Still Life in Watercolours

This is a painting (left) which I did many years ago, a still life subject of a bunch of banana and some chillies for contrast. The green fruit is a 'jambu air'.

Below, at right, is the photograph of the scene taken from another angle.

This piece was done in 2003 at a painting class conducted by art master Tang Tuck Kan at the Petronas Art Gallery at KLCC.

I almost forgot about this painting until I stumbled upon it again during spring cleaning.

Sometimes it is interesting to see one's progress in painting when one stumbles upon an old work.

I think many artists share the same view - and many more, after they have become successful, try to locate their paintings of old. Some of them successful in reacquiring their old paintings, sometimes disappointed in the process. But all that cannot be helped - artists need to eat and live too. Many sold their early works, albeit cheap, and then lived to regret it. But that is part of their life. A good artist needs to fill his stomach too, at whatever cost.

Claypot and Garlic

This was among the earliest paintings which I did. It was a picture of a clay jar containing black vinegar and garlic. On the wall is a surgical mask.

This painting was done during the SARs epidemic. The Chinese believed that taking garlic and black vinegar would boost the immune system to keep SARs away.

I did this to record the event as well as to study the light and shadow play on the objects. I used thick watercolour (not gouache) to capture the textures of the objects.

Painted February 2003.