Welcome to The Golden Mole Diaries!

Hi Friends! I wanted to start this blog to share with you my thoughts and ideas on all things creative, as well as document some of my journey as an artist / illustrator in Singapore! Being an artist is no picnic in the park, especially in a country where art and culture is only just recently getting more attention and support. But I do believe that sharing our experiences and creating talking points on Art will eventually benefit the growth of our community as a whole. So sit back, relax, and let's get blogging!

So, recently I've been thinking more about creativity and how to approach it. I am a great promoter of teaching someone to think like an artist as opposed to just "teaching art." What's the difference you ask? Well, the way I see it, "teaching art" means that you are just teaching technical skills, how to use different mediums, and imparting information on how to practically carry out the act of making art. But when you teach someone how to "think like an artist" you are instilling a mindset. You are nurturing the ability to think independently and creatively. It means giving someone the gift of innovating and inventing. And that's what I actually see as an important factor of being an artist. While technical skills are essential, an artist also needs what I call "vision." Without vision, without an idea--it's hard to create art that is truly awe-inspiring and thought-provoking. It's like being given all kinds of tools and materials (technical skills) but not knowing how to use them. You NEED the ability to experiment and innovate, and this only comes about by trying and making mistakes and acclimating yourself to think outside the box and beyond the obvious or logical.

But a big reason why I think teaching to "think like an artist" is so essential, is because I believe it's what drives anyone to be a better artist, and pushes them to become so good at their selected medium. This is how the logic plays out in my head:

"THINKING LIKE AN ARTIST" --> CREATIVE IDEAS --> INNOVATION

whereas, if you just teach skills:

"TEACHING ART" --> TECHNICAL SKILLS --> MAYBE ADEPT SKILLS, BUT NO CREATIVE VISION (lack of imagination)

Of course, at the end of the day, this is just my opinion. But I think it's definitely food-for-thought, and something we can ask ourselves as artists at the end of the day. :)

I hope to learn more on the subject, and explore a little more on this theory as I continue to do more freelance art facilitation.

Till next time, Ciao!

#artblog #thinklikeanartist