Oil painting of a tropical secret garden at first light, with stepping stones over water

First Blush

First Blush
Oil on canvas
76x102 cm / 30x40 in
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Painted in 2009 and inspired by the contemplative courtyards in the tropical resorts that I have experienced. Also the 'secret gardens' within lovely Singapore homes that I visited while writing a fortnightly feature on design & architecture.

'Secret' -- and very lovely -- because these open spaces are protected from public view by high walls or thick foliage, or nestled within the house itself as an indoor-outdoor space.  There would invariably be water features, big or small, that add to the calming atmosphere.

I used a hot hue to evoke evening anticipatory passion. Or early morning delights;) ?

The courtyard view now resides with a young couple, drawn to its resemblance to one of their favourite spots in Fort Canning Park that they had stumbled upon.

May they continue to delight in joint discoveries and shared passions.

Dreama's Louvres

 Dreama's Louvres

Oil on panel

8x8 inches

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Painted from one of Dreama Toelle's photos at her Pasadena, USA, workshop in 2012.  
A lovely lady bought it as a gift for her niece in Scotland. She wanted the blossoms to add warmth to chilly days. I hope they do:)

Singapore Garden Festival

The Singapore *Garden Festival at Gardens By the Bay, where I took a booth to show and sell my paintings, has just ended.

The biennale featured eye-catching garden themes and exquisite floral displays by acclaimed landscape and garden designers from around the world.

Check out these links to know more about the festival and international award-winning Gardens By the Bay:

Sustainability and energetics of the conservatories; functions of the 'supertrees';
The Flower Dome;
The Cloud Forest, biodiversity of plants; indoor waterfall;
The Heritage Gardens that tell, through the story of plants, Singapore's history and culture.

For me, the nine days have been exciting, exhausting, sometimes hectic, sometimes quiet... I had never met and enjoyed speaking with so many people in one day as I did on each of the days at SGF.

Plants and gardens enthusiasts all, they came... hot, sweaty and happy from the botanic galore, alone or with friends or family. Several bought my paintings and art cards, many were curious and wanted to find out more, or stopped to browse my work.

Of course, there were huge throngs among some 300,000 visitors who packed the garden festival who were totally uninterested in, or oblivious to the existence of, a non-gardening theme. After all, if your purpose was to view the impressive permanent or temporary attractions including more than 2,000 varieties of orchids–collaborations of art, science and nature–and you’re spoilt for choice over which lush species within the scores of booths to add to your plants collection, you’re not likely to be drawn to 2-D paintings.

All in all, it was an enriching experience for me. I’m encouraged by the people who connected with my work, grateful for the interesting conversations we generated.

View from my booth.

Thank goodness, during the lull periods I had the delightful company of Praema Raghavan and Lee Gilbert, the only artists besides me exhibiting at the Festival. We toed and froed between our booths, one at each end of the colonnade, and that helped shorten the 12-hour days.

The festival spread over nine plants-filled days, mostly sunny.....

 

 (Don't be fooled by the empty colonnade, the crowds are hiding....somewhere....)

... and casual ..

 

With cheery pops and eye-candy...

.... haunting music and

balmy, enchanting nights....

What a feast.

*Update 3 Oct 2014: This year's garden festival won the International Garden Tourism Achievement of the Year award, at the Gardens Without Limits Conference held in Metz, France.

Erskine Road Shophouse

Oil on canvas board

Kopitiam eggs

Oil on canvas, 6x6 inches. Sold.

 I contributed this to the recent Affordable Art Fair (Red Pencil Project).

Oil painting of a disappearing wooded path; a transition to Dead Wood to urbanisation; a construction scene.

Dead Wood

This is one of several small paintings on the de-wooding that's going on where I live in Pasir Ris. It's the site of a new school for overseas families. It's sad knowing that the families of eagles (among other wild critters) will have to find a new location to build their nests.

Transitions: Dead Wood
Oil on archival panel
6 x 8 inches (15 x 20 cm).
Not for sale.

 What drew me.....the tarpaulin a-fluttering in the light.

And oh....I had the last two lines of our four official languages on the signboard in the wrong order. But that's ok, danger by whatever order is still, well, dangerous!

I was tempted to name this piece 'Uniquely Singapore' (as in the languages combi).
Or I could name it 'Families Come, Families Go'.
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This painting is one of a few that mark the beginning of my paint journey along the themes of transient spaces, conservation, works in progress.

Now you see it: I.M. Pei's twin towers

'Crane City: The Gateway'
Oil on archival panel
6 x 8 inches (15 x 20 cm).

I.M. Pei's 37-storey wedges of The Gateway--which present themselves as either flat or 3-D structures depending on your angle of vision--viewed from this work site of a MRT station across from Bugis Juntion.

I took my picture through a hole in the construction fence by balancing on a kerbside railing. I couldn't quite see what's in front of the containers, I think it was a pit, but I filled that in with water .

I couldn't get this lego-land scene (and countless others, hidden mostly by tall fences) out of my mind the first time I saw it.  I wish building contractors would provide a viewing platform or something, for those who are interested in works-in-progress. Might be an interesting way to engage the public too, for PR purposes, double-edged sword though it'd be if someone didn't abide by work-safety rules..