I have known Teacher Menghua for many years. Years before I started working at Artgrain, she was my art teacher. Starting an arts centre like Artgrain has been one of her longtime dreams, and I decided to interview her about what the process was like.
Why did you found Artgrain?
I wanted to build a community of people who like art, and who have an avenue to develop their interests to a sophisticated level. I think it’s important to build this understanding and interest in the young. If it is cultivated from young it will not leave them.
What are the biggest challenges you faced?
Sometimes people are put off studying art because they don’t understand that in the initial stage of being a student, one has to go through a period of learning and struggling. Like in all other things, this stage is the hardest. If they are willing to put in time to acquire the learning, they will eventually be able to work more expressively and depict what they see in their minds eye.
What are some dreams you have for Artgrain?
I have many dreams. I see a lot of students appreciate and loving art more, visiting galleries, enjoying aesthetics, becoming supporters of the arts. I want to see many more artists in Singapore, practicing artists. Even people who may not be fulltime artists but who do art in a leisurely manner and can appreciate art will be contributing on to the arts scene in Singapore.
Artgrain gains more and more students each year, and we hope that each of our students will grow up to contribute in their own way to the arts community here in Singapore. Cheers!
— Teacher Grace
The Artistic Journey 