“长”画

这两组画稿（A图与B图）曾呈交去年的一个“壁画设计计划”。

内容主要是讲述一个地点的民众（见图：正方体）从这一头尤如潮水般的“通行无阻”的流去另外一个尽头（见图：椭圆形体）。反之，另一尽头的民众也流向这一头的地点...如此，由左至右，由右到左不断的循环不息。

讲到这里，相信大家也不难猜想到这两组画稿是为了表达交通顺畅所带给民众的便利而制作的。



（A图）由左至右，（图一）连接（图二），（图二）则连接（图三）。

（图一）

（图二）

（图三）

（见A图与B图）可见画稿里的一些形象是运用“转型”的方法来表达。如众多人物的形象逐步的转化为陆上交通工具，尔后又由交通工具通向水管而形成水...而与此相反的情况也有出现...带有些许卡通画的趣味。

若做一比较的话，也会发现A图与B图哪怕是表现同一主题，但趣味性却不一样。A图较直接，而B图则多变化——也较具曲线美！但我个人却偏好A图，哈！也许正如众多朋友所说的：“我是一个直肠肚！讲话直接，做事也直接！”

（B图）由左至右，（图一）连接（图二），（图二）则连接（图三）。

（图一）

（图二）

（图三）

肯定

步入四十岁，最近常问自己：“是否有必要重新肯定自己从上帝那里所得着的呼召？”哈！早在一九九二年左右，上帝所给予我的呼召是通过绘画来见证他...但近来我却常想：“或许他会希望我能以另外一种新的方式来见证他也说不定...？”

或许他会希望我进入教会工作，成为一名全职员工？（当然，所谓“全职员工”并非指“牧师”一职，请别误会。我所属的那间教会有十五千名会众，所以有各个

不同的工作岗位。）

我祷告...要他给予我正确的方向。

Series - #01 The Timeless David, Ink & Acrylic On Canvas,

哈！哈！他在很短的时间内便回应了我星期三早上所作出的祷告。中午时我便接到了一通朋友Miss‘K’的电话，透过电话她要求我隔天让她观赏我近几年来的绘画作品...。

第二天，即是星期四中午，我们在市区一间餐厅见面，她对我的一些作品相当有兴趣...。当晚，我便电邮了几幅作品给她，并附上售价表...。

星期五她便告知我她决定要买下我的三件作品。

Series - #03 The Timeless Thomas, Ink & Acrylic On Canvas,

哈！哈！事情发展到这里，我已心有所悟。其实上帝已经提供了答案给我，即是藉着让我售画来勉励我继续朝着绘画的目标前行，非但如此，还将祝福加给我。

还能说什麽呢？感谢他！在我对前景的发展有些许的不肯定时，他给予我肯定。

神永远是爱我的，愿一切的荣耀都归给他。

False Teachers, Ink On Paper,

Child Head, Adult Body

Ha! Ha! Hopefully I can live as illustrated in the above “Child Head, Adult Body” image forever!

Recently, I began to realize what life is about. Hee! The answer is “Being A Happy Person”! That’s all! Right? I remember in my carefree childhood days, I had enjoyed my friends’ company, played with them - catching, fishing, joking… When I went to secondary school, I joined the scouts, went camping with my classmates…etc; later I also joined art club - enjoyed drawing and watercolour painting, copied great masters’ paintings to learn their skills …; I even found pleasure talking to my school teachers.

After my ‘O’ level exams, I went to art school to do my three-year fine art course. I got to know a lot of friends there who had the same target as me – to become a full-time artist. We learnt painting from one another (besides from the lecturers), encouraged those who felt depressed, and ever dreamt of furthering studies overseas together, becoming a ‘somebody’ in future…

After studies, I went to National Service, made friends, talked a lot…; Then working life started from the day I finished NS. I have great joy whenever my Pay Day comes, and occasionally even have the privilege to have lunch with my boss! I also manage to hold painting exhibitions, sell my paintings, and enjoy the fruits of my labour…

On Sundays, I go to church with my wife, and bask in God’s blessings! Amen! When Monday comes, I am recharged and back to my jobs again - enjoy teaching, doing illustrations & paintings; have entertainment such as: watching movie, listening to CDs, travelling… I have even started collecting toys recently to entertain myself. Ha!Ha! But human relationships come first. As years go by, I have also learnt how to love my wife and appreciate her company more and more each day... Eventually I find that in all these things that I do, I am seeking for the one thing – “Happiness!”

