I found my hand written blog! Just last night, I was still upset about the lost and decide to re-write Monster Print, but today, I found it! Ha… ha… Here it is.

I must apologies for not writing for so long again. This is already my 2^nd or 3^rd time I apologize, so terrible of me. But please forgive me. I am really busy with the planning and organizing of this year Singapore Arts Street 2009 @ South East. And with the H1N1 thingy going on, I have a lot of last minute cancellation of performance by many schools and thus extra work.

Even though the long working hours, I am still good and happy J. That is the huge different with working for the sake of working or working for interest. I love my job, duty, responsibility, everything about SAS, I am enjoying myself!

I am glad, really glad with myself for being very careful for the selection of my career. At least I go to work happy even if I have to work long hours and sometime on public holidays. Dragging myself up each morning, trying to find excuse not wanting to go to work is something I once did and experience and something I really hate.

So, when you chose your career or thinking of having a career change, think twice. Do you have the passion and interest in this job? If your answer is no, I will advise you look for another job. One cannot go far or achieve much with no interest or passion.

Juan 

10 July 2009 

Why Monster Print? I remember Ms Chng Seok Tin told me before that a lot of people have no idea what is printmaking. It is also not been appreciated by many. Actually, personally, I love printmaking. I like the challenge I face each phrase – like any art, we got to first conceptualize, then the effect we want to achieve. Once you decide on the 2 points, you got to choose the material you want to use to create the plate. The fun and challenge thing about printmaking is that you will not be able to fully know the end outcome or print you’ll get or achieve. When the plate is completed, you got to decide on the paper (different paper gives you different effect, please also note that I’ve cut short the process, there’re so much more one need to know about each stage of printmaking then what I had written). Ok, back to Why Monster Print, I thought the best way to capture attention is introduce printmaking to public by means of the creation of the plate and to let the public try out the plate. There was a lot of experiment to be done, a lot of thinking and planning require as this plate will be create by people who had no idea what is printmaking, it was sure a challenge! Thank god, Ms Chng is a very experience printmaker and a very patient one too J

We need to create a plate that is easy to do. But we had no idea how and what to use to create it. After some discussion with Ms Chng, we decide to started with plastercine, it was easy to create to create, we just need to roll and flatten the plastercine and start to create the artwork. The print turn out lovely but the only problem is that the plate will not last as plastercine will not be harden / dry. It’ll always remain soft, therefore after a few print, it’ll be flatten. We went on and try a few other materials before we decide on air-dry clay.

We tried a few brand of clay and roll them on different backing, but without success. We first roll and glue it directly on cardboard and wood, but both crack and warp. Some brand of clay turns chalky which can’t produce nice print others was not smooth. When we finally decide on the brand, we quickly order but soon realize that it was out of stock!!! We then got to accept our 2^nd option.

Next, we got to solve the warping problem. We found an expert on air-dry clay and her advised was to dry both side (top & bottom) as evenly as possible. In order to achieve that, we soon realize that we need to change diaper for our plate. YES, diaper. Why do I called it diaper? Cos the newspaper we put at both bottom and top got wet after a while and for the plate to dry faster, we got to keep changing them, just like baby diaper

Now, we’re ready to teach and guide the public! We got children from 10 years old and elderly that is 80years old to create the plate. We took 3 days to create all the plates, very tiring but fulfilling J. They love it and even ask for more! The changing of diapers for all the plates was tiring and we got to change it twice each day. We had to be very careful while changing in case we crack or break the plate.

To put all plate together and touching up was no easy job either but all was worthwhile. It proof to be a success when we finally put up on the event J.

I sure hope there will be more such project as we really engage and introduce the arts to the community not just exhibiting.

Juan 

July 2009 

On 29 May, yes more then a week ago was 1 of the most efficient day I ever had for many many months & the best so far for creating new features with no reference! I was on a retreat, to a chalet. My colleagues went for a meeting while I was left alone to tend to the empty chalet while waiting for the BBQ food to be delivered. I bought some warm bread, make myself a good cup of hot coffee, blast the air-con and with my note book and a pen, I started thinking & planning my arts carnival. Wow, trust me, I was freezing cold (I blasted the air-con, we can’t have such cold weather in Singapore, super warm!) and had such a good time enjoying hot coffee and warm bread, I was able to concentrate and focus and not only did I complete some basic cost, I was able to come up with 2 new features! Well, not totally completed but at least a seed for my co-founder & myself to brainstorm together. But soon, I was too cold and dry up, so I decide to move outdoor. What a right decision, but wait!

