“The object isn’t to make art, it is to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.” – Robert Henri

The Luthier

When I was about 10, I came across a huge book on woodworking in the Toa Payoh Library (a public library in Singapore). I was enthralled and I thought “I must have a woodworking workshop one day”. I even trotted off to the hardware store and bought a mortise saw. The uncle was amused at this kid buying a saw. There was no opportunity for the idea to develop in 1980s Singapore and indeed the idea was completely lost for a time as I went down the usual educational paths in Singapore.
Many (many many) years later, while looking for a full-size violin for my daughter, I became intrigued by the acoustical complexities of violins. I also chanced upon videos of violin makers and it was like something went off in my head. The previous dreams and the current one clanged loudly, the whole thing took over my brain and here I am now. It has been said that sometimes the best art, or work, has a sense of inevitability about it. I often struggle to explain how I came down this path. I think this is the best explanation. I just had to.
My simple aim is to develop the art and science of my craft, to the best of my abilities and  efforts. I want to make instruments that musicians don’t want to put down. Instruments that  allow them to express the full breath of their music easily, and fully. In that small way,  perhaps I can contribute to the bigger picture of music-making, in Singapore, and elsewhere.