VISUAL ARTS CENTRE
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Happiness Within My Make-Believe Houses

A Creative Illustration Workshop

Conducted by Artist William Sim

The Old Lorry in Red — an artwork from William Sim’s Make-Believe Houses series

"Every home begins as an act of imagination."

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

Where Imagination Builds a Home

What would your dream home look like — if the rules of gravity, budget, and common sense didn’t apply?
That is the question at the heart of Make-Believe Houses, a creative illustration workshop conducted by Singapore artist William Sim, brought to you by Visual Arts Centre. Drawing inspiration from his beloved watercolour series and best-selling book title Happiness Within My Make Believe Houses, William guides participants to dream up and illustrate their very own imaginary dwelling — one that reflects who they are, what they love, and how they see the world.
This workshop is open to children, teens, and adults aged 10 and above. No prior art experience is needed — only curiosity, and a willingness to imagine. Participants joining us with no drawing experience may inform us, and we may suggest taking a one-session bridging drawing class before attending this workshop.

All art materials are provided in this workshop, ranging from dry mediums – colouring pencils, coloured pens, markers to watercolour paints.

Details of workshop

Theme: Happiness Within My Make Believe Houses – A Creative Illustration Workshop by William Sim

Date: 6 June 9:30am-12:30pm
Time: 3 hours
Venue: Visual Arts Centre – Chinatown Studio
Suitable For: Ages 10 and above (children, teens, adults)
Class Size: Limited spots available
Contact: 62550711 | visualartscentre.sg
Fee: $120nett / person + get a discount on the artbook (top up $25 only) All art materials provided.

"Freedom is often a state of mind that we can choose to experience, rather than just a state of being."

— William Sim, Happiness Within My Make-Believe Houses

WHAT YOU WILL CREATE

Guided by William’s step-by-step approach, you will sketch and illustrate your own make-believe house — from rooftops draped in plants to open-air kitchens, treehouse lofts or even a home built on wheels.

Each house tells a story that belongs only to its maker.

What to Expect in 3 Hours

• An introduction to William Sim’s illustration style and philosophy
• Guided warm-up sketching exercises to unlock your imagination
• Step-by-step illustration of your very own make-believe house
• Tips on layering, detail, and storytelling through drawing
• Take home your completed artwork — a house only you could build

A Tea Hut

ABOUT THE ARTIST

William Sim — Merchant of Happiness

William Sim  (born 1967) is a prominent Singaporean artist, watercolourist, and illustrator whose work has been exhibited across Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. He is widely known as the “Merchant of Happiness” — a title that captures the essence of his life’s work. Rooted in positivity and nostalgia, his paintings draw viewers into vibrant, whimsical worlds where joy is both the subject and the destination.

Since graduating from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1991, William has become a master of capturing Singapore’s spirit through intricate watercolours that weave together urban heritage, nature, and mechanical fantasy. His works — whether sweeping cityscapes or intimate dreamscapes — are unified by a signature blend of candy hues and quiet wonder, depicting collectives of nature and mechanical objects in scenes where positivity reigns.

His artistic voice extends beyond the canvas. William is the acclaimed author of Singapore’s best-selling art books – Colouring the Lion City and Botanical Singapore: An Illustrated Guide to Popular Plants and Flowers, which have brought the richness of local culture to a global audience. He has held successful solo and group exhibitions across Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Taiwan, earning recognition for a practice that champions not only beauty, but environmental connection and the tender preservation of memory.

My Masak-Masak Corner 68

ABOUT THE PUBLICATION

Happiness Within My Make-Believe Houses

The Art Book That Inspired This Workshop

Indent this part:
In early 2020, as Singapore implemented social restrictions in response to the pandemic, William Sim picked up his brush and began to build. Not walls — but doorways into something softer.
What began as simple sketches of cosy corners, which he called Masak-Masak Corner (a Malay phrase evoking the childhood game of playing house), gradually grew into huts, then houses, and eventually entire imaginary neighbourhoods. As the restrictions stretched from weeks into months, the drawings expanded too — as though the imagination, given reason to wander, could not help but build more rooms.

My imagined Japanese-style house inspired by a ship sailing, with stone fences and sturdy square wooden pillars as its main support. A sanctuary for my inner self, free from the buzzling world.

The 100 artworks in the series were created from February 2020 to May 2021. Each piece is rendered in William’s signature watercolour style — warm, layered, and deeply attentive to the small details of living: a shelf of mismatched jars, a cat asleep on a landing, herbs growing in a window box.

"Freedom is often a state of mind that we can choose to experience"Isolation can be experienced even in the presence of others, while limiting contact with others may not necessarily make us feel isolated." rather than just a state of being."

— William Sim

The series was later compiled into the art book Happiness Within My Make-Believe Houses — a collectible volume printed on acid-free, chlorine-free paper. It is not simply a book you read, but one you inhabit; turning each page feels like stepping through another front door.
At its heart, the book poses a quiet but generous question: what does home truly mean to you — and can you find it within yourself, regardless of what is happening around you?

WHY THIS WORKSHOP

More Than a Drawing Class

Make-Believe Houses is an invitation to slow down and look inward. In a world of deadlines and decisions, this workshop carves out three hours to ask a simpler, more joyful question: where do you feel most at home?

Whether you are a young student discovering art for the first time, a working adult seeking a creative outlet, or a parent looking for something meaningful to share with your child — this workshop meets you exactly where you are.

Who Will Love This Workshop

• Young artists aged 10+ looking for a fun, imaginative challenge
• Teens and adults who want to explore storytelling through illustration
• Fans of William Sim’s work and the Make-Believe Houses art book
• Anyone who has ever daydreamed about their perfect home
• Parents and children who would like to create together

BOOK YOUR SPOT

Places are limited. To register or find out more, visit us at visualartscentre.sg or call 62550711.

Visual Arts Centre — Dhoby Ghaut & Chinatown

www.visualartscentre.sg
@visualartscentre.sg

Come and build your make-believe house.

You might be surprised what you find inside.

VISUAL ARTS CENTRE
Dhoby Ghaut | Chinatown | visualartscentre.sg | 62550711

Registration & Fees

The art courses are available at Chinatown Art Studio.

Happiness Within My Make Believe Houses – A Creative Illustration Workshop by William Sim
$120
Location Visual Arts Centre – Chinatown Studio
Validity
6 June 9:30am-12:30pm
Buy This Course

All sessions are to be completed within the course duration stated. No refunds are provided for any courses/workshops/lesson purchased. Further extension of course validity of up to one month only may be provided with proof of overseas travel, hospitalization/medical certificate.

The course package(s) is/are valid within the stated date of registration. Each session under the adult and teenager course package is 2 hours 15 minutes. Visual Arts Centre reserves the right to reject/reschedule your lesson if you are late. Visual Arts Centre reserves the right to cancel/reschedule/postpone any course/session without prior notice. In the event that the course is unable to proceed due to unforeseen circumstances, a full refund of the fees will be provided. The registrant/guardian of the registrant indemnifies and holds Visual Arts Centre and/or its staff harmless from any losses sustained from any activity within the premises of Visual Arts Centre, including personal injury/loss or damages to property.

You will be redirected to the workshop registration page to fill in your enrolment details after you make payment. By clicking “Buy This Course”, you agree with our terms and conditions. Do note that there is no refund for signups.

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