his songs.


An artist who sees the need to get in touch with himself and his surroundings to wholly concentrate on his craft, Dru has a multitude of refreshing ideas on what makes the success of a musician.

How would you describe your musical style?
Soulful. Sensual. Funky. Authentic. Vintage.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing your own music?
I love older styles of music, specifically all the permutations of rhythm & blues, soul, funk and rock from the 1950s to today. I draw inspiration from the past. Turnaround was a looped ‘90s neo-soul piece while You Bring Out The Best In Me was drawn from ‘70s Stevie Wonder and Sly & The Family Stone. Right now, I’m working on a bit of a Beatlesque track that has funky southern gospel guitar-playing with an unquantised, staggered hip-hop feel to the beat.

Lyrically, my words flow from what is happening in real life - relationships, struggles, happiness, gratitude, regret, love and beauty. I often find myself free-styling lyrics while recording. I like it when songs flow like speech. I find this method the most immediate and honest. Later on, I would work on individual words to make them fit better poetically and tonally.

Congratulations on receiving radio airplay across the world! Which of your songs do you feel are underrated and would like people to listen to more?
Thank you! I would like to highlight Trainwrecks from my Intentions EP.

I wrote this when I was 16. It was about my first high school relationship as well as myself questioning all of the feelings that came with it. It is definitely one of my more honest, raw and revealing songs. A lot of my Singaporean friends are into this track. I think Singaporeans appreciate honesty and vulnerability in music.

How did you come to the decision to concentrate on your own writing over a Berklee Scholarship?
I got the scholarship at 19. At that time, I was already out there playing in four different bands with varying genres. I was also writing a lot of material at home in a myriad of styles. I guess I needed to do some soul-searching and find a style I could call my own. I took some time off to do that, away from the pressures of going to Berklee and the US. Now, I feel like I can bring my own sound to new audiences around the world.

How would you define success?
Success is such a relative thing. It can be as simple as waking up feeling good about yourself, something that is often easier said than done. Ultimately, to me, success is about finding inner peace and consistently practising healthy living habits in mind, body and spirit. Of course, it was no doubt very encouraging to be offered the opportunity for the Berklee Scholarship and for someone as gifted, strong, artistic and funky as Kimbra to dig my jams!

What would you like to accomplish in the process of becoming a successful musician?
First and foremost, I would like to say that I hope the journey towards success and self-improvement never ends. To quote my good friend, singer-songwriter Inch Chua, “satisfaction is the utter death of the artist”.

Having said that, I do have some things I want to accomplish. I want to build a good team around me. I want to give my songs the best homes for them to flourish in. By that, I mean getting them to the right places like having them be used in the right films and shows.

When we say 'head in the clouds', people sometimes see it as living in a fantasy or associate it with unrealistic thinking. As far as music and art goes, is it necessary and possible to do so and yet remain rooted at the same time?
I see it as a business move and part of the brainstorming process to ‘dream big’. Place no limits on your creativity or fantasies. Then break it down objectively, preferably with a team of people who have your best interests at heart. Your plans will be grounded in the reality of music-making while your inspiration and ideas will be limitless. Work every day towards building and executing your plan. It is an on-going process and everything affects everything else. That is the same for life, geography, relationships, family, health and happiness. Yes, it is possible to be a dreamer and have your feet on the ground at the same time. It takes the help of others and it takes practice.

To whom and what would you give credit to for your current success?
Anybody who has ever bought a CD or checked out a video online. People who have opened themselves up and let the groove and vibes flow through them at a show. Music is a two-way exchange from performer to audience. We are all just putting vibes out into the universe, trying to create a bit of magic.

I would also like to thank my mentors, friends, family, musicians and the forefathers in music and art. Anybody who has ever asked me for my opinion, or shared his or her opinions with me. Bootlegs - lots of live bootlegs and studio outtakes. My uncle’s vinyl collection. The list goes on.

Lastly, what gives a musician his/her success, besides creating good music?
Self-awareness. You need to know how you operate best and put yourself in a positive headspace. For me, that means treating songwriting like a game. It is like creative play in childhood. My personality type according to the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator is ‘Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving’ (ISFP), which is the classic “composer” or “artist” type that thrives on individualism and sensory possibilities.

