Whimsical Little Girl series

The last 2 pieces in my Untitled Series, completed after over a year's journey of 12 whimsical episodes with the central theme of looking at the world through the eyes of a child.  

I started painting the series when I became godma to my baby niece, taking a suggestion from a friend that I should paint from the heart. So it is only apt that my footnote piece is of the protagonist herself, and inspired by a recent real life episode of the little girl who is now 1 year old and, ahem, likes to do her own shopping ;p  To a child, a mall must seem like wonderland so it is that I made sure she gets plentiful colourful company, including a beloved care bear. 

Untitled 11 is a nostalgic ocean piece that got sold almost as soon as I posted it on facebook ;p I had meant to do this one for some time, having taken a break from the series to paint for another themed exhibition. It was inspired by a story my dad likes to tell, of how he first saw my mum, a little girl with 2 plaits playing balloon (pronounced "bear-loon" for hopscotch) at the beach. This must have been the beach at my grandma's place in Johore where they were both born. So the innocence, romance and idyllic freedom of a little girl skipping at sea theme was born.

Title:  Untitled 12 (A63) 
Description: Cute little girl whimsical impressionist painting, shopping in pink pastel colorful fantasy mall with pokemons, care bear, elephant and giraffe toys. True life portrayal of my 1 year old niece and god-daughter whose birth first moved me into starting this Untitled Series, so it was only apt that my penultimate work in the Series is of the protagonist who inspired them all :) 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Sold.

Title:  Untitled 11 (A62) 
Description: Sweet little girl at beach landscape painting, skipping hopscotch with whimsical nostalgic feel, peaceful waves, turquoise ocean, blue skies and sea shells. A step into the past inspired by how my dad likes to recount when he first saw my mum, a little girl with 2 plaits and playing balloon on the beach. 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

SOLD. 

Rooftop Reverie & Ocean Overture

Have been tardy this year updating my blog but have to really set down to do so, because these 2 paintings from my Untitled series completed earlier this year have sold :)

The nights always seem so full of possibilities to me, especially from aloft a rooftop which I would dearly love to do myself and dangle away on a carefree evening into an endless night of reverie. So it is that a magical fairytale journey unfolded with this one, inspired by a photo that I took of Barcelona's beautiful architectural backdrop from Gaudi's Casa Batlló.  And with it, the musicians and creatures start to creep in. And it is what your imagination wants it to be..

Speaking of music, the second piece had to do with my ambition to be a composer many moons ago which was somehow linked inextricably to many a sojourn to the beach. So the idea of a sea overture with my little girl protagonist conductor was born, with dolphins and whales performing in symphony with the swirling winds of musical notes.  

Lastly, my Untitled series was recently featured in an interview with Naorococo, an art news portal cum online gallery, where I shared my inspiration for these whimsical paintings. I don't think I am done with the series yet but let's see how it goes :)

Title:  Untitled 10 (A51) 
Description: Whimsical blue painting of girl at rooftop watching a magical fantasy night unfold over a european cityscape of chimneys, pied piper music and a flying witch. 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
SOLD.

Title:  Untitled 9 (A50) 
Description: Whimsical ocean fantasy painting with little girl conductor, sea waves, dolphins and whale in lively reverie of vintage music notes. 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

SOLD.

Dream Art Store & Fishing Teddy Bears for Christmas

A friend said in order to achieve my dream, I need to visualise and draw it.  And so I did.  And painted an art store that I hope to have one day, my very own corner where I can paint and have other art activities, and hopefully be able to make a living out of it as well.  

Yes, a dream that is hard to fulfil in a very urbanised very crowded very expensive city called Singapore. Oh I should focus on the positives :) And so I looked for motifs on the Internet (where else) that I would like for my shop - an artsy street location, a Shanghainese lady portrait will do quite nice for signage art, a laid back wooden feel with lotsa little embellishments like a stained glass window, peranakan tiles decor, an antique gramophone, a chalkboard duster sign, and of course, plentiful art and knick-knacks. 

Sigh. Now all I need is the dough. Yes, I am working hard for it!  In the meantime, am going back to a bit of my dark expressionist tendencies for a piece inspired by Japan Kyoto's Philosopher's Path.  Those who have been will recognize the emblems of fishing teddies and the carnival carriage.  It's a beautiful walk and one that invokes creativity and imagination, so ask not what the painting means, just feel and interpret as you will. 