I was still dry with no inspiration. Then I ask myself, why can’t I get some inspiration from things around me. One should appreciate simple and common elements / things that are easily available, not neglecting their present and taking them for granted (which most people do, taking people and things around for granted, expecting them to be there for them forever). I started searching on the ground, I saw some pebbles and wow lah, an inspiration hits! I was so please with myself, pebbles, easily found around and yet so many ignore their presents and their quality. I name the new feature – Ouch! Ouch! Ha..ha… why that name? It was name by my nephew many years ago when he was just a few years old, he walk on some pebbles (suppose to be some foot reflexology) and started groaning ‘ouch! ouch!’, from then on, he called it ‘Ouch! Ouch!’. Thank you, Kevan J

Then I started looking around the bushes, and wow lah, another inspiration hits (not so interesting compare to Ouch! Ouch! but better then none !) After coming up with 4 ideas, I wasn’t sure if more would come up as the maximum I had so far was only 2 in a day. Feeling a little hopeless, I was hoping to see something nice to brighten myself, the rain had just stop and I was hoping to see rainbow, which I didn’t but I suddenly had an idea, but not sure how to make it work well and interesting but like what I say, I just need a seed not necessarily a complete idea.  Feeling so please with myself, I started staring at my hands & legs, ha..ha… guess what? An idea hits! My sixth idea for the day!! A total of 6 seeds!

All good things come to an end, I need to stop as I had to prepare for the BBQ. But the result for the day was something I had never expected. A really efficient day and a lesson learnt - never look down on the power of simple things around you!

Juan 

7 June 2009 

Originally, I had wanted to plan & organize one big art event – a bigger version of Singapore Arts Street in 2010 (What I called Arts Carnival), somehow, along the way, I’ve changed my mind. I decide to have a break for a year (give 2010 a miss and continue in 2011), to look back what Singapore Arts Street had achieve for the last 3 years and the forth year this year. I was not able to think and assess what and how Singapore Arts Street can improve. Neither can I develop and invent more new, interactive and fun features. I don’t really had the time (I dare not use the word ‘I do not’ because if I wanted to and if I am willing to work a little harder, I could have, but I did not. Every year, after each arts street, I’m just too tired and always wanted a short break, to take my mind off. By the time I decide to start on it again, I need to start preparing proposal and so on and so forth for the coming year arts street. It’s all down to excuse L. I should have been stricter to myself). I somehow, lost goal and myself. I wasn’t focus enough. Luckily, I had a very good co-founder and a consultant. They manage to pull me back and make me realize that I cannot give 2010 a miss but I can give 2011 a miss. Reason? For me to know, for you to guess

All I know is that to catch up with the time I’ve lost due to my laziness, I now must work extra hard for 2010. So, please, 2010, don’t come so quickly, kindly take your time. I’ll welcome you with both my arms open wide when I’m ready, but for now, please slow down!

Juan 

28 May 2009 

When one was bore to this world, one does not have a choice whether people will be crying for joy of his arrival or tear of worries. But when one leave this world, he can decide if people should be crying for the lost of him or emotionless for his departure.

Life does not need to be long, but is the quality that counts.

What do you want to leave behind when you leave this world?

I hope I have interpreted it correctly and you may want to spend a moment to think about it.

Juan 

21 May 2009 

Finally the date & venue is confirmed for Singapore Arts Street 2009! It’ll be held on 11 & 12 Jul (yeah, I know, it’s a little late this year) at Marine Parade Promenade (between Parkway Parade & Marine Parade Hawker). Yes, there’s no typo error, it’s only 2 days this year. So, make sure you mark the date in your diary J

I had started talking to artists and still pending for confirmation. But I’ve got good feeling for this year participation.

Friends, do join us this year, be it as a participants or visitors as we’ll not have any gathering next year. Yes, I sometimes call Singapore Arts Street a gathering cos it is in fact an annual gathering for new and old friends who share the same passion and dream. What more one can ask for in life to know you’ve friends out there, having the same passion and dream?

I know I didn’t update my diary often enough, I’ll try and do it more often in future J

See ya

Juan

23 April 2009

Sorry for not been writing or posting any updates for such a long time. But believe me, I’ve not sitting down there doing nothing.

In fact my brain had been really busy. I’ve a new idea of doing Singapore Arts Street. Something similar yet different, if you know what I mean It is still in a budding stage and I need to do a lot of research, development and planning. I’ll need a lot of time to develop this new idea, therefore, I’m giving Singapore Arts Street a miss next year. Rests assure when we come back again in 2011, I’ll not disappoint you!

I’m presently in the mist of confirming the dates and venue for this year, I’ll keep you updated once it’s finalize.

So much so for today, enjoy your Sunday!

yours sincerely
Juan

22 March 2009