After a hiatus from travel oil art, I came back to one of my favourite nature subject, Iceland.
I wanted to paint clouds and the fascinating ever-changing skies from my 2012 trip immediately came to mind. There was material a-plenty from my memories and photographs of the land of fire and ice, which is an abstract art unto itself..
So this little paintings series was born, painted impasto as I got re-acquainted with my favourite oil medium, happy and relaxed as can be :)
Finally when I've done enough pieces that I am satisfied with, it dawned that put together, they form an inspirational whole that brightens up my room. And day :) With this, the name of each piece was born. May the paintings bring peace and good tidings to all beholders of this tribute to Icelandic nature.
Titles: Icelandic 1 to 9 ~ Infinite, Hope, Awe, Unbending, Flow, Haven, Oneness, Awakening, Serene (O132-O140)
Description: Icelandic series depicting the beautiful elements of nature, clouds, mountains, waterfalls, surreal earth, and homes, in harmonious blend in the land of fire and ice. 2016.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 14" x 10" each.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
"Icelandic 7 ~ Oneness", "Icelandic 9 ~ Serene" are Sold.
Welcome home, Joseph Isaac Schooling. It is good to see you staying relaxed, good-natured and unfazed, all the brouhaha and attention notwithstanding. You certainly deserve the immense adulation and numerous accolades, and the greatest honour of course, if it can even match the historic moment that you touched that wall ahead of Michael Phelps, Chad Le Clos and Laslo Cseh, all amazingly reaching at the same time for the silver but that's another story.
When you came in first in the heats, I wondered if you had peaked too soon. But your focus on winning was clear, not putting too much on the win. Even when you won the gold, you said it is not as if it is your 22nd or 23rd, showing the same humbleness and respect to your fellow swimmers, all greats in their own right on their day, especially your hero Michael Phelps who went on to win his 23rd. The spirit of comradeship amongst the medallists during the lap of honour was one of the most touching that I have witnessed on the sports arena which epitomises Olympics at its best. This is what true competition is about, the best for the sport above all. Whether a baton is passed or not, only history will know but with this right spirit, may this be only the beginning. And let not that pressure cooker that is that great, ahem, oft unreasonable, Singapore Expectation ever get to you.
Rejoice in your family time with your parents, who are heroes in their own right period. Enjoy your chai tow kueh for now. I know the feeling having just painted my away-from-home fried carrot cake cravings in 2 paintings currently exhibiting at Fullerton Hotel. And this is what I was moved to paint on that historic day - of you breaking out in smiles of joy, and perhaps, relief, during a TV interview by the poolside soon after the triumph. It was an unforgettable expression which I hope I have done justice to. Well done, my compatriot.
Title: Jubilation ~ Joseph Isaac Schooling (A61)
Description: Tribute to Joseph Isaac Schooling, winner of the 100m butterfly at the 2016 Olympics, attaining Singapore's first-ever Olympic gold medal and in record time. Inspired by the historic images of the triumphant 21-year-old on the podium, with Michael Phelps, Chad Le Clos and Laszlo Cseh tied for a silver, and painted on the same day 13 Aug 2016, from a tv interview of our homegrown boy breaking out in smiles of jubilation, and perhaps, relief. Well done, my compatriot.
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 30 x 23cm.
Not done with Shanghai yet as I discovered an old ink sketch I had done while strolling at the boulevard of the Bund last year, of the iconic Pudong skyscrapers view across the river.
So this painting is born, with colours, shapes and all, in impressionistic style as that was what struck me the most, of this distant surreal view of the financial district, especially the distinctive Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠塔) that gives a natural anchor to the landscape.
And the across-river distant view remains the nicest as actually being in Pudong itself was not that much fun for me, too modern or too futuristic, depending on how you look at it ;p I still prefer the historic buildings at the Bund, so Pudong will remain at that, abstract distant impressions :)
Title: Shanghai Pudong 上海浦东 (O102)
Description: Surreal impressionistic painting of Shanghai Pudong with expressive strokes, colours and shapes depicting the iconic city skyscrapers of the river landscape in abstract. China 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com
