SingaporeMotherhood | Parenting
September 2024
Inspired by Grandpa, Shaping His Son: Artist Peter Draw’s Tales of Love
An art teacher once told six-year-old Peter Zhuo he couldn’t draw. Now at 40, the founder of HappWhy Brands is the creator of world-famous characters, Ai and Aiko, his little Shiba Inu friend. Their stories of love and courage have not only garnered widespread acclaim, but the artist, better known as Peter Draw, is also collaborating with US-based global entertainment company WME to adapt his characters into various books and digital media. The first picture book, Ai & Aiko and The Little Curve, debuts in the summer of 2025.
Peter says that it was actually his late grandfather who gave him the courage to chase his dreams. And since becoming a father to 10-month-old Oliver, he is even more motivated to brighten the world for all children — including his son — and show them that courage is, in fact, defined by love.
Me and My Grandfather
“I grew up in an HDB flat in Kebun Baru, a neighbourhood with many elderly residents. I first fell in love with drawing at the age of three, tearing off daily calendar pages to draw on. Before the new year even started, I had used up the whole calendar. That was when my mother bought me my first drawing block.
My grandfather loved cutting fruits for me to eat. Then he would sit on his favourite chair at home, talking to me. I remember times when he would draw pictures for me. Once, he drew a beautiful picture of a sparrow that looked really realistic to me.
When I was six, I was kicked out of a free trial art lesson because I couldn’t afford future lessons. But the teacher said that I couldn’t even hold a pencil properly; that I couldn’t draw. I went home and cried.
Grandpa then told me a story about a little boy who was similarly rejected because he was poor and couldn’t hold a pencil properly. This boy, who liked wearing red t-shirts (like I did) and had the same hairstyle, went through many hardships. But he never gave up. Before he died, he was successful. His name was Picasso and he created Disneyland, my grandfather said. I wanted to be like this person when I grew up.
Of course, later in primary school, we read biographies of different people and I discovered that Picasso and Disney were two different people. My grandfather didn’t know better; he really thought they were one person.
Even today, I’m still trying to keep the promise I made to him — to be a great artist who makes people happy. My biggest regret is that I never asked grandpa what his dream was.
(See also: 13 Meaningful Questions to Ask Your Grandparents ahead of Grandparents Day)
Becoming Peter Draw
The big turning point in my life came when I was 16 — I lost my grandpa. Looking back, I believe his passing indirectly taught me one last lesson. That sometimes we don’t realise the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. If you hesitate, ‘later’ might become ‘never’. That moment marked the beginning of my journey to pursue my dream to become an artist.
I started drawing professionally at 16, drawing portraits for people on the streets and at flea markets, then gave children art lessons in their homes. I began using the name Peter Draw after children pronounced my surname, ‘Zhuo’ as ‘Draw’. Their innocent mispronunciation was like a heartfelt gift to me.
Through my free programme Little Draws, I teach children how to draw portraits, on the condition that they accompany me to various places in Singapore to draw free portraits for people and bring smiles to their faces.
Once, I partnered with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to visit children across ASEAN nations. The mission was to draw with them what brings them happiness. As it turns out, simple things that are already around us are what truly makes us happy.
I’ve also visited young disaster survivors, and drew many pictures with them. Through them, I learnt that when loved ones are gone, homes become empty places and birthdays become empty dates. Yet, they drew pictures for me to share with other children, to remind them that love can happen anywhere, encouraging them to never give up on their own happiness and dreams.
(See also: 12 Not-so-ordinary Arts Activities That Give Your Child an Extraordinary Talent Boost)
The Most Beautiful Curve in the World is a Smile
In Fukushima, Japan, I met children who had survived tsunamis. I vividly remember one boy drawing a picture of Super Mario. He said that his dream was to become Super Mario so that he could swiftly evacuate all his friends and families to safety if another disaster were to strike.
In Cape Town, South Africa, I visited a school and spent a day drawing with many children. The next morning, their school principal brought a few of them to the airport to send me off. But I had mistakenly said ‘AM’ instead of ‘PM’ when I mentioned my departure time. Fortunately, a group of Singaporeans noticed them with their big placards of my name, took a picture, and let them call me using their phones. We ended up laughing over the miscommunication over the timing.
