Naive Art Competition

My students and I are currently busy with Chingay Naive Art Competition! I hope everything goes well tomorrow and all of them finish their painting with success! Stay view and start voting for their work of art by 1st of Jan! Gosh, I can't wait! :)

Looi Siao Siang 1st illustration storybook

Looi Siao Siang 1st illustration storybook!

Hey! I know you... The very special you. This is the 1st illustration book illustrated by my art student Looi SiaoSiang! It come with a set of wax crayons or colour pencils! Go grab this story/colouring book at Novena Square kiosk @ $12.90 only! Or u can order this book from me! Cheers!

4yo Val says...

"Teacher Esther, I lost my dream..." Val showed abit of disappointment.
"Huh... what happened? How did you lose your dream? Oh I know, you dreamed of your prince charm coming to you... and click clock click clock..." I was making the sound effect of the horse run.
"No.... I dreamed I was a a Mermaid!" Val replied with happiness.
"When I woke up and got myself a drink... and  I went back to sleep... then I lost my dream..." Val showed me her disappointment again...
"Hahaha, oh I see..."

I asked her in more details again, "Val, what colour was your fish tail in your dream?"
She said, "Green..." Then I continued, "Was your hair Red in colour in your dream..." She replied with a smile, "Yes..." Haha, I can imagine how she looked like in her dream! She looked actually like the Disney's Mermaid character! ;D Interesting chat with a 4yo Val!

6yo Nigel Png says

Nigel Png's request, he has a very organized personality.

"Teacher Esther, pls put you chilli chop chop here!"
Hmm, I think my student is very serious about how much credit I give him ;p

Here's our MARK!

Abbi Thio 10yo, originally uploaded by xterlim.

Finally I'd submitted 82 pieces of artwork created by my students including ourselves! Too bad James and Augustine were absent as they couldn't meet the dateline. Nevertheless, I will try to get more fun art activities and projects for my little artists! Once again, I want to thank YOLO - Edna and Kevin Thio for rewarding each artist a free T-Shit for their contribution! Here's our participation! We'd lots of fun working on these dots! ;p I'd even recorded the sound of their working markers! I'm sure the children were enjoying themselves during the dotting session!

我们的小小皇宫 Little Art Castles!

From top left: Teo Yu Xuan, Ng Wei Ting, Melody Lin (Little Art Teacher), Chong Wenhui, Marrisa Lin. From Bottom Left: Charmine Lee, Val Kwek, Phoena Lim, Melody Tan.

"I want to draw princess!" "I want a handsome prince!" exclaimed the little people! All the young ladies posed with their little art castles created by their little hands! And too bad  all the young gentlemen missed the fun work: Evan, Joshua and Justine were absent on that very day!

11yo Euan Chng says...

"Teacher Esther, why are you not an artist??? You will be FAMOUS!" Euan was admiring how I show him the way to paint on his artwork.

"I'm already an artist, a living artist who has to earn a living and find no time to paint..."

"Teacher Esther, maybe  you should quit teaching us and just do your painting, and you will be very FAMOUS!!!" Euan continued with a smile.

I replied, "Ok, I shall quit and another teacher will take over this class!"

Naive Euan thought for a while and exclaimed, "Noooo.... Teacher Esther, we still need YOU!"


Hmm... am I really so important to them??? But I know and I hope they will learn my skill and what I'd taught them...

12yo Evangelyne "nags"...

After a week from PSLE, Evangelyn came back to do her dots work... during her working process, she was full of complains! The funny thing was, Siaosiang stopped "humming" when she was nagging... and Claire was doing her work quietly as usual... Well, we just let her nagged... probably, it's the only time to release her stress from her PSLE exam ;)

Happy Belated Birthday to Jianli and Happy Advance Birthday to Kenny!

Today, we were busy drawing, colouring and dotting for the Make Your Mark activity! Jianli and his mum came and join the fun too! I didn't know they are celebrating birthdays for Jianli and Kenny altogether! No birthday cake but lots of kueh kueh and our fav coffee! And the boys and kids had their yogurt ice cream and crackers! Not to mention, their biao jiu po and han jian gor gor joined the crowds too! I must say it was a Big gathering today at Siaosiang's house :)

Jianli and his Mum is holding the handmade patchwork blanket, handmade by Mrs. Looi (SiaoSiang's Mum) & Mrs. Tan (Kenny's Mum)

What a beautiful blanket filled with warm and joy!

