Painted Faces by Ren Zhengyu

Mother Teresa 

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls." -- Mother Teresa

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa

Lee Kuan Yew

"The ultimate test of the value of a political system is whether it helps that society to establish conditions which improve the standard of living for the majority of its people." -- Lee Kuan Yew

"I always tried to be correct, not politically correct." -- Lee Kuan Yew

Albert Einstein

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination." -- Albert Einstein

"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." -- Albert Einstein

About the Artist:

Born in Tianjin in 1976, Ren Zhengyu graduated in 1999 from the Oil Painting Department at Tianjin Academy of Fine Art, where he currently works as a lecturer. His talent was recognised and appreciated by renowned galleries and distinguished collectors throughout China, and he achieved fame in Europe through his distinct portrait series of historical and political icons such as Andy Warhol and Chairman Mao.

In his works, Ren plays with a wide spectrum of colours that are juxtaposed to create a unique expressionist interpretation of famous faces and experiments with texture and layering built on to reinforce the portrayal of faces from different perspectives.

Source: Ode to Art (www.odetoart.com; sales@odetoart.com) 

Revelation for the New Year 2018

You don't need no new resolutions for the New Year. What you need is a fresh revelation to follow through with actions. 

One plausible revelation would be: You have the power to change your life for the better by making some adjustments to your daily routine. 

Photo credits: Free-Photos (Courtesy of Pixabay)

John C. Maxwell said, "You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of success is found in your daily routine." The diamonds are hidden in your own garden, after all. 

For example, you can learn one new word each week and by the end of the year you would have learnt 52 new words. The little actions do add up if you maintain consistency. Nothing dramatic is required. 

Likewise, if you reflect hard enough, you would be able to find and journal 365 unique reasons -- one for each day of the year, on why you can be happy or thankful. Try it and you will see your life in a whole new light, and you will be a brighter person from the inside out.

Making a change to your life pattern is doable and charged with possibilities. Many studies have concluded that, in general, it takes about 30 days of consistent practice to change a behaviour pattern. The decision is yours to make. 

Photo credits: geralt (Courtesy of Pixabay)

Mark Hughes, President and Founder of Herbalife, said, "I believe that success begins the minute you start working toward your goals. The actions you take to fulfill your dreams and attain your personal desires make you a success today, not the end results you will get tomorrow."

Start with one change at a time. For example, sleeping an hour earlier and getting up an hour earlier so that you can beat the morning traffic congestion and have a head start in your office. Once this new routine is established, then you may wanna consider taking on a new challenge. 

As you do so, your days are gonna get brighter. You are a star in the making!

Photo credits: geralt (Courtesy of Pixabay)

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing blog. May 2018 Be Your Best Year Yet!

Are You Oppressed?

If you feel oppressed by other people, let the following Psalm offers you an avenue of comfort and strength in the knowledge that God watches over us and He is the avenger of the righteous.

Psalm 64 King James Version (KJV)

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

In your low state, the transition will come when God intervenes like in verse 7 "But God shall shoot at them with an arrow...". So don't let not-good persons keep you down as they are also subject to a higher power -- God Himself.

Maintain a righteous walk and treat other people well no matter what. God is the One who judges and vindicates. Call upon Him and He will hear your plight so as to help you. Don't despair; God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in time of difficulty. Don't give up, look up to Him for the help you need.

Metallic Roadrunner

When the following delivery scooter zoomed onto the pavement this morning, it caught my attention due to its uniqueness.

Photo credits: skeeze (Courtesy of Pixabay)

Unless I am mistaken, it sure does resemble a roadrunner with its slanted forehead and upturn boot.

Find Your Power, Harness It

Image credits: robertschoenholz (Courtesy of Pixabay)

"WHATEVER IT IS THAT MAKES YOU FEEL CONFIDENT, THAT IS YOUR POWER. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY."-- HEIDI KLUM

Image credits: freeGraphicToday (Courtesy of Pixabay)

No Mere Lip Service to the Arts

Thanks to the many benevolent women who heeded the call to contribute their lipsticks, the following the Lipstick Art Installation Project organised by CapitaLand in their Raffles City complex could be staged by Ms Chng Seok Tin.

Seok Tin said, "I decided to transform all  the lipsticks into many big and small lotus flowers, which encapsulate all the good wishes of the ladies and convey the sweet message: "Do Good Deeds, Speak Good Words and Think Good Thoughts".

About the Artist:

Ms Chng Seok Tin
(Photo credits: weekender.com.sg)

Chng Seok Tin did her studies in art in Singapore, UK, France and USA from 1971 to 1985; she obtained two master degrees from New Mexico State University and The University of Iowa, in USA, majoring in printmaking. She never restricts her practice to creating prints; her works include drawing, painting, collage, mixed media, textile, photography, ceramic, sculpture and installation. Since she lost most of her eyesight in 1988 due to brain abscess and is legally blind; she does more printmaking, mixed media and sculptural works. Her works deal with nature's phenomenon and human conditions.

She has held 30 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 100 group exhibitions in Singapore and abroad. For her courage and contributions to the arts, she was named the Woman of the Year 2001 by Her World magazine. She was awarded the Cultural Medallion by the Government of Singapore in 2005. She is also an established writer and was given the Singapore Chinese Literary Award 2007 by the  Singapore Literature Society. In 2014, she was inducted into Singapore Women's Hall of fame in its inaugural year.

Spotlight on: Save My Bag

If you are looking for a bag that is lightweight, durable and chic, whether for yourself or as a gift, then you may wanna take a dive into Save My Bag to explore their range of bags and accessories.

Aside from felt (100% polyester), their bags are made of a patented Poly-Fabric with Lycra ® that is softer and lighter than foamed neoprene -- the material used in making wet-suits for scuba diving and other water sports

The following is a blurb extracted from their website:-

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The Miss Bag is chic and timeless in design, while its versatile construction is the essence of practicality. Made in over 40 fashion-forward colors, the Miss Bag, with a worldwide registered design*, is perfect for carrying your daily essentials and completing your look.

Save My Bag’s allure is in its ironic, playful and smart contemporary design, as well as its innovative construction. Made in Italy of Poly-Fabric with Lycra ®®, Save My Bag is chic and cruelty free, resilient and refined, super light and super unique. Our signature fabric is a super soft blend that is even lighter than neoprene. We use premiere Italian Lycra® to provide you with a lightweight, durable and chic bag."

Let the following sample brighten up your day:-

Click here to visit Save My Bag homepage.