I grew up
in Singapore and am most at ease when penning my ideas with a brush. At the age
of 13, I began oil painting and identified myself as painter. I went to high
school in Hong Kong and Singapore. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art
from Baylor University, Waco, Texas, a Master of Divinity in Theology from
Southwestern Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, and a Master of Arts in Special Education
from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. I currently reside in Phoenix,
Arizona with my husband and three children. I am of Peranakan* descent.
What
is Paper Batik?
The
Peranakans use batik in their traditional clothing and linens. Batik is a
traditional process of using resist and dyes on fabric.
 |
| Ambient Moons, Paper Batik |
As a
contemporary Peranakan artist, I apply these traditional fiber techniques
to paper. I was first introduced to this process by Dr. Janet Hart Heinicke, an
artist and educator. This media allows me to meander surfaces with intricate
lines illuminated with vibrant colors that can come only from silk dyes. I love
being an artist because I am not hindered by my print disability.
 |
| Embracing Autumn, Paper Batik |
Living
with Dyslexia
About ten
years ago, I was struggling to read an instruction manual in
Singapore. Vince Devadason, a remedial reading specialist asked me if I had
trouble reading. After an in-depth conversation, he conducted a few tests and
that was how I was finally identified as an adult living with dyslexia.
 |
| Lotus Pond, Paper Batik |
When I
was an elementary student, I thought everyone struggled with seeing the words
on a page. My words and letters loved to dance. They sometimes exchanged
positions. Other times, they would disappear completely. There were times
they hopped from left side of the page to right and then suicide-slid
down the cliff of words. My inability to control these dancers on
print made it difficult to succeed academically. I was bestowed many
titles in school including "stupid," "lazy,"
"retarded," and "rebel." After a while, this recording
embedded, and I began to wonder if the labels were true. I began to
shy away from academics and invested my energies into sports and the arts.
It was no
wonder that I became an art major and a professional artist and it was no
surprise that being a teacher never made it on my list of career
preferences. So, it is ironic that I just completed my Masters degree in
Special Education.
 |
| Phoenix Rising, Acrylic |
After my
official diagnosis with dyslexia (words and letters), dyscalculia (numbers),
and cognitive disorder (a fancy term to describe the fact that my intellect
is significantly higher than my ability to test academically), I continued
to work as a teaching artist in schools around Iowa and nationally without
broadcasting my disability. However things changed. In one classroom, I
observed that a student was struggling with reading. I asked him if the font
size or font might be difficult to read. He said that he felt tired and his
eyes hurt when he read. I zipped over to the computer, changed the font to a
non-serif font (Arial) and printed the instructions off. He said that he could
read it. I thought he would be grateful. Instead, he became irate.
"How did you know what to do?"
"Er,
it's because I live with dyslexia?"
"Ms.
Bappe, I have dyslexia, too. You're the first adult that I know that has this.
Why don't adults talk about stuff like this?" I didn't have a good answer.
After a long reflection, I decided to come out about my learning disability,
and thus I began my journey with VSA, an organization for arts and
disabilities. In 2009-10 I was a recipient of the VSA National Teaching Artist
Fellowship and had the opportunity to teach at the Smithsonian Museum of
American Art. Through VSA and the wonderful people I have met, I have learned
to proclaim: "Don't fixate on what I can't do. Celebrate what I can do!"
I became a VSA Arts and Inclusion Presenter and had opportunities to teach
about creating inclusive classrooms using the arts. I loved working with
students like me with learning disabilities, and that led me to go back to
school and pursue Special Education at the University of Iowa.
I now
speak openly about my challenges and strategies in the classroom. I am a
teaching artist. I use arts integration strategies with students living with
learning disabilities in Phoenix, Arizona and continue to model the life of a
professional artist.
 |
| Guardian Dragon, Paper Batik |
Artist
Statement
Each
piece of artwork describes a lesson or hope that I embrace.
Phoenix
Rising encapsulates
the ascent from brokenness to healing.
Ambient
Moons taught
me that every creature is beautiful when it finds its context.
Guardian
Dragon is a
symbol of protection in Chinese lore. Dragons to represent prayers I have for
those in our community who face suffering.
Lotus
Pond is a
motif in many Asian cultures that represents the return of spring and renewal.
Embracing
Autumn is a
question inspired by fall leaves. How will we face the challenge of change and
transition in our lives?
To see more of Kem’s work and connect
with her socially, please see the following links:
Background Info on
Peranakan culture:
*Signs
of Peranakan culture can be found as early as the 14th century.
"The Peranakan Chinese are descendants of Chinese traders who settled in
Malacca and around the coastal areas of Java and Sumatra. In the 19th
century, the Peranakan Chinese, drawn by commerce, migrated to the bustling
ports of Penang and Singapore ("Who are the
Peranakans, peranakanmuseum.sg.)."