10yo Abigail says...

"Teacher Esther, do you have children??" I told her, " No, why??" She was so worried and said, "Teacher Esther, you should have at least 1 child! So when you grow old, they will take care of you!" This child is so sensible and thoughtful, I told her, "Well, you will never know your children will take care of you when you grow old..." I continued, "Will you take care of your parents when they grow old??" She replied, "Of course lah Yes! They are my parents you know!" I smiled and told her, "Your parents are so lucky to have you as a daughter..." :)

The next lesson,  Abigail asked me the same question again, "Don't worry Abbi, government will take care of me if I'm childless, take sometimes to visit me when you're free k..." Abbi was alarmed, "Aiyoo Ah Teacher Esther!"

Another lesson, Abigail was still asking the same question again, she kept bugging me to have my own child! :s "I know Abbi, I will try my best..." Abigail is such a sensible student :)

My hair...

I'd my hair coloured ashed blonde, here are some stories about my new hair colour and see how the little people reacted... 

Bishan: 10yo Abbi and others laughed at me and said, "Teacher Esther, you look like "Grandma"!" :s

Maplewoods: I walked 10yo Sonia home after the art class and she whispered to me, "Teacher Esther, I don't like your hair colour!" I asked her, "Why, not nice?" She went, "No!" :s

Thomson Thursday 3.30pm-5pm Class:
"Teacher Esther, you looked so funny!!! Hahahahahaha!!" All the 4yos were laughing at my ash-blonde short hair. The little ones giggled all the way, I was not humiliated by their laughters, I found them so innocent and funny when they laughed at my hair! Then, 4yo Shayna came in late, she looked like she'd just woke up from her nap, she was quiet, and looked at me strangely. I knew it must be my new hair again, I asked her, " Shayna, it's me Teacher Esther, with the same glasses and red apron!" She responded softly, "Teacher Esther, I really can't recognize you, you know..." Hmm... I think they need sometimes to accept my new hairstyle and colour ;)

Another lesson on another week again, 5yo Jialing laughed at me unexpectedly when I was doing demo on the paper and when everybody gathered around me. I asked her, "What's so funny Jialing?" She looked at me happily and repiled, "Teacher Esther, you hair is so funny!" I was like this :s

9yo Joel Gn exclaimed, "TEACHER ESTHER, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOU HAIR???"

11yo Euan said, " Teacher Esther, I prefer your previous hairstyle, it's nicer!"

The other class (4.30pm-6pm) all the students came in, saw my hair, but have not reacted to my new hair and they're pretty cool to accepted it in their heart but with their eyes wide open! I like this class, they're very COOL ;p

4yo Phoena looked at me curiously and asked, "Teacher Esther, did you paint you hair??"

I was laughing at her, "Nice?"

She was thinking and unsure, "Hmmm....."

Well, I think it's a good try and proved that these little people are just disapproved with my new hair colour, after all, hair will grow back to black again,  anyway :)

Ian Thio says...

8yo Jachin drew his fav helicopter & plane for his self expression drawing AGAIN! I asked him, "Are you going to be a pilot when you grow up?" He was busy doodling & answered, "No..." 6yo Ian interrupted, "I want to be Father when I grow up! & have many children!" Other kids added,"You don't have a job, how to have big family!" Then he replied with confident, "Yes, my job is to play games on the handphone! There're so many games on the handphone you know!" Everybody burst into laughter!

MAKE YOUR MARK! 2010 by YOLO

I'm so going to "MAKE OUR MARK!" for this MAKE YOUR MARK by YOLO who are featuring their work at London! I'm going to gather all my art students including myself and Joeel and all the art people around us to work on this project! It could be fun to see all kinds of doodlers and artists expression in their very different way! :D Go to their link and find out more, their dateline is 23rd Oct 2010! Cheers!