I bring out my creativity by being in nature, going for long walks and trying out new sounds and styles. Know what makes you tick and tap into that inspiration. Be consistent and fall in love with learning! That gives you staying power. “Success” will come when you least expect it, but you would have already put in all the groundwork in the process!

Lixin Tan

Phaan is a fashion design student, blogger, and freelance illustrator based in Bangkok, Thailand. She runs julibaker and summer, a blog cum online shop where she documents her works and sells her art.

How did you come up with the name julibaker and summer? Is there a story behind it?

I know that many people are curious about the name of my blog and shop. The story is quite simple; “Juli Baker” is actually derived from Juliana Baker, the name of one of the main characters in my favourite movies, Flipped, while “Summer” is derived from (500) Days of Summer, another one of my favourite movies.

What inspires you and your art? 

I must say that everything can inspire me. Films, music, art pieces or even just a sentence or two from conversations I’ve had or heard inspire me. But if I had to pick one, films influence my work the most because I have a very strong interest in surrealist films and this is reflected in my designs. 

Tell us more about your creative processes. What directs your style or your choice of medium in each piece of work? 

I believe my work processes are just like other illustrators’. I usually start by observing my surroundings and recording my observations in a sketchbook that I bring along with me wherever I go. When I am ready to start on an art piece, I simply look through my sketchbook for ideas. I think a sketchbook is the best place for designers to store their ideas.

Art and craft is a huge part my identity; I love to do things by hand and I definitely prefer this form of art over digital art. I do believe in this quote – “Perfect is boring.” I love unexpected or accidental results.

What are some projects that you are currently working on? 

I am working on a pocket book that contains illustrations of my trip to the UK last year. The illustrations are mainly of people I’ve met, interesting experiences and art places that I recommend.

In May 2015, I am going to be a fashion and film columnist for Cheeze, one of my favourite street fashion magazines in Thailand. 

We love your bag collection! Tell us more about it. What inspired you to produce these bags? Can you also share your production process with us? 

I am a Beatlemania; I love everything about the The Beatles. My bag collection is inspired by their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as well as the ladybug. The entire process starts with general ideas and concepts for the bags, followed by the actual designs. After that, I send my designs to the seamstress for production. The final stage of the process is marketing and promotion for which I create a lookbook for the bags. 

From Can You Paint With All The Colors of the Wind

We really love your art, including your fashion sketches. Have you thought about designing and producing apparel for your own brand? Why or why not?

The fashion collections are for my programme at Chulalongkorn University. Doing fashion business in Thailand is not easy – you need to have huge budgets and investments, and at the moment, I’m not ready to enter the fashion industry. I want to have more time to learn and to explore, and perhaps someday when I feel ready enough I would consider it seriously. 

We notice that you make references to various movies like Amélie and My Life in Pink in your work. How have these films directed your art? My Life in Pink in particular has a very strong message that addresses certain social issues or causes (e.g. transgenderism). How do you think this has influenced your work?

As I mentioned earlier, films always inspire me. Both Amélie and My Life in Pink are unique to me and I thought that every single frame and scene in the films were composed beautifully. I have incorporated the mood, tone and other elements from both films in my work. My Life in Pink teaches us that people are different and that we should embrace such diversity. Hence, in my collection Once You’re Not a Boy, Ludovic, I mixed up the feminine and masculine details.

From Once You’re Not a Boy, Ludovic

What do you hope to achieve in your creative work in the next five years? Where do you see yourself?

Within the next five years, I may have completed my master’s degree, but even then I will still be a freelance illustrator and perhaps open up my very own art school. I will also continue travelling and perhaps work on new pocket books to collect my travel experiences.

Read Phaan's blog here. Follow her here and here. 

Racy Lim

For Perth’s indie rock band Tired Lion, a deep love for old school bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Hole is the very thing that their own music springs from. Often-called “Australia’s Indie Grunge Darlings”, the band acknowledges that the term “helps a lot when people when people want a brief description of the band”, but does not let that title limit them, often venturing into other forms of writing styles and pulling from all kinds of genres.

