Refreshing Watercolours by Calvin Chua

In his preface to the catalogue of artist Calvin Chua Cheng Koon’s solo, currently being at the Balai Berita (NST) in Jalan Riong, the chairman of the Malaysian Watercolour Organisation Dr Wong Seng Tong described the artist as “the most talented, takes art seriously, works deligently and participates actively in the art scene.”

And it is not difficult to see why at Chua’s exhibition. One marvels at the almost realistic images of buffaloes, logs, old structures, statues and nature Chua has managed to capture in both oil and watercolour.

While both his oil works and watercolour pieces are equally striking, one cannot help being drawn to the latter. Chua is truly a master (he taught at his alma-mater the Kuala Lumpur College of Art before going professional) when it comes to rendering the subjects he sees around him – from old vases to morning glories. His strokes are confident and bold, and his subjects are captured to the finest detail, almost to perfection.

Note:
Calvin Chua was born in 1961 in Kedah and received training at the KLCA, graduating with a Dip. in Fine Art. He is now a full-time artist and member of various watercolour organisations including the Singapore Watercolour Society. Since 1982, he has participated in various exhibitions in Malaysia and abroad, for practically almost every year. He collections have been collected within the country and abroad.