Holly's birthday cake

Holly's birthday cake, originally uploaded by xterlim.

"Holly, Teacher Esther is going to bake you a birthday cake! What flavour do you like? "

Holly was jumping up and down, exclaimed "Yeah!!!!"
Then she stopped jumping and think, "Hmm... Vanilla! maybe chocolate!??"

Sonia nodded her head and said, "YES! CHOCOLATE!"

Aimee rejected, "Noooooooo Chocolate please!!!!!"

Joy smiled and ok with both.

I set my mind and said "Ok, I shall bake a vanilla flavour cake with oreo topping for your birthday when you come to art class!"

Holly agreed and carried on with her artwork :)

Kenny Tan says...

The mothers and I were chatting and talking about our mothers in law on how they treated us as their daughters in law differently... I was holding 18yo Kenny's hand to guide him with his painting while he was listening to our conversation. Then he suddenly added, "...and that is challenging!" We stopped, stunned and laughed our hearts out!

Then his mum added, "Kenny, you're the challenging one!"

Hmm, Kenny seemed to be interested in our conversation! ;D

5yo Justine says...

A new trail student 5yo Justine said, "Teacher Esther, I dream all the times!" I was like Oooh in my mind and asked, "What do you dream about? Cartoon?" He said, " I dream about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!" Then I continued, "Do you dream during the day?" He replied, "Yes!" I reminded him, "Ok, please do not dream during my lesson ok!" Then he followed and agreed, "OK!" I'm thinking this child must have a BIG dream when he grows up ;)

4yo Shayna says...

4yo Shayna refused to colour the gaps that she told me she was going to, then I put my hands on my waists and looked at her, and she went, " Teacher Esther, are you pretending to be angry??!!" Gosh, I didn't expect she would said that! I told her, " Yes, Teacher is very angry if you don't do your work properly," "Oh yes Teacher Esther, you are pretending to be angry! Hehehe!" When I show her how others did their work, there she followed :) Oh Shayna ah Shayna :s

Sonia Hanke says...

10yo Sonia Hanke asked, "Why are we having art class today?" I asked her why? Because your mum requested to have  art class today, that's why... She complaint, "I'm so tired today, I had another art class earlier..." I asked her where was she learning, she said, "At home!" I was giving my brother an art lesson..." I was amazed, Sonia teaches her brother ART! I asked her what did she teach him today, she replied happily, "I taught him how to draw hamsters!" in my mind, Sonia has grown up! :)

A familiar face...

Today, I saw a familiar  person who was sitting at the bench outside the public toliet where I bought my art students for outdoor drawing, we were drawing the laundry shop which located just beside the toliet. Yes, it was Uncle Henry, I observed him a little moment while my students were still drawing. He was caring for himself applying cream on his arms... I was wondering the walking stick belonged to him or the other elderly who was sitting next to him... Next few mintues, my students exclaimed they'd finished their drawings and I was goging to walk them around with their  handmade lanterns, as promise. I decided to walk to the toliet direction and greet a long time no see Uncle Henry!

"Uncle Henry! How are you??" He saw me and started to recognize me and responded me back by another "Hello!"

Then I introduced him my students and adsked them to greet him and told him about I was having holiday workshop with my students here and he was just smiling, I said goodbye to himas I had work to do... Then i carried on my walk with my little students and one of them (Regan) asked, "Teacher Esther, who is him???" I told him, "He is a friend, a very nice person..."

From the distance, I saw him looking at our direction, I was thinking, will I see Uncle Henry again? Did he really recognize me when I greeted him? He looked like he had been retired from his security guard job. I hope everything goes well on his side :)

I never know I would meet him again but I know this man helped me and my students at the Maplewoods condo before with his kind heart :)

For Melody Lin

For Melody Lin, originally uploaded by xterlim.

Melody has been a great little helper to the little ones and me Teacher Esther when it come to my kinderart class (which is her little sister Marissa's art class), now they have advance to Picasso level and Melody has also playing a good role as a Little Art Teacher too! I wanted to make this little gift just for her! HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY to my Little Art Teacher! :D