Koh Pei Li is a self-taught artist who creates elaborate paper flower installations
When you’ve noticed large, intricate floral installations at Gardens by the Bay, Paragon, and even throughout Singapore’s public areas lately, chances are high you’ve encountered the work of Koh Pei Li.
One in every of Singapore’s few paper artists, Pei Li has carved out a particular path as a self-taught inventive, managing a rising portfolio of commissions whereas operating her personal artwork faculty. Her husband, Symond Lim, oversees operations and funds, releasing her to focus fully on her craft.
We spoke with the couple to be taught extra in regards to the unconventional path that introduced her right here—one formed by an unshakeable perception that artwork has a spot in Singapore.
Creativity has at all times been a part of her life
Married in 2014 and now of their 40s, Pei Li started operating her artwork follow, PeiPer, in 2022, collectively along with her husband. She is finest recognized right this moment for her intricate mixed-media flower sculptures.
Nevertheless, the thought took root virtually a decade earlier—the yr she obtained married.
Born to a carpenter father and a seamstress mom, creativity had at all times been a part of Pei Li’s life. She grew up immersed in arts and crafts, together with curating clothes on her now-closed weblog store and making equipment from classic buttons. Naturally, she needed to convey that creativity into her personal wedding ceremony decor.
Whereas researching decor concepts, she stumbled upon paper flowers and determined to attempt making them herself. After mates and relations noticed her handmade decorations, requests for wedding ceremony styling started pouring in.
On the time, she additionally observed extra {couples} opting to exchange recent flowers with different options, so she started taking over these initiatives alongside her full-time job within the chemical business, pushed by a longstanding need to construct one thing of her personal.
Beginning her personal artwork faculty
However two years later, turning into a mom led her to step away from each her company profession and aspect hustle to focus totally on her two youngsters.
Immersed in parenting, Pei Li found new methods to channel her creativity.
Whereas persevering with to refine her paper-flower methods, she additionally explored hands-on actions that mixed easy science with craft—from baking soda–vinegar reactions to selfmade dough and different DIY supplies—holding her daughters engaged with out screens.
She shared these actions on-line, and family and friends, impressed by her improvements, started asking for concepts to maintain their very own youngsters occupied. In response, she created craft kits with bilingual English–Mandarin directions. By late 2020, she was additionally operating small-group crafting periods from her lounge, which was transformed into a brief studio—an expertise that ignited her ardour for instructing.
This finally propelled her to formalise her efforts. In 2022, Symond left his company job and joined Pei Li to co-found PeiPer Arts School, situated at Phoenix Park, which gives arts and craft lessons for kids.
After two years, they relocated to a bigger house in New Bahru, which value six figures to renovate. The studio gives weekly 75-minute lessons ranging from S$60, and has seen regular demand.
Pei Li now teaches round 150 college students weekly, and shared that income has doubled because the transfer.
Creating installations for luxurious manufacturers & buying malls
Past instructing, Pei Li continues to develop as an artist, specializing in her paper flower craft. The identical yr she opened her studio, she started accepting fee requests, launching her firm, PeiPer.
Every challenge begins with a small-scale prototype, which is then expanded into a big set up over weeks or months, relying on its complexity.
Materials decisions depend upon the setting—sturdy aluminium for outside works, lighter paper for indoor items —and every component is rigorously formed, hand-painted, and mixed with intricate particulars like sequins, fur, and strings to make her flowers as reasonable as doable.
She approaches every of her initiatives with “200% effort,” and is evident about boundaries: “If a challenge’s finances isn’t aligned with the work required, or if the inventive path turns into too restrictive, we’re comfy stepping again.”
Pei Li’s portfolio ranges from intimate bouquets to large installations for private and non-private collectors, together with these abroad.
She has labored with distinguished manufacturers reminiscent of luxurious perfume label Amaffi, premium cognac model Hennessy, and Paragon Procuring Centre. Fee requests usually come from individuals who uncover her work on-line or in individual.
On the finish of their show intervals, PeiPer’s installations are repurposed when doable. For example, a thousand-rose storefront arch designed for a fee with luxurious jeweller Chopard was dismantled and gifted to workers as smaller items they might show of their places of work, relatively than being discarded.
“It’s probably the most fulfilling factor I’ve ever accomplished”
Creating her paper flowers usually entails sleepless nights, as Pei Li obsesses over concepts and presentation particulars. But, she stays humbled every time individuals recognise her installations or when college students spot her work in public—moments that remind her why she perseveres, and reaffirm her determination to go away the company world behind.
“It’s probably the most fulfilling factor I’ve ever accomplished. I by no means wish to return,” she mentioned.
Alongside her installations and PeiPer Arts Faculty, Pei Li additionally conducts workshops at locations together with the Singapore Museum, Nationwide Gallery Singapore, and Changi Airport, introducing youngsters and adults to the intricacies of paper flower artwork. Nevertheless, with back-to-back commissions and installations, these workshops are at present not a precedence.
Trying again on her journey, Pei Li hopes her story encourages the subsequent era—her college students, younger artists, or anybody who desires of making.
“I feel individuals are inserting extra worth on native artwork now. There’s extra appreciation, extra pleasure. Even in a tiny place like this, it’s doable to succeed so long as you may have the eagerness,” she mirrored.
Regardless of being instructed early on that artwork had no future, she’s grateful that she selected her personal path—and stored going.
- Study extra about PeiPer here.
- Study extra about PeiPer Arts Faculty here.
- Learn different articles we’ve written on Singaporean companies here.
Featured Picture Credit score: PeiPer