Merry X'mas & may all your dreams come true :)


Title:  Untitled 7 (A48) 
Description: Warm vintage painting of cool art shop with little girl and sleeping kitten, under a So Artsy sign and Chinese woman portrait, a quirky artist's haven with painting easel that is inspired by my dream art corner. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Purchase at:  yen.artfire.com

Title:  Untitled 8 (A49) 
Description: Whimsical fishing teddy bears painting with sleeping cat, dog & rabbit on carriage, inspired by Japan Kyoto Philosopher's Path, in bluesy vintage expressionist style. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

SOLD. 

Remembering Paris..

I had painted this last month without knowing that the beloved city that means so many things to so many people, were to meet with attacks (for want of a better word, as I refuse to sensationalise as the perpetuators wish) this tragic Friday 13 Nov 2015. 

The piece is a tribute to travels and Paris, inspired by a little yellow boat called "Paris" that I have come to watch out for every morning, at the PSA (Port of Singapore Authority) terminal when my bus to work emerges from a long dark tunnel every morning. 

I have been to Paris twice, once on a europe students tour which whipped in the highlights - Eiffel, Notre Dame, Louvre - in a whirlwind, where I just remembered that I must come back to Monmarte again with the romance and idealism that it holds for struggling artists.  The second was a much longer backpacking trip traversing all over France, which was one hack of a colourful trip with many funny episodes, good and bad, but definitely memorable.  I may have encountered a few prickly French as I don't spout any and had a communication issue, but it is hard not to love the country for its beautiful cities, quaint towns, scenic landscapes that look like they come out of an art book, its absolutely rich and fascinating cultural and freedom of artistic expressions that produces so many great artists, and the sheer encouragement of it that is in the psyche of the French which is to be admired and emulated. And Paris with its Eiffel symbol, is an epitome of freedom, and an artist's dream.  The current episode will not dent this spirit that has stood the test of time.  May the Parisians move on with strength and resilience and continue with their celebrated way of life that should be the way it is, with the ideals to inspire the rest of the world. 

Title:  Untitled 6 (A47) 
Description: Red pink whimsical vintage Paris painting of little child in colorful surreal swirl of Eiffel Tower, carousel, yellow boat and green toy bike. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

Purchase at:  yen.artfire.com

Whimsical Little Girl series

Two more paintings for this Untitled series. Very different themes and places and time as well, but with a bit of personal connection to it. 

The nostalgic bicycle painting is inspired by snatches of childhood memories of a funny incident on my first day to kindergarten. On the day before, I couldn't decide which schoolbag to use so I kept packing and unpacking between the two. The next day, on excitedly reaching school, I found that I brought the wrong one ;p

I had wanted to do a green woods piece for some time, which became the second painting, an enchanted story of a little ponytail girl running barefoot on a sunlit path in a magical forest.

Something that I would love to do myself.  And yes, with a dog. The joy of nature, the joy of trees, the joy of running, the joy of accompaniment, the joy of exploration, the joy of light, the joy of being alive.

Enjoy the pieces!

Title:  Untitled 5 (A46) 
Description: Bright nostalgic painting of chinese man on bicycle ferrying a ponytail girl hugging her schoolbag, with rustic tile wall backdrop and wooden window where a little suitcase sits. Inspired by a childhood memory of my first day to kindergarten and found I brought the wrong bag. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

Title:  Untitled 4 (A45) 
Description: Whimsical green forest nature painting where a little girl runs with her dog in the woods, on a yellow sunlit path past beautiful trees. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.


Purchase at:  yen.artfire.com

Whimsical Little Girl Series

At least, this is what this Untitled series is turning out to be ;p  It's a new direction in my art, and I am excited about it. 

Instead of images from my travels which I have been doing for years, I began to paint pictures from my heart, a suggestion from a friend. 

So I started to imagine scenes from whatever comes to mind.. nuggets, unknown places, memories, feelings, symbols, dreams.. and culled for materials to thread it altogether. 

Somehow, the theme of being a child again just seems to linger.  But I do not know what to call the pieces as they seem to invoke different things to different people, and even to me.  So for the first time in my painting journey, I am leaving them Untitled.  

Title:  Untitled 1 (A42) 
Description: Whimsical expressionist painting of little girl chancing upon a dog in a nameless city with rose symbol and streakng light in a dreamy surreal nightscape. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

Title:  Untitled 2 (A43) 
Description: Whimsical painting of a little girl and a cat reaching out for a fly away hot air balloon with a birdcage in tow, trailed by roses, angels and vintage symbols. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

Title:  Untitled 3 (A44) 
Description: Impressionist painting of train station in surreal bright orange lights whilst a little girl in pink and her teddy bear stand awaiting. 2015. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

Purchase at: yen.artfire.com