About
I'm a quirky illustrator-author-storyteller-artist soul in recovery and a "thought-provoking jade curio" (the literal meaning of my name, Jun Qi 隽琦!). In my past life, I was a senior software developer and tech lead at a multinational software consultancy.
After taking some time off to explore my desultory interests and rediscover my creative spark, I decided to dive into the pursuit of my creative work, which currently spans illustration, writing and storytelling, and will hopefully continue to grow and meander around the confluence and boundaries of all three.
Illustration-wise, I am mainly a digital artist, with Krita - a FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software) digital painting software - being my go-to tool, but I keep in touch with my traditional side through a daily drawing practice. As a writer and storyteller, I craft stories in both English (my first language) and Mandarin Chinese (which I speak fluently). My stories often feature my multicultural Southeast Asian heritage, elements of my Chinese Singaporean identity, whimsical environments and zany animal characters (geeky nature lover here!)
Among other things, I also enjoy singing with my uke, composting, growing plants, and studying foreign languages (I can hold a basic conversation in Thai and hobble through a Sanskrit verse with plenty of help from the textbook, dictionary, and my study buddies).
Thanks for dropping by, and if you'd like to work with me, you can shoot me an email at hello@tanjunqi.art 😸
Awards
- 2023Honorable Mention in the 3x3 International Illustration Show 20
(Feeding Time) - 2023Winner of the International Compost Awareness Week Poster Contest 2023
(ICAW Poster)
Storytelling
- 2022 - PresentStorytime with Jun Qi at Bedok Public Library
I conduct a storytelling session at Bedok Public library as a volunteer every month for the public. My stories are targeted at children 5 years old and above, and are highly interactive, incorporating both hand-made props and music. I alternate between stories in English and Mandarin every month.
- 2023398.2 Storytelling Festival
I performed two live stories at the 398.2 Storytelling Festival, organized by the Storytelling Association Singapore and the National Library Board, in 2023. My first story, “Kanci's Moon Journey”, was told in Mandarin at the Woodlands Regional Library auditorium, and weaves together a Kancil folktale with a popular Chinese childhood song. My second story was about the story of Garuda, the eagle god from Hindu mythology, and was told to an adult audience at the Harbourfront Library.
- 2023Storytelling at Kidztropic Playground
I performed several stories at Kidztropic, a local children's playground located in Poiz Centre, in 2023.
- 2023Storytelling Performance at Heartbeat@Bedok
Together with veteran storyteller Roger Jenkins, I performed two stories for an event organized by People’s Association and the National Library Board for the March School holidays.
- 2022 & 2023Interactive Storytelling Performance at the National Gallery
Together with veteran storyteller Roger Jenkins and musician Jane Lau, I performed in two musical and interactive storytelling shows in late 2022 and early 2023 at the National Gallery. We performed an Ecuadorian folktale “The Lake at The End of the World” and “The Magic Cake of Happiness”.
- 2022398.2 Storytelling Festival
I performed two stories over zoom at the 398.2 Storytelling Festival, organized by the Storytelling Association Singapore and the National Library Board, in 2022. My first story, “Ah Seng’s Kampung Days”, was told in English and tells the story of Ah Seng’s funny childhood exploits growing up in his Malaysian kampung. My second story, “The Fox who wanted Nine Golden Tails”, was told in Mandarin and was adapted from an American children’s novel loosely inspired by Japanese mythology that is now in the public domain.
Education
- 2023Children's Book Academy with Dr. Mira Reisberg
I took a Children's Book Academy course on the Craft & Business of Writing Children's Picture Books in November 2023.
- 2022 - 2023School of Visual Storytelling (SVSLearn) Online Courses
I worked through several online courses under SVSLearn to improve my illustration craft.
- 2017Bachelors in Engineering (Information Systems of Technology and Design) with Summa Cum Laude - Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from SUTD with specialization tracks in Artificial Intelligence and Security and Communication. I was on the SUTD Honours List for all terms and was awarded the Keppel Awards of Excellence in my final year for being one of the top 2 students in the cohort.
Get In Touch
If you're interested in working with me, drop me an email at hello@tanjunqi.art and let's talk! You can also subscribe to my newsletter to get updates on my work.
