Inside Singapore's last Taoist deity shop - SilverKris

"The last Taoist deity shop in Singapore has crafted hand-carved religious effigies for 121 years, continuing a family trade that its ancestors trace back to the 1300s in southern China. Founded in Singapore by two brothers who arrived in 1896, the workshop has been tended through generations and was long worked in daily by an 86-year-old matriarch who married into the family in 1949. Each effigy, which starts from about SG$300, is carved from camphor wood, shaped to the purchaser’s specifications, patched with plaster to smooth cracks, then finely painted and sometimes embroidered with narrow-thread motifs such as dragons, clouds, peony flowers and water spirals. A distinctive finishing practice is how the eyes are painted—looking upward if destined for a temple so it can meet devotees at the back, or downwards for a home where worshippers are closer—and auspicious delivery dates are chosen from a Taoist almanac. The business is now run by the eldest son, with the grandson helping part-time and leading twice-monthly workshops (bookable through Airbnb Experiences) that give visitors hands-on insight into the traditional craft and its cultural significance." - Ronan O'Connell