Gaining Confidence Through Art

When Chen Zhiyu, 40, joined TOUCH Centre for Independent Living (TCIL) in May 2007, he had difficulty expressing himself. Diagnosed with intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder, Zhiyu was quiet and reserved.  

At TCIL, he would often go for lunch alone as he found it challenging to start a conversation with others. Whenever he faced difficulties and encountered problems managing his emotions, he would show his frustration by hitting his head against the wall. Such circumstances made it challenging for Zhiyu to make friends or sustain stable employment for long. 

To prepare him for gainful employment, Zhiyu was placed on TCIL's Job Preparation and Employment Services Track in 2011. Through this programme, Zhiyu discovered his flair for art and was offered the position of Workshop Apprentice under TOUCH SpecialCrafts Sheltered Employment Programme.  

Caption: Zhiyu working on orchid paintings.  

Zhiyu started part-timing with a three-day work week where he learnt how to make shapes and imprint texts and textures using tools like cookie cutters. With open communication and support from his family and the trainers from TCIL, Zhiyu managed to settle into his role at TOUCH SpecialCrafts and transit from being a part-time to a full-time staff in 2022.  

“Working at TOUCH makes me very happy as I can paint and express myself through art,” shares Zhiyu, who now assists in the creation, development and production of handcrafted products to be sold under JOURNEY, an award-winning brand under TOUCH which represents the creative talents of people with intellectual disabilities.  

Caption: Zhiyu together with Loh Sau Kuen, Senior Art Facilitator of TOUCH SpecialCrafts and his mentor.  

Loh Sau Kuen, Senior Art Facilitator of TOUCH SpecialCrafts and Zhiyu’s mentor, also shares that she’s proud of how far he has come, “From someone who used to struggle with processing his emotions, Zhiyu is now able to give a short self-introduction about himself and his work, initiate conversations and have meals with colleagues.” 

Showcasing His Artistic Talents 

Over the years, Zhiyu has had the opportunity to participate in many art exhibitions. In honour of Singapore’s 50th birthday, Zhiyu was part of ‘50 Special People: 1 Art Celebration’, where his unique depiction of Singapore as our homeland was showcased alongside the artworks of 49 other intellectually disabled adults.  

Caption: Zhiyu expressing his creativity while painting on one of the four tigers for Tiger Trail. 

He was also one of the four artists involved in the World Wildlife Fund’s Tiger Trail – an open-air exhibition held in 2022. Together, the artists designed and painted one of two tiger sculptures that were displayed at Chinatown and Enabling Village.  

Caption: Zhiyu (far right) together with other artists from JOURNEY checking out their completed tiger sculptures at Chinatown.  

Sau Kuen shares, “Zhiyu has shown his creative talents in the past few years. He not only excels in decorative arts and pattern making, but also has very original ideas. He is exceptionally skillful in symmetrical works on painting and ceramics, and I am amazed that he could rise up to the challenge of making different patterns from one single tool.” 

Caption: Zhiyu working on a commissioned artwork featuring orchids.  

Thanks to the training at TOUCH SpecialCrafts, Zhiyu has also gained confidence to converse with customers about his works during visits and roadshows. Being able to express his feelings through simple words has helped Zhiyu manage his emotions and interact with people around him.  Zhiyu has since graduated from TCIL and is now a member of the Community Support Programme (CSS) - a programme for adults with disabilities to build healthy friendships while improving their social well-being and participation in the community. He also continues to hone his artistic skills through the Artist Programme while working at TOUCH SpecialCrafts. 

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TOUCH Centre for Independent Living (TCIL) is a day activity centre which offers competence-based training programmes for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. It aims to provide them with functional knowledge and skills that will equip them to live independently in the community. This client-focused training programme teaches daily living and pre-employment skills to trainees, and visual arts, sports and recreational activities to improve their quality of life.    

Story published in 2024.