To date, Tired Lion has released an EP titled All We Didn’t Know, and has played countless live sets around Western Australia, a testament to their emerging presence in the music scene. Singaporeans also had the chance to witness their boundless energy as they graced the local stage at Music Matters Live in 2014.

So far, 2015 has been a whirlwind of tours with fellow acts like Australian and British punk rock bands Luca Brasi and Gnarwolves, as well as Melbourne rock band Kingswood, but Tired Lion will not be resting just yet, with more shows lined up this year.

I sat down (virtually) with the easy-going and unabashedly honest trio made up of Ethan, Matt and Sophie. 

How did the name, Tired Lion, come about?

Our first bass player said it when we were doing some recordings and it kind of stuck. Other options seemed to be less appealing so we just went with it.

Grunge has a more stripped-down sound as compared to other rock music and that is reflected in your songs. What specific genres do you pull from, other than grunge?

Ethan: I listen to pretty much anything except for screamo metal so I think those styles all bring something different to the jamming room. I like to check out other styles to keep my ears fresh. I find that listening to the same styles leads to no musical motivation.

We are [also] extremely open to doing what the song needs. If the song needs electronic drum grooves and synths, we will do it! We probably will not be doing that anytime soon, though.

How did the band form? 

Matt and Sophie and I (Ethan) went to the same high school and began jamming pretty early on. We became comfortable with each other so when the time came to create Tired Lion, it just worked. We had different bass players at first, but when Nick, our current bass player, came into the equation, it clicked.

How do you translate your friendship into your songs?

I think being comfortable has a lot to do with it – if you can sit in a room, share an idea with three people and be prepared for them to say that it sucks or that it is great, you are putting a lot on the line. Sometimes there are tears and smiles but it all helps the band to write the next song.

Desperate, from All We Didn’t Know, has a slightly harsher punch as compared to your other songs. What were your thoughts when writing and producing the song?

This song was written at a time when we all were feeling the pressures of life in some form or another so I think we just put all that aggression into the song. Cliché, I know, but you’ve got to be honest.

How was it like performing at venues such as Music Matters Live in Singapore and sharing the stage with The 1975? 

We all share the same idea that no matter what or where the performance is, we have to play our best. Both gigs have moments that we will never forget for similar and different reasons, but they were amazing experiences and we are very privileged. 

Tell our readers what can we expect from Tired Lion next! 

We are all feeling pretty proud of this release and think it captures Tired Lion best to date. The songs came together well and we felt a deeper connection with them so I think it was a more mature and honest recording process. We are putting all our energy into ensuring the next release is going to be honest to the band. We have some great shows lined up for the year as well and we are really pumped for that.

Listen to music from Tired Lion here. Discover more of Tired Lion here.

Joey Aziel Tan

Wallflowers Mag is proud to present our new series, Passion | Vocation, where we trace the creative lives of people whose passions have not been diluted by their vocations, and for some even exist in perfect tandem with their vocations. In a world where money seems to be the driving force of humanity, passion is often cast aside as something one pursues in their spare time, or is only available as a livelihood for a fortunate few. As such, when we come across people who manage to combine their passions with their vocations, or pursue their passions with such intensity despite a seemingly contrasting vocation, it strikes a chord in our souls as we dream for such courage and, ultimately, passion, to chase such a path.

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#2

Nathaniel Yeo

Hi Nathaniel, tell us about yourself!
I'm a tattoo artist (in some circles I'm known as a tattoer) based in Singapore and working at Think Tattoo Studio at Far East Plaza. Tattooing, to me, is addictive and really fun and enriching, as there isn't a proverbial glass ceiling or any restrictive measures to this craft unlike, say, a watercolour artist, where you would be pretty much restricted to a certain style or vibe in terms of the stuff you create.

So where does your passion stem from?
Here's the shocker. I'm not an art student and I never learnt art back in school. As a matter of fact, I was trained in electrical engineering at Ngee Ann Poly. My love for drawing and subsequently tattooing stems from observing my brother when I was young.

