Birds Of Singapore Collection - An interview with the folks from Chair-ish the Moments
There is so much in sunny Singapore that is unique to our culture and heritage. We also have a lovely range of wildlife, flora and fauna in our tropical garden city. As advocates of play, we encourage our children to head outdoors as much as possible to experience and enjoy nature. We hope you create opportunities to do so too as the year-end school holidays draw near.
This October, we're honoured to have
Chair-ish the Moments share their
Local Birds of Singapore poster and postcards in our
Local Heritage Collection! This Local Birds series
is Chair-ish the Moments' first print venture and features 12 birds hand-painted by local artist Dorothea Chow. Choose from a lovely A3-sized
poster you can frame and display in a cosy corner at home, or pick a set of 12
postcards as wall art, or greetings to a friend.
We invited
Justina to share her thoughts about their Local Birds of Singapore series here on the blog. Justina also shares snippets of her life at
Mum in the Making. We hope you enjoy this short email interview with her!
1. Could you tell us what inspired you to design a Local Birds of Singapore series? Why did you choose the 12 birds featured in the collection?
"Fiona and I both love botanical and zoological prints. We were lamenting about how most of these feature American/European flora and fauna, and wished that there were artist prints that included local plants and animals. We decided to take the plunge and collaborate with local artists to come up with a series of affordable prints showcasing Singapore’s natural history, starting with this series on local birds.
I consulted with my oldest son, who is a bird enthusiast, and we selected the birds to feature. The ones featured in this series are a mix of species that are commonly spotted, such as the Javan myna and the tree sparrow, as well as rarer, more unique birds, like the changeable hawk eagle."
2. What challenges did you face in this print venture?
"This was our first print venture, so the learning curve was really steep. We had to learn on the go, and had to run numerous checks and made many changes to ensure that the birds were accurately portrayed. Thankfully Dorothea (the artist we were collaborating with) was quite experienced, and she helped us along with regards to the printing process. This was self-funded, so we had to dig deep into our pockets for capital."
3. What was the most rewarding aspect of this project? Do you have plans for another local series?
"I think it would be holding the actual prints in our hands, while knowing that we did our best to ensure the accuracy of the information and paintings. We are definitely proud of our prints! This was really a labour of love, and we hope that the prints would help to educate others and inspire a love for our own local flora and fauna. We have two more series in the making (and hopefully more to come!). The prints featuring local fruit will be launching at the end of October, and we are also working with another artist on a series on mammals found in Singapore."
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Thank you Justina for sharing your insights. We're looking forward to the next collection! Do head over to our Local Heritage Collection to check out their Birds of Singapore posters and postcards.
Photo credits: Fiona Choy from Travel Loot
