“Artistic, Not Autistic”. This would be the title of See Toh Sheng Jie’s autobiography if he had one. Befitting of the creative artist, he hopes for others to look beyond labels and notice his talents instead.

The 24-year-old is the talent behind the unique “Dino Pouch” – a dinosaur-motif purse that caught the attention of many. Mdm Ho Ching, wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, carried Sheng Jie’s creation to an official state visit to The White House in 2016. It sparked the media’s interest, putting him in the spotlight. Soon after, there came an overwhelming demand for the accessory.

Sheng Jie’s fascination with dinosaurs was ignited when he first saw the Disney animated movie, “Dinosaur”. He would spend hours researching about wildlife, and bring what he learns to life through clay art. With his talent, the Associate Director of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum invited Sheng Jie to build a clay model of the museum. This was a completely new challenge for him and he experienced many setbacks in the process. After months of hard work, Sheng Jie completed the artwork and presented it to Dr Tommy Koh. It was a special gift as part of the museum’s fifth anniversary ceremony.

Today, Sheng Jie is constantly improving his art skills through various ways. He wants to continue to be a passionate artist and hopes to purchase a bigger house with earnings from his artworks. Just like the majestic animals he draws, Sheng Jie’s potential too, is larger than life.