Starting out as a nail artist, Xinyi came across folk art painting while looking for another art skill to branch out with, “It would give me the ability to turn what I see or fancy in a physical product, into reality” said Xinyi when relating her reasons for being attracted to the art skill.

Her love for art and European style furniture with beautiful painted motifs and patterns got her started; eventually turning her hobby into a fulfilling career.

This passionate teacher and artist who started teaching the art skill from home almost a year ago says that her dream is to have all the decorative items in her home, done by her, creating a unique and personalized home. Her home, naturally, is an inspirational environment of its own with furnishings and décor painstakingly selected and customized by her.

Sharon Ch’ng, one of Xinyi’s students, has been doing folk art painting for less than a year. She has turned old wooden stools and even broken ones into pretty decorative stools and furnished her home with many such re-used furniture and mundane objects. She added that this is a very rewarding and fun hobby as one can be creative with everyday objects.

“It didn’t take long before I was creating my very own art and felt a sense of achievement about myself” says the homemaker, who had no prior art experience. She hopes to be able to make items to sell or give as gifts in the future, allowing her to share this with other people.

“Folk art is about techniques and skill, if you don’t learn the basics, it would be difficult to paint”, says Xinyi, adding that it is a skill that comes with more hands on experience and practice, which is why she always starts her students on painting an object right from the beginning.

“Why don’t you give yourself between one and three classes to explore if you are not sure that folk art is for you or even commit to the classes? Everyone can do folk art painting”, Xinyi said, emphasizing her belief that you don’t have to be an artist to do folk art.