Dawn Tan

Originally from Singapore, Dawn Tan is currently a Fine Arts (Painting) student at the Victorian College of the Arts. Her work has been exhibited at Margaret Lawrence Gallery (Melbourne), Off the Kerb (Melbourne) and she has held solo exhibitions at the Red Dot Design Museum and Studio Miu Art in Singapore.

Dawn's illustrated prints and zines can be found online on Etsy and Baker's Dozen, and Mandrake & Willow and Meet Me at Mike's in Melbourne.

Mountain Tea , 2010, paper, plastic, string

I have always been rather fond and intrigued of mountains.

Growing up in tropical isle-city-state Singapore, there was not an alp I could beg my parents for a daytrip to roll around on. I lived in a concrete skyscraper and zipped through a cityscape.

Many years later in Melbourne, I found myself walking hours through parklands and gardens to school and back. Each day, I would pick rocks, twigs in funny shapes, leaves, and simple bits of nature. These items somehow brought me closer to my love for the mountains and woodlands, and I started painting alps.

I also love patterns, which could have stemmed from my trips to the David Jones Food Hall. I really enjoy looking at beautiful packaging and seek them whenever I am in need for some pretty patterns. The typeface, illustrations, layout and borders on the boxes always make me a little dreamy.

I like to imagine myself sipping tea from a cabin overlooking snow-capped mountains with intricate patterns. This tiny brooch I have made, allows me to wear my imagination close to heart, lending me space to dream a little more.

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