To me, it's very surreal to be able to see my imagination come to life on the chosen medium, be it paper, skin or canvas. He taught me the joy of creating something simply from imagination, and the pleasures of seeing them materialise in front of me. It goes without saying that I realised this fact after I started drawing and seeing the end results for myself.

My brother is definitely my greatest inspiration and influence. Of course, there are also many others that inspire me as well. They are local graffiti artist Antz and the website ffffound.

What drew you into the tattoo artist industry? You mentioned that you're working as an apprentice under your brother at a shop now? Tell us more about it. 

As I mentioned before, tattooing is the perfect amalgamation of sculpting and painting for me. It also evolves and develops a certain character as you age. What's not to love about a canvas that is alive and ever-changing! 

The mindset and approach I’ve adopted regarding tattooing are influenced greatly by my brother who is also my mentor. As he always says to me, “To be able to etch something into someone that will essentially last forever is an honour.” 

As an apprentice at the shop, I get to see both the artistic and technical aspect of the industry. There are so many things to learn this industry, with something new popping up every day and surprising me!

What's one thing about the tattoo industry that most people don't know about? Could you give us an interesting case or customer that you've encountered? 

The most common thing would be that tattooing takes time and effort, so don't expect to get something intricate and colourful in say, one hour! Another interesting fact is that the pain level of tattooing itself doesn't depend on the amount of needle used, but rather is more dependent on the area inflicted. 

I once had a customer come in in a hurry to get a tattoo done, and it turned out she was getting tattoos from cities that she had travelled to as a souvenir of sorts, kind of like a passport collection of immigration stamps. But she had to get it right before she flew back to her country which left me with nary enough time to do her "新加波” (Singapore) tattoo, and I had a grand total of fifteen minutes to finish it. It was very stressful situation but the smile on her face after I was finished with it made me glad that I could accommodate her unusual time frame for a tattoo! 

Nathaniel at the International Tattoo Convention at Frankfurt, 2015

You mentioned before that you and your brother travel quite a lot for work. Tell us more about that. 

My brother used to tour Europe frequently every year for a while, to the extent that he'd only spend four months in Singapore and the rest overseas attending conventions and guest spots at his friends’ studios. To date, we have covered Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Frankfurt, Rome, Naples, Milan, Paris, Kaohsiung, Taipei, Hong Kong and London. We travel to some of these places every year now, usually from March to April or May. 

Being a tattoer sounds incredible! Nat, tell us about your line of artwork that is available for browsing and purchasing on your Instagram. What inspires them, the themes you have and maybe even your choice of human bodies as the canvas? 

I have a batch of sketches available for tattoo-ing right now. They may also be purchased as prints for decorations. Most of them are inspired by my everyday thought processes, and the specific style of artwork I am pursing as of now, which are the the New-Traditional and New-School styles of tattoos.

The New-Traditional style consists of piecing together random imagery to form one image, which is pretty fun and challenging for me. It can also originate from some classic traditional tattoo you typically see on sailors but illustrated with more details and brighter colours.

The New-School style consists of a cartoon-style of drawing with dynamic angles, such that you can sort of see movement in the drawing itself! Not to mention the mandatory vibrant colours and stark contrast, of course. You can be sure I'm constantly evolving my style of drawing to further create a unique style.

As of now I'm doing a series on yokai which are Japanese demons but it's not all gnarly and demonic. Some of them are in fact your everyday items like an umbrella or lamp! I'm drawing a series of 99 of them from my perspective on them. Most of these tattoos you see on my Instagram page are available for tattooing, and the price ranges from SGD150 to 250. This is a promotion of sorts I'm offering at the moment to fill up my portfolio with as much of my work as possible. 

As a tattoer, what changes do you hope to see in Singapore? 

I wish to see the art scene in Singapore grow bigger than it is! I also hope that people will be more acclimatised to tattooing being a form of art, a personal and private way to showcase one's personality or life using their bodies.

And finally, what would you like to say to those who have questions about chasing their passion and their choice of vocation? 

