Pathlight’s art initiative allows students’ creative abilities ‘to shine’
Walk-in sales to The Art Faculty's two shops in Enabling Village in Redhill and Pathlight School in Ang Mo Kio have increased more than ten-fold in the past two days. Photo: Wong Pei Ting
SINGAPORE — Pathlight School’s The Art Faculty initiative catapulted into the spotlight on Wednesday (Aug 3), when Mdm Ho Ching, wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong carried a dinosaur-print pouch from the shop when accompanying her husband during a visit to the White House.
But in fact, the school has been running an artist development programme for its students with autism for five years, and merchandise bearing their work have been sold on both the school’s premises and website for seven years, before a retail outlet opened at the Enabling Village last year. The Art Faculty is a rebrand of Pathlight Mall, and there are now 36 artists — both former and current Pathlight students — under the initiative.
Ms Jacelyn Lim, deputy executive director of the Autism Resource Centre, the parent charity of Pathlight School, said the programme is focused on nurturing the artistic talent of the students, and showcasing their work through artworks and carefully curated merchandise. “Through producing quality works, we hope to position their talents in a dignified way, with products not viewed as charity keepsakes but as commercially viable products.”
For example, the drawings of See Toh Sheng Jie, the dinosaur-obsessed 19-year-old behind Mdm Ho’s now-famous dino pouch, can also be found on notebooks, wrapping paper, postcards and water bottles. He was one of the eight students chosen to be part of the programme when it started in 2011.
Other products sold at the store include umbrellas with a print designed by 12-year-old Kaylan Lim Jolie who joined the programme last year.
Artists like them earn royalties ranging from 10 to 60 per cent for every artwork and merchandise sold at The Art Faculty as a way “to recognise their talent”, with commissioned works drawing royalties on the higher end. This also provides “a dignified source of income for them”, said Ms Loy Sheau Mei, senior vice-principal at Pathlight.
The rest of the proceeds go towards covering manpower, rental and operational costs. Any profits thereafter will be used to support more programmes for people with autism. The dino pouch was one of a basketful of items from the store Mdm Ho took to the White House, and the ensuing publicity led to The Art Faculty website getting so much traffic that it almost crashed.
Walk-in sales to its two shops in Enabling Village in Redhill and Pathlight School in Ang Mo Kio have increased more than ten-fold in the past two days. About 600 pre-orders for the dino pouch have been received as of 3pm on Friday, while the other two pouches in the series have also flown off the shelves.
Ms Lim felt the initiative allows the students’ artistic abilities to shine.
“Sometimes their abilities can be quite outstanding, partly due to autism traits. People with autism tend to have a very narrow, fixed interest, but that focus and talent can be turned into impressive results. We constantly look for opportunities on what we can do with their artworks, whether it is best appreciated as an art print or translated into a well designed merchandise,” she said.
Sheng Jie’s father, Mr Jason See Toh, said Sheng Jie’s art has improved since, adding that the art coach paired with his son, Mr Ng Geok Seng, “is very cool” in dealing with his son’s temperament and “lets him be and guides him slowly”. Sheng Jie, he added, used to be “very emotional”, but is noticeably more cheerful after seeing his dinosaurs displayed in the stores.
Jolie’s mother, Ms Fanny Lim, said her daughter became more confident after joining the programme. “She used to think that she wasn’t good at drawing. She doubts herself and asks a lot of questions seeking for affirmation, but now she doesn’t ask as much anymore,” she said.
After Sheng Jie graduates from Pathlight School next year, Mr See Toh intends to keep him in the artist development programme so he will continue to be coached. Through The Art Faculty, Sheng Jie has “found a place where he can freely express” himself, he said.
