Freelance illustrator Soefara Jafney may be based in Amsterdam, but there is no denying that there are very recognisable South-east Asian touch points in many of her drawings. More importantly, Soefara has a special skill - she is able to depict various women characters in history as well as in pop-culture as interesting personalities in their own right.
Having worked in the commercial world as an art director, her versatility is evident as she her work is seen in various forms, including children's books illustrations, designs for headscarves and leggings, and also high-end collectible toy statues.
It was wonderful to know that Soefara will be having a booth at Singapore Comic Con's Artist Alley this year. Red Dot Diva recommends that the geek ladies (and of course, men too) should head there, get to know her and her art, and show what woman power can be and do!
Here's a Q&A with Soefara, where Red Dot Diva chats with her about the art scene, representation for women, and her dream project.
Red Dot Diva: How is it like being a Malaysian artist living in Amsterdam, and now, in Singapore? Do you think there's hope for Singapore's local arts scene?
Soefara: Hmm.. what can I say about the art scene here? It is glorious! The level of artistry is eminent. From their Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh to other forms of art such as ivory carving, cheesemaking and Taxidermy, The Dutch seem to have mastered their craft beautifully. Take for example Taxidermy, there are courses available here for those who are interested to learn but the wait list is 2 years and the course is pretty hefty. That itself shows how much commitment they’re willing to atone to advance in a skill. Having said that, the Netherlands have had the economic and art boom since the 16th century. That gives them one big head start compared to Singapore. And time is a precious commodity when it comes to mastery in any field. Singapore is one melting pot, reminds me of London on a smaller scale ( But Singapore has better train system heh..) The buzz and the speed of the city is inspiring. Singapore has always welcomed talents from around the world, hence there is a lot of transfer of technology and ideas to inspire the local art scene. But like I've mentioned earlier, the path has been made, perhaps what we need is just time to see it bloom.