I'd say go for it! Learn all you can from the basics up and derive your own take on it! Make everything you do a fun process; this way things don't get boring and bland down the road and it makes each and every day an interesting one. After all, it's your passion! 

Check out Nathaniel's work here. 

Kristie Ng

Grace Ciao is a fashion illustrator and a full-time business undergraduate at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her style mainly involves the utilisation of markers and water colours. Recently, Grace started conceptualizing creative fashion outfits by integrating real flower petals into her sketches, and the online reception has been overwhelming, gathering many newfound fans via social media. The affirmative response to Grace’s works has further motivated her to venture deeper into this area.

When did you start pursuing the arts? What sparked your interest?
I have loved fashion designing since I was young. Throughout childhood, I was wildly fascinated by the many unique get-ups featured in runway shows on TV, and subsequently began drawing several of these inspiring designs in my sketchbook. At 7, I started creating miniature dresses for my Barbie dolls with the scrap cloth given to me by my grandma!

Why flowers? What inspired you to fuse flowers with fashion? Do you have a favourite flower?
Interestingly, my blending of flowers with fashion stemmed from a purely accidental episode. It so happened that I was working on one of my illustrations one day and a semi-wilting rose on my desk caught my attention. It was really pretty initially and I found it a pity that its beauty was so short-lived. It was then that the idea of immortalizing their elegance struck me. Wanting to preserve their beauty, I quickly began adding them to the illustrations I was composing and to my most pleasant surprise, they turned out pretty decent!

Working with flower petals is really thrilling, even more so because I am a fervent lover of nature and its spectacular landscapes. Every type and subtype of flower has petals that are unique in their own way, in terms of the shape, size, colour, and pattern. Usually, I explore the textures and patterns of my selected petals, then quickly sketch a design. My featured designs range from everyday wear, to bridal dresses and haute couture. I especially love working with flowers that embody different shades of each colour. Some examples would be lilies and carnations. They have inspired me to create prints which I otherwise would not have thought of. I think petals work really well for illustration because their delicacy and exquisiteness mimic those of a soft fabric. For instance, the gentle, fabric-like quality of roses allows me to create folds for flare skirts.

While flowers form the main premise of my projects these days, I have also started playing around with other materials. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with embellishments like crystals and rhinestones in my illustrations.

Your book illustrations and fashion illustrations have very distinct styles. Of which are you more inclined towards?
I guess it’s natural that my approach and technique for these two areas differ, since what appears in a fiction book is vastly different from the content in fashion magazines. While I am honestly more inclined towards fashion designing, I feel that once in a while it’s good to also lend focus to my book illustrations. Shifting my focus around from time to time accords me a fresh and perhaps even different perspective when I return to my fashion illustrations.

What do you hope to achieve with your art? Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?
My dream is for my fashion illustrations to materialise in reality. This is why I usually contemplate the feasibility and appeal of my designs assuming they emerge in clothing lines and retail shops. Therefore, while I try to be as imaginative as I can, I do consider the element of realism in my projects as well.

I'm thinking of going to fashion school sometime after graduating from NUS and I hope to get a scholarship! In 5 years’ time, I aspire to have established a private label. It is my dream to see my creations exhibited on the runway. Right now, I'm thinking of concentrating on haute couture.

At the present moment I have a few collaboration requests and I’m really heartened that people are noticing and recognizing my work. It is with an eager and gratified heart that I would like to continue sharing my designs and ideas with people from different parts of the world.

Any words of advice for aspiring artists?

"Joy is a flower that blooms when you do". 

This quote encapsulates what I firmly believe in: investing in my interests and strengths, and allowing the joy that follows to envelop me.

I am genuinely happy that I acted on my penchant for designing. If not for that, I would not be where I am today. I strongly encourage budding artists to fearlessly pursue their passion for art, because it is fast becoming a universal form of self-expression and communication in today’s world. Starting out may be fraught with challenges, and this was the same for me, but that sense of gratification and bliss when your effort is acknowledged and endorsed – it’s inexplicably overwhelming and makes you realise that all that you’ve dedicated to your passion is worth it.

Find Grace here and here for more of her stunning works! She also gives fashion illustration courses; do sign up on her website!