School of Creative
Industries
Jaz Tan Jingru
Jaz's time in the MA Art Therapy programme at LASALLE College of the Arts has allowed her to blend her twin passions for the field of social services and arts for social causes. Reflecting on her own journey of finding a personal voice through colours and illustrations, she hopes to support others in discovering their unique means of expression.
During the programme, Jaz provided individual and group art therapy services to primary school children from underserved families and adults recovering from mental health conditions in a rehabilitation centre. Her practice is grounded in relational and person-centred approaches, emphasising the importance of the here-and-now therapeutic relationship, the therapist’s self-awareness, and mind-body connection in fostering clients’ self-exploration and growth.
Jaz is a recipient of The Red Pencil Scholarship, and she remains committed to deepening her understanding of art therapy’s transformative potential, especially within Asian contexts.
Work
Blooming Inward
Mixed media
70 x 60 x 60 cm
(2025)
In Blooming Inward, every line sewn represents a unique experience of self-discovery.
With every upward and downward movement of the needle, new emotions, reflections and insights emerge. Each repetition is a creative process and not just a mechanical act. As the practice grows, the lines extend across the petals, flowing back to the center of the flower to form a strong, supportive stem.
This artwork symbolises the artist's growth through centring her self. As each petal takes shape and the flower blooms, the journey of growth unfolds, bringing clarity to what nourishes, what wounds and what should be embraced or let go of along the way.
