For most of us, drawing was something we left behind in childhood, a skill we felt we either had or didn’t. But what if drawing were more than a skill? Andrea Kantrowitz, a professor in art and cognition, has dedicated her career to uncovering the profound impact drawing has on how we think and perceive.

Visual intelligence isn't just about noticing details; it’s about understanding how those details fit together. In business, missing one critical piece of information—whether it’s in data, team dynamics, or customer feedback—can lead to poor decisions.

I was invited to share my perspectives on drawing at the 2023 Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Art Exhibition at Stamford Arts Center.

In our recent feature with the National Arts Council (NAC), one of our students, Ying, shares why engaging with drawing isn't just for artists. It's for anyone who wants to see life with greater clarity, presence and intention.

Photo credit: National Arts Council (NAC)

Throwback to 2012! Our 5 minutes of fame on Channel News Asia (CNA) AM Live with Suzanne Jung and Steven Chia over a decade ago. We had just returned from New York and were super excited to share how learning to draw isn't just about drawing techniques, but about how our brain changes the way we see.

“Learning to draw does wonders for a person’s self-efficacy and confidence. Just ask adult educators Nicola Choo and Tricia Goh who have always believed in the transformative power of the visual arts.

They are Singapore’s first and only certified instructors for Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, a renowned drawing programme for adults by Dr Betty Edwards, from the US.”
- The Straits Times, 2022 June 17 

What if the secret to happiness wasn’t some huge life-altering decision but something much smaller – like changing the way you see the world?

The adult standard of ‘realism’ is never the goal of children at this stage. It is a common misconception that children before the age of 12 should learn how to draw ‘realistically’. Imposing adult standards on children’s art prematurely only impedes their growth and destroys their creative confidence.

In the summer of 2011, we found ourselves in a studio in SoHo, New York, immersed in the hum of creativity, both inside and out. Below us, the streets buzzed with the filming of Men in Black III; inside, we were deep in the world of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Under the guidance of Brian Bomeisler, master instructor and son of Betty Edwards, who retired in 1998 after revolutionising how we understand drawing, what unfolded was more than a certification. It was a shift in seeing and thinking, one that would go on to shape how we teach and approach drawing today.