Simple crackle glaze with a black variant on top. The both colours are chosen because while they appear to be in sharp contrast, they are just like two sides of the coin – they complete each other. Like what is written in the Chinese classic text, 道德经 (Tao Te Ching) : 

 Tao engenders One;
One engenders Two;
Two engenders Three;
Three engenders all things. 

All things carry the yin (femininity)
while embrace the yang (masculinity).
Neutralising energy brings them into harmony.

Been awhile since we last made teapot sets, but here’s two fresh from the kiln that we’re really proud of. I’ve tested out iron oxide a couple of times, and I’m pretty satisfied with how it has reacted and coloured the ware this round. The earthy, rusty look not only looks good, but also blends in with the drift wood we’re using as handle. The black is used as a deliberate contrast to the earthy feel of the pot, and also if you’ve seen the post before this, you’d realize that this particular series was inspired by Qi’s time fishing at the jetty late in the night - waves, checked; wood, checked; night sky, checked.

Ever wonder why we spend so much time building relationships with others with similar background? Because of who we were, we do not want others to make the same mistakes and follow our old ways. This picture is about a boy who is on his way to becoming a man, a boy who has admitted his mistakes and is accepting his punishment. I am glad that I can be part of his learning journey - of turning over a new leaf, to becoming a better man. And yes, we fight, we look like ‘bad’ boys, ‘bad’ influence… but please stop comparing us with school counsellors because the souls we work with will eventually never bully others. 

7 years ago, I first got involved in volunteering for meet-the-people session in Taman Jurong. Till now, I still vividly remember my first conversation with Mr Tharman… 

 T: Why do you want to become a grassroots volunteer? 

 Me: I am sick of being condemned as an ex prisoner and I don’t understand why I can’t lead my life as a normal person… I want to a useful citizen instead of bringing shame to my family and community. 

 T: Lets do something about it… 

 Today, Beacon of Life ( ex-offender support group) is very fortunate to have the privilege of having so many mentors shaping and developing our future since our release. Now we have members with degree in law, in accounting, in fine arts, diploma in logistic, another one part time studying in business, and one part time and full time student studying degrees in maths. 

For the outreach program, we set up BoLa (youth outreach group) and have positively influenced the lives of more than 60 troubled teens in Jurong area through football, arts and many projects.

- Kim Whye Kee
Leader and co-founder of Beacon of Life and BoLa