It's been so long since I last posted. 2 weeks? Or maybe 3? For those who have been asking, life married life has been good! I get to see my husband more often now. Instead of twice a month, its twice a week. Vast improvement! There is also a bit of adapting to do. Considering that I don't sleep alone now. But I love it that we can go home together and not say goodbye. :)

Really cannot wait to get our new house. But that will be in a few year's time.

Hmm I know that there is like a backlog of stuff that I have not posted. One would be my Linocut design and the entire experience.

The workshop has passed quite some time ago and Nic did asked us to reflect on the entire experience. But I've yet to like share and talk about it. Hence, what a better time than now, since I'm just sitting at the MRT platform waiting for my husband's train.

Honestly, the design I came up with was just something that I wanted to be original, yet easy to carve at the same time. Since it's my first time doing it. I thought animals would be a cute choice. Something will big bold lines, as the body and some small intricate ones just to have a feel of the dexterity. Also animal prints are generally neutral and can be printed again and again. Words were a definite no no as I felt that it would be hard to carve. There is no significance for choosing a fox. But having a sleeping fox sort of represents calmness and serenity. 

The stalks of leaves were added on as I wanted it to have a sense of nature and the fox is sleeping soundly in its refuge. Petals were to have the Japanese theme going. 

Was quite shookth to have Sok Tuan teaching us since I've been following her gram for a while. We did it at Nic's house. MK said that it was term therapeutic for her. But oh boy, was linocutting tough. The level of focus and discipline. Its an art form that requires precision and boldness at the same time. Something that I think I lack. The cutting needed much control at the right angle and I was worn out quickly. Not as therapeutic as I thought. (continued the post back home) The most satisfying part of the entire process would be the inking and the stamping. 

When you are cutting into the linoleum, you do not really know how it will turn out. I guess it resembles the process where God puts you through certain challenges to mold you. Some challenges requires you to tread cautiously, while others need you to go down deep. Things can sometimes get out of hand, but you are still within the blueprint of the design that you set out to do. The inking and the stamping reveals your progress or the fruit of your progress and even then, refining takes place - like adding an extra line or making a certain line thicker enhances the entire print. That is where it reflects the entire journey with God. There is no one destination, but rather, different prints in different seasons. Sometimes, its time for you to be bold and cut down deep, while other times require your utmost care, weaving through the finer lines. 

Even the tool that we use as beginners are different from the pros/experts. Choosing the tip matters as well to get the cut that you will want. With the pro tip, you will expect more - being a matured Christian, there ought to be some difference from a baby Christian. Your knowledge and understanding of the Bible and perhaps, the closeness you have with God is also reflective of where you are at, at your Christian journey. 

I did not get all the above while doing the linocut (oh no, I was just concentrating and making sure that I did not cut something the wrong way), it was after the entire workshop, where I had time to internalise and think about the entire thing, before drawing certain parallels from it about the Christian life. My Christian life. It is definitely an art form that I can check off my list of things to try :) but currently, not something up my alley that I would like to do it again. Nevertheless, good experience!

= do something right =