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Artisan of the year award

The "Artisan of the Year Award" marks a decade of honouring craftsmen who not only craft exquisite art but also contribute to their communities. This prestigious accolade, initiated by the Rotary Club of Singapore, recognizes individuals whose technical mastery is surpassed only by their passion, originality, and dedication to their craft. It goes beyond mere skill, emphasizing artisans who give back, making a positive impact on society. In ten years, it has become a symbol of excellence, celebrating those whose hands shape both beauty and community spirit. The award inspires future artisans to blend skill with social responsibility, creating not just art, but a meaningful legacy for our world.

Who is an artisan?

An artisan is a highly skilled craftsman or craftswoman specializing in crafting handmade, often unique items. Renowned for their expertise in a specific craft, artisans employ traditional techniques, manual skills, and an in-depth understanding of their chosen materials to create high-quality, aesthetically pleasing products. The term “artisan” underscores the craftsmanship and unwavering dedication to the artistry involved in producing items that showcase both skill and creativity. Whether working independently or within communities, artisans contribute to the preservation and evolution of diverse crafts and artistic traditions. Their work reflects a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, making them essential contributors to the world of handmade craftsmanship. Here are some examples of artisans –

Fashion Designers
Sculptors
Furniture Designers
Cooks
Ceramists
Carpenters
Mechanical Designers
Wall Decorators
Tailors
Metalworkers

Musicians
Painters
Jewelry Makers
Shoe Makers
Basket Makers
Garden Designers
Photographers
Bakers
Batik Painters
Carpet Makers

2026 winner

Eunice Yeo, Sculptor, Contemporary Installation Artist

Singapore-based artist Eunice Yeo transforms reclaimed glass, light, and discarded materials into compelling sculptural installations that explore the relationships between nature, structure, and light. Drawing inspiration from organic forms and natural systems, her works reveal the beauty and resilience found in materials once considered waste. Through meticulous craftsmanship, she creates immersive installations where fragility and strength exist in harmony, balancing structural precision with visual elegance. A distinctive aspect of Eunice's practice is community participation. She invites people to contribute to the early stages of her artworks, transforming individual contributions into collective expressions of creativity, hope, and renewal. Beyond her artistic practice, Eunice is the founder of Peace of Art, a social initiative that supports children in need through charitable art programmes and auctions. Guided by a commitment to sustainability, community engagement, and social responsibility, her work demonstrates how art can inspire connection, foster positive change, and create meaningful impact beyond the gallery.

2025 winner

Lim Sue Luan, Finger Painting Artist

Mdm. Lim Sue Luan is a unique artist uses her fingers as pens and heart as ink to blend tradition and modernity; interweave Chinese and Western Art.

Born in Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and raised in Singapore, she initially pursued a science career before turning to art. She thought mathematics and chemistry for 43 years, believing education not only gaining knowledge, but also about enlightenment of the soul. Her art combines rationality and sensibility.

She learned finger painting from Wu Tsai Yan and absorbed concepts from oil painting masters Liu Kang and Dr. Chen Wen, developing her distinct style that combines traditional finger painting with modern composition. Her works include landscapes, flowers, birds, and abstract art.

Beyond her artistic achievements, she has significantly contributed to promoting culture and art. She served as President of the Singapore San Yi Finger Painting Society for 13 years, founded the Women Artists Association (Singapore). She has organized and participated in numerous international art exhibitions, promoting Singaporean art globally and bringing international art to Singapore. Her solo exhibitions and demonstrations have taken place in Japan, USA, Sweden, Finland and New Zealand.

Her accolades include the Grand Prize at the Seoul Asia Pacific Art Exhibition in 2012 and a silver medal at 17th Tokyo International Painting and Calligraphy Grand Prix Exhibition in 2024, leading to an invitation as a visiting professor by the Japan International Art Academy. From 1989 to 1995, she represented Singapore through Singapore Tourist Promotion Board to promote Singaporean culture. Her name is recorded in several prestigious art and achievement publications. Additionally, she has taught finger painting classes and donated paintings for charity.

2024 winner

Kavitha Krishnan, Bharathanatyam Dancer

Ms. Kavitha Krishnan, a trained Bharathanatyam dancer since the age of three, is the first dancer from Singapore to stage a solo performance at the tender age of eight. She has pursued her passion for dance, performing extensively both locally and internationally. Throughout her career, she has used her dance skills to create a therapeutic environment for individuals with disabilities as well as for the elderly.

Currently, Ms. Krishnan conducts inclusive dance technique classes through her company, Maya Dance Theatre (MDT), with Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC). MDT is a non-profit interdisciplinary dance company that focuses on social issues, while DADC creates a co-existing space for persons with disabilities and art-makers. Through her company, she collaborates with international partners on social issues.

She has represented Singapore Tourism and the National Arts Council (NAC) in various international programs and initiatives. In 2006, she received the Honourable Artist Award from the late President Mr. S.R. Nathan for her contribution to Traditional Indian Dance.

In addition to her dance training, Ms. Krishnan is a qualified occupational therapist and holds a Master’s degree in Community Care Management from Swansea, Wales.

2023 winners

Christine Tan Siew Yin, Pottery Artist

Christine started learning pottery in 2016 after a particularly painful moment in her life. As a counsellor and using pottery as an expression, Christine works with prisoners and at-risk youths as well as other disenfranchised communities in Singapore and around the world. She developed a programme called Toki Formation and Kintsugi Transformation which she runs together with her volunteers through a charity, Awful Grace, which she founded. This programme involves hand-building pottery and kintsugi (repair of broken pottery) as part of building character and instilling life skills. Today, her programme runs in several prisons and in the Assumption Pathway School. Christine is a qualified clinical counsellor and traumatologist. Her counselling credentials include a Post-Graduate Diploma and a Master of Arts in Counselling. She is also a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (USA) in Psychology and in Business Administration and holds a Masters in International Relations from Baylor University.

2023 WINNERS

Charlie Lim, Paintographer

Charlie has developed a very unique art form that he calls “Paintography”, which dwells on the boundaries of fine art and photography. In his photography process, he “paints” his figures in the dark with a light source, creating shadow effects on the final product. This creates a stunning photograph that when printed on canvas, resembles a Rembrandt oil painting. Charlie’s “Paintography” works had drawn media coverage in countries like Australia, the U.K., the Philippines, India, Vietnam, and Singapore. Charlie is professionally trained in advertising arts and commercial photography. In 2015, Charlie was bestowed the prestigious Singapore Design Golden Jubilee by the National Arts Council. His works has also been exhibited at the Ngee Ann Cultural Centre as part of his Solo SG50 Photo exhibition as well as featured among the 100 international photographers published in the International Masters of Photography Volume II. He has performed his craft overseas in Bali, Indonesia that has benefited charitable programs there.