|
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I enjoyed drawing and
painting since young. I was overjoyed when I won the third prize
of my primary school's art competition at the age of seven. I went on to win several children art contests, using oil
pastel as my preferred medium. During my teenage years, I started to
paint in watercolour after being introduced to the medium by my
secondary school art teacher and I immediately fell in love with the
fluidity and transparency of watercolour.
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Pond
(1989) Oil Pastel |
My
School (1990) Watercolour |
Fishing
Village (1992) Watercolour |
Neglected
However, I had always
considered painting as a hobby, an activity that I enjoyed doing but
not something that I would pursue as a career, perhaps partly due to the
infamous "Starving Artist" tag. "You can't earn a living being an
artist" is what people often drilled into me. So being practical,
I chose to learn Business Studies in college and then Accountancy in
University of Otago, New Zealand. I graduated in 1997 and started work
in Singapore the following year. For the next three years, I studied
for my professional accounting exam and became a member of the
Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) in 2001. Painting
and art were neglected. It was just something I used to enjoy as a
child.
Rediscovery
It took a renovation job of
my own apartment in 2002 to bring myself closer to art again. I was
painting the wall one day and the feeling of dipping brush into paints
and applying them on the wall was so inspiring that I tell myself I must
pick up art again. Soon after the renovation was completed, I bought
myself some watercolour paints, brushes and papers. I have to start all
over again, reading up articles on painting, surfing the internet for
watercolour techniques, etc.
I also attended a watercolour
painting class conducted by a respectable local artist
Loy Chye Chuan. I
rediscovered the joy and thrills of watercolour painting. My painting
skill improved tremendously under his guidance. For the next two years,
I painted relentlessly, perhaps to make up for those years when I lost
touch with art. Thankfully, my effort was paid off when I was accepted
as a member of Singapore Watercolour Society in 2004.
Never Ending Journey
I paint
in my own studio at home now with the occasional plein-aire sessions
during weekends.
Arts and painting are now part of my life.
Being able to create something beautiful out of a blank sheet of
paper or canvas is a gift which I'm more than willing to share with my
friends, fans and collectors.
Watercolour
will always be my preferred medium but I also like to explore and work
in other mediums such as acrylic, oil and pastel.
Every
piece of artwork is a process of learning and another step forward to
become a more accomplished artist. This is a never-ending journey which
I'm willing to undertake and pursue for as long as I live.
|
PHOTOS
