An artist based in Singapore

Rachel Koh

A writer and aesthete at heart, Rachel has always been in love with words. Rachel’s love for calligraphy started from a hobby discovered in 2016. Charmed by the slow & mindful writing process required by the dip pen and the rich history behind the craft, her interests grew to include scripts in traditional scripts with modern applications, flourishing, illustrations, watercolour botanicals, and more recently, engraving. Distinctive of her work is the combination of modern whimsy with the elegance and timelessness of traditional calligraphy. Rachel’s love for the art of writing grew, and the year that she took off work in 2018 to venture into calligraphy full time eventually turned into four.

Rachel’s instagram moniker “phosphenes”, referring to lights behind closed eyes, gives a clue about her approach to art. To her, phosphenes are associated with the imagination. What she creates comes from the wellspring of her imagination, and is also inspired by the play of light and colour, which stems from her interest in the impressionist art movement.

Rachel credits the joy she has found in her calligraphy adventures to the community she is part of, which has warmly welcomed, befriended and supported her growth in many ways. 

As a mentee under Heather Held’s guidance, Rachel found a safe space to explore and stretch her wings. View her shiny trio of butterflies in the exhibition gallery.

Follow Rachel on Instagram