Crisci Chan

CLAY art teacher Crisci Chan enjoys giving life to the mundane. And she has opened up another world to children, a world of favourite cartoon characters.

Chan has, in her own way, moulded the future of these children by developing their creativity. Her classes at her studio in Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya, reverberates with the ooohs and aaahs of children, who marvel that at the turn of their fingers, characters such as Smurfs, Angry Birds, Tony Tony Chopper and Hello Kitty come to life.

Chan says that a child who had no interest in the art at all became totally engrossed after he learnt that he could make miniatures of the chocolate cakes he likes.

Another, an autistic, began to communicate with Chan after she gave special attention to the child and earned his confidence.

These are some of the extraordinary encounters I had with children through my art, says Chan who gave up her promising marketing career in Singapore last year to promote clay art.

Chan teaches her art at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, kindergartens and shopping malls and also offers one-to-one coaching.

Clay art is one way of helping children develop the brain. Art trains us to think outside the box. It helps children to understand concepts with greater ease and achieve better grades, says Chan.

I loved making things with my hands ever since I was a child. When I was about 15, I made a miniature of my home using cards and balsa wood. I still have the model. Art is not limited to 2-D, it is much more fun doing 3-D art.

Her mother was instrumental in helping Chan develop an interest in art. She sent me to art tuition every Sunday when I was little until I was 17.

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ART: Giving life to clay