For Art's Sake!

This little reflection was inspired by my previous post which brought back memories of my days at school.

It's a little known fact to many of my friends and acquaintances that Art's one of my first loves.

My mother sent me for Art classes when I was about 6 and I thoroughly enjoyed my Saturday lessons conducted at my Art teacher's Walmer Drive home. I can vaguely recall being surrounded by more than 10 kids of different ages, each using different medium to sketch, colour and paint their little pieces. I was in awe of the "older" ones (who were probably in the teens) because they were really talented. I can't recall why and when I stopped classes but the influence of colour co-ordination, size, proportions, angles, shapes and shades had since been etched in my mind.

In school, my humble little pieces would be selected for display in class or even school boards. I wasn't successful in craftwork or needlework, but I often aced my Art exam. Occasionally I would whip out my drawing block and start sketching and colouring with oil pastels or magic markers (never enjoyed dabbling with poster paints and avoided them if I could help out). But I was never completely satisfied with my efforts and in my growing up years, stashed my art pack behind the cupboard because school work became a priority.

Art came back into my life quite by accident. And ironically, it was because of school.

At the end of Secondary 3, I'd fared so miserably in Additional Maths that I was forced to drop the subject. In my school, all the students were required to take a minimum of 8 subjects and I found myself in hot soup because there wasn't any other option available. Except Art. I was an angsty rebel back in those dark days and it didn't help that there was a stigma attached to us academic-losers who took Art as an 'O' level subject.

Although I attended lessons regularly and focused on using pencil as my medium, I was never really "into" the subject and just enough to get by. I didn't practise as hard or as much as I should have but I eventually got a B4 for my 'O's and my transcript didn't look quite as horrifying as it would have if I'd attempted A Maths.

I thought I could chuck Art out of my school life until history repeated itself when I was in Junior College. At my mother's insistence, I settled my 'A' level combination of English Literature, History and Economics. Needless to say, this ended in a complete disaster for my JC1 exams. I just couldn't dig Economics no matter how hard I tried. I attended remedial lessons and even had 1-to-1 coaching from the Head of Arts. And that's the worst part of it all. I channeled all my energies to pin down Oligopoly and Monopoly, wrestled with the Demand and Supply curves, wrote countless Economics essays only to have these words uttered in my face: This isn't a GP paper! 

But my tutors came together and hatched an escape plan to save me from self-destruction. My parents were called in to be "counselled" and "advised" against forcing me to take Economics. My tutors argued that if I continued with Economics, the best I could end up with is an E grade (pass) but the possibility of even scrapping through was just about that of me landing a distinction for Chinese. (Read: NEVER GONNA HAPPEN).

Once again, Art saved my skin although it was a tough battle because I'd lost 1 entire year's work and had to play catch-up at double speed. In order to "qualify" for the subject, I was asked to familiarise myself with the Art Movements and had to sit through an "aptitude" test. It was never going to be a smooth ride because there's lots more to Art that meets the eye. And for the 'A' levels, I had to sit through 2 practical papers (Nature and Design) and submit a Woodblock Print. Most of my "new" Art classmates had already begun work of their submissions in Year 1 and as a late entrant to the race it was extremely pressuring to make the mark.

Honestly, my 2nd year at JC's a blur. I can't recall details but I fared well enough to enter the National University of Singapore (NUS). Scrapped through by the skin of my teeth. Not that it matters now.

I owe Art quite a fair bit. Even though I'd cruelly abandoned my childhood friend and attempted to make new acquaintances, she never once begrudged me and even helped me to overcome several hurdles.

Art, here's my long overdue and heartfelt thanks for your unwavering support all these years during the critical periods. You never gave up on me even when I lost hope. You steered me back when I lost my direction. Thank you.

How Great, Thou Art.