However, at times my emotions do go up and down - worry about my future, afraid of not having enough for this and that, worry that I cannot be a good husband…, and end up not having a fully happy Christian life.

Fortunately, God opened my eyes recently and reminded me that I should cast all my cares unto Him, and live a carefree and let-go life. When I received this revelation from God, I began to cast all my problems to Him, and then slowly, I discovered that a lot of problems became “lesser weight”; For some, I even did not see them as problems anymore! Meanwhile, I also realize that as a Christian, I should guard my heart, let it be “child-like”! (child-like + faith = Child-like Faith, which God commends) I believe I can slowly let go of my worries and problems day by day, because God is my faithful Provider for all my needs, just as He provided the “Manna” as food from heaven for His People in Exodus. I can indeed enjoy my daily life and become “A Happy Man”!

Note: All the white round objects in the above illustration represent “Manna”, not snow. Ha!

再说童画:一点小技巧

爱心：“先爱其人，后画其人。”在画孩童的过程里，肯定会遇到很多的挫折，因孩童常坐不定…哈！有时候还会特地跟你捣蛋（如首先摆了一个姿势，当他或她发现你已进行中途时，便会刻意转换成另一种姿势…事后还顽皮的向你哈哈大笑…）。故你少了一份爱心便不行。

认识：跟孩子们交朋友，这很重要。因为在交往的过程中，渐渐的，你会发见他们外表上的特征及性格特点。这些，对于你在进行绘画制作时是极度重要的，因为能够帮助你更深入的展现出对方。

结构：对于人体的构造必须要有某种程度的认识。就如上述所提到的，孩童易动不易画，故对结构的熟练掌握是必须有的。

记忆：很多时候在一些特殊的场所如地铁、巴士或餐馆等，会有很多“偶遇”出现!可能是在地铁里有一名非常可爱的孩童被你发现正坐在母亲的膝盖上（恰好你当时身上又没笔没纸，而你又巴不得将他的模样画下。）这时不妨运用边观察边记忆的方式来制作画作…当然这种作法尽可能把握时间，越早将记忆里的形象画在纸上越好，免得拖久了印象和感觉会逐渐模糊。

总之，上述几点只是我这些年来的经验之谈，也许其他的“同行”有更多这方面的发现…当然，希望他们乐于分享。

童画

最近难得有机会翻看了自己的一些旧速写作品，发觉自己常爱画孩童在日常生活上的一切大小举止。就想：“为何不办个专画孩童的画展呢”？

认识我的人都知道我非常的喜爱小孩，也许就因如此，无形中便自然的生出这许多的“童画”。

始于一九九三年，便可说是制作“童画”的开始。当时我家二嫂为家里添了一个男宝宝，令人疼爱不己！（哈！当初也不知自己是怎么搞的？就爱以速写的方式来画他。）后来隔了两年，他妹妹也跟着出世了。哈！我可乐了！家里又增加了个模特儿。

两兄妹的性格各异，哥哥较静，常坐在床上或躺卧在地板上静静的“观赏”电视节目。而妹妹则东爬西钻的，静不下心。因此常深觉得哥哥易画，而妹妹则较难。（当然也较具挑战性。）就这样，年复一年的，完成了这许多的速写稿。当然，间中也穿插了一些绘制其他孩童的作品，但总的来说，主要的“角色”还是他们两兄妹。

现今，兄妹俩都些许长大了，哥哥今年念中一（声带开始变粗。），妹妹则念小五，而我则想着该如何将以他俩为主的速写作品通过哪种方式呈现给大众。

还在想…

Rest

Oil On Canvas,2003.

Rest & Receive

Acrylic On Canvas, 2005, (Private Collection)

Forgiveness

Living Things, 2004 (Private Collection)

Why keep?
Keeping will make you restless!
Keeping will make you frustrated!
Keeping will also make you stressed!
Keeping can make you look like a frog that lives in the well - always no time to see the wonderful sky.(Even the sky seems like a round shape from inside the well!)
Keeping can also keep you looking at your "roommates"!(You will subjectively think that your "roommates" are people who are unfriendly and bad...)
Sometimes your "roommates" may leave you,(They do move out, with or without your permission...) but sometimes new people will move in!(Then you feel heavy again!)


