While other countries call it “lock-down”, Singapore has chosen to call this period our “circuit breaker”, and I really appreciate the clarity it conveys about the purpose of staying home — i.e. to break the circuit of virus transmission. 

These last eight weeks must have been some of the most productive times for both Pierre and I, as artists in quarantine. Apart from undergoing an admittedly very steep learning curve for getting used to social media, the time-out has afforded us the luxury of uninterrupted time to just… paint.

No distractions, no “just going out to grab something” excuses, nothing but straight up uncompromising confrontation with the bare canvas (or sometimes, what feels like shoddy, “it’s-never-going-to-make-it”, work-in-progress pieces).

In these times, I’ve found greatest value in being able to walk away from a canvas when I find myself frustrated, and coming back with a much clearer eye and head.

Well… yes and no. The bigger truth is, I’ve found greatest value in working with someone who genuinely believes in me as an artist, and can be my pair of supportive eyes. Perhaps that, after all, is the best solution to the dreaded inner-critic’s eye. Thanks, Pierre!!