In Sichuan, China, I met children who had survived earthquakes. After I spent the day drawing with them in their classroom, one girl broke her little biscuit into half and shared it with me. Later, the other children wrote me letters with cute little drawings.
In Yangon, Myanmar, I met children who had survived a cyclone. On the second last day, I visited our driver’s home and noticed his daughter loved drawing, but all the drawings were in black and white. Her father explained they had neither colour pencils nor crayons, so I immediately gave her all the colouring materials I had with me. When he came to fetch me to the airport the next day, his daughter presented me with a book of drawings. The last page depicted her dream of becoming a fashion designer. This time, all the pictures were full of colours.
(See also: Unorthodox Dad Gives up High-flying Career to Help Fight Poverty in Myanmar)
There’s No Such Thing as ‘No Such Thing’
I believe we can quietly live our lives while following our dreams, letting our actions speak for themselves, and allowing our achievements quietly reveal our ambitions. At the end of the day, the opinion of others, like that art teacher’s, are just that — opinions.
I achieved my first Guinness World Record on 1 October 2007, for creating the world’s largest caricature. This was inspired by the story of a boy who was once told he couldn’t draw, yet went on to create the largest drawing in the world, spanning 360 sqm.
On 2 October 2010, my second Guinness World Record was for the largest art lesson across multiple venues. The tale of a boy rejected from a free art class, only to later teach the world’s biggest art lesson, fuelled this record. 1,893 participants in 33 locations across 12 countries attended it.
My third Guinness World Record, for the longest drawing by an individual on 4 October 2014, symbolises perseverance. Despite facing setbacks and challenging circumstances beyond my control over the years, I never gave up, no matter how long it took. The drawing measured 626 m in length.
My fourth Guinness World Record, also clinched on 4 October 2014, was for the longest drawing in the world. This was now less about me, but more about empowering others to pursue greatness, and we did it together. This drawing measured 9,582 m long.
Some might discourage young people from their dreams by saying that there’s ‘no such thing’. But there really is no such thing as ‘no such thing’ — anything is possible! If you really care enough, and if you really love something or someone enough, you will figure out any challenge that comes your way, eventually.
(See also: Teach your Child to Overcome the Fear of Failure)
Me and My Son
My mum helped to look after some of my baby cousins, and growing up, I always loved playing with them. When I discovered I was going to be a dad, I was overwhelmed with happiness and a sense of peace.
That first moment when Oliver cried in the delivery room, I called out to him, “Oliver, papa is here!” Then for just a little while, my newborn stopped crying when I held him in my arms. It was love at first sight for me.
Having Oliver gives me a stronger sense of purpose in my work. The realisation that I am now fully responsible for another life gives me an immense sense of responsibility. I want to bring out his best nature and nurture him to be a happy person.
This same realisation influences my work. It makes me make better decisions in every artwork and every storyline, with Oliver in my mind all the time. A child’s world is limited to the environment they are in. Through storytelling with Ai and Aiko, I hope to expand that world a little more while sparking imaginations along the way.
Conversely, my work also influences my role as a dad. Creating Ai and Aiko’s universe is to bring the world I’ve imagined for the longest time to life — one full of little bits of love and happiness everywhere, anywhere. I hope to show this world to Oliver.
(See also: Unlocking Happiness for Me & My Child During the Exam Period)
Because of Love
Through their cute little stories in their cute little world, Ai and Aiko remind us that love can happen anywhere. I just loved the idea of creating the simplest, most beautiful way to bring joy to children. Ai and Aiko have become, and will always be, my most meaningful endeavour to bring this idea to fruition.
The name Ai came from a Hanyu Pinyin wordplay on Āi (哀 – sorrow) and Ài (愛 – love). My hope is for Ai and Aiko to always be there for children, and remind them that no matter the challenges we face at the start or along our journey in life, we all eventually find love.
My most important decisions can always be explained with these three words — because of love. I believe that an act of courage is always an act of love. Growing up, I had severe motion sickness, but this didn’t stop me from travelling all over to meet children. I endure the longest flights and the longest car rides so that I can draw with them and put a smile on their faces.
I hope my life story can be one of the few important stories that Oliver will always hold close to his heart, to remind him to make his own most important decisions because of love.”
(See also: Parenting her Son with Down syndrome is hard but “love can change our hearts and our minds” says this Mum)
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