Shan Shan
In the hustle and bustle of Singapore, there is a flower-weaving girl named Shan Shan. Her story unfolds gently, just like the flowers in her hands.
In December 2022, with dreams for the future and for her son's education, Shan Shan moved from Wenzhou China to Singapore. Her hands were always wrapped in colorful yarn, and hand-weaving flowers was her hobby and the bright spot in her life. During the Christmas season of 2023, Shan Shan set up a small stall in a mall with a try-and-see attitude, presenting her handcrafted works to the world.
Unexpectedly, that attempt sparked instant success. Her hand-woven flowers quietly bloomed in Singapore and became a focal point of attention. In just two months, her stall was always bustling with people, and her monthly income exceeded ten thousand Singapore dollars. More precious to her, she gained a group of friends who loved her and her work, and met many fellow craftsmen who also set up stalls in Singapore.
Shan Shan's craft journey began in her childhood when she often helped her mother knit sweaters. In those times of scarce resources, although her mother didn't have the chance to receive a good school education, she had skilled hands. When it came to knitting letters and words, Shan Shan was always her little assistant. It was in those warm days that she fell in love with the art of knitting.
Persistence was her creed. Shan Shan taught herself, searching for information online, making friends with fellow craftsmen, learning together, and improving together, which refined her flower-weaving skills. She bought many books, studied various flowers and plants, and learned to imitate from pictures of real flowers, eventually creating lifelike works.
Shan Shan might be one of the most diligent stall owners, always the first to set up and the last to leave when the mall closed. Her stall was always lively, with customers flocking to see her works. Shan Shan was grateful for every customer who appreciated her work, whether they chose the expensive or the inexpensive crocheted flowers. One day, an elderly lady lingered at her stall, clearly liking a knitted vase. Noticing the lady's hesitation over the price, Shan Shan didn't hesitate to give her the vase. The lady was so touched that she returned and bought a flower.
Shan Shan's skill and reputation also attracted a primary school in Singapore, which specially commissioned her to make orchids as gifts for a school in China. Companies, schools, and friends on social media also inquired if she could teach classes.
Her mind brimming with new ideas and creativity, Shan Shan will dedicate more time to innovating her flower weaving this year. She is eager to share her skills and knowledge, hoping to help more people. Shan Shan's story continues, with each hand-woven flower carrying her dreams and passion, serving as her way of communicating with the world. “Artist in the Neighbourhood” hope to provide a platform for more people to recognize Shan Shan, see her works, and hope that friends who already know her will continue to like and support her.