Liquan Liew & Estella Ng from Ripple Root Share the Books They Turn to for Inspiration
Today’s book-talk is with Liquan Liew and Estella Ng, the two Singaporean artists behind Ripple Root – this is their signature name for the amazing nature and wildlife works they co-create.
The duo is famous for creating works with Southeast Asian ornamentation, combining folkloric elements and interwoven patterns. What stands out from this collaboration is how Liquan and Estella work together to create beautiful works of art.
They sometimes swap works over and continue to add elements to each-other’s work – this is what makes their art fresh, free and spontaneous. Liquan and Estella have a large portfolio of clients to take pride in, including Facebook, Peranakan Museum (Singapore), National Gallery Singapore, Park Hotel Group, Twitter, MUJI, and others.
Liquan has more than 10 years of branding and design experience, while Estella majored in Painting, with exhibitions in the US. Their synergy, talent and recommendations are what make them stand out of the crowd.
We asked Liquan and Estella for a list of books that inspired them to become who they are today – you’ll find the titles below.
What’s your favorite book and why? Business and non-business, if possible.
Estella: Letters to a Young Poet – it is everything.
Was there a moment, specifically, when something you read in a book helped you? Can you tell me about it?
Estella: This line in Letters to a Young Poet “If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches” is an important one to me. I constantly go back to this to evaluate if I have been living a full life.
What books had the biggest impact on you? (perhaps changed the way you see things, dramatically changed your career path)
Liquan: The Black Swan – realising that Life happens beyond one’s control. But also that serendipitous encounters are real if only we open our eyes to them.
What books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path? Why? (no number limit here)
Estella:
- The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
- What Me Worry by Andrew Kuo
- At the Strangers’ Gate by Adam Gopnik
Liquan:
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- Drawing is Thinking by Milton Glaser
- How to See by David Salle
Links where you can follow Liquan Liew & Estella Ng or find out more about their projects:
- RippleRoot.com
- Ripple Root on Instagram | Facebook
- Personal Instagram accounts: Liquan Liew | Estella Ng
- the Artling: ‘Artist of the Month: RIPPLE ROOT’
- Today: ‘Duo creates ripples in the art scene‘