Forgiving your "roommates" can chase away all your "roommates"!
Eventually, you will smile!

(Note: "roommates" here are referred in the negative sense; of course, "roommates" that we keep in our hearts and minds can also be those who mean a lot to us in the positive sense...)

“In The Right Place, At The Right Time”

Few days ago, I went to visit some toy shops near Chinatown. I was very fortunate to have found a toy car, made in year 1960 in China, and bought it at a very cheap price. After buying the toy car, I thought of ‘showing off’ to my friend Mr K who runs a gallery in South Bridge Road (of course he has helped me sell many of my artworks too).

When I reached the gallery, Mr K looked happy and asked me to go to the attic (where many of my artworks, among others, are stored) immediately, because a couple showed a lot of interest in my artworks. So I went up (no chance to show off my toy) to meet them… I had few words with them, and eventually they decided to buy one of my dear paintings. Wow! That was marvellous! Everything seemed so simple and easy - It must be God helping me! No doubt! He always leads me to the right place, at the right time!

Another blessing happened to me earlier this year, very similar to the above case. I was having a group exhibition together with other six artists at the same gallery mentioned above. On the second day of the exhibition, one of my NAFA school-mate came to visit. I was very happy to see her because we had not met each other since year 1987. However, I was also very tired and hungry then, as I had waken up very early in the morning to settle a few things… So in the end, I just had a few words with her, and asked the gallery owner to help me accompany her… I really needed a break to have my lunch, that was all!

So I left the gallery, had a good lunch, and a good break… it took me about an hour. After a satisfied meal, I walked slowly back to the gallery. Before I reached the gallery, I was thinking to myself that my friend must have left already, but the moment I opened the gallery door, I saw her still there, and was standing in front of one of my paintings! When she saw me, she asked me to do a bit of explanation about the work. Eventually, she decided to buy it. Haha! So… what can I say? Right Place at the Right Time, isn’t it? This is my Heavenly Father’s doing; He is a good God! He loves me all the time, just as He loves Jesus! And always willing to bless me!

Just imagine: If I had never bought that toy, I would certainly not have gone to the gallery; If I had never gone, I could have missed that couple; If I missed them, they might not have wanted to buy my work (as they told me - if they never met me, they could have bought another artist’s work.); Similarly, if I had gone to the gallery few minutes later, I might not have chance to talk to my classmate, and I also found out later that she was about to leave the gallery… Hehe! It is all about God! Amen!

My Favourite Photos

How should I label my series of favourite photos shown below? Will "The Anxious Bridegroom" be appropriate?
Haha! The bridegroom is actually my younger brother...He was anxious at thatmoment when one of the bride's following cars had left him without noticing him!

My Dream : Story-Making (2)

Sealed Warriors

"Sealed Warriors" was another idea that I had last year. I wanted to show a group of christian characters having fellowship with God, serving God and facing fierce challenges from the evil one.
In the story, there would be six or seven characters, all of them brave and strong. Everyone owned a sword which represented God's Word. I had even planned to have their right hands imprinted with the seal of a cross - as an identity of "Sealed Warriors"! Ha! So far, my idea has birthed forth only a few sketches though. More to come...
Note: I am thinking - if there are christians who do cartooning, it would be great to come together to publish our works! But so far, not many christian artists, whom I know, can do cartooning; or even if they can do, they are not so interested, or just too busy...Let's hope we can fulfil this dream someday...

My Dream : Story-Making

Many people thought I am only a fine artist, but in fact I do a lot of cartoon drawings and illustrations as well.
Since first year in NAFA, I began to create a series of cartoon drawings on "Shadow", and they were published on newspapers( Ha! I was earning some pocket money then).
It was my dream to create a long-story cartoon also, ha! However, it did not come through easily...I always wondered:"Was being busy a good excuse?" Finally, I managed to complete one story, entitled:"The Food For Tree". Till now, I dare not show to many people, because the content is quite negative-it is very much to do with the nature's revenge to man's abuse to the environment( Ha! Can you see the words that I used for this story were actually cut-and-paste?).

The Food For Tree, 1997-98

In another story: "Him story", I was actually trying to show a true story of a rebellious teenager and how he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal saviour. However, I was too busy to complete it...In fact, I would love to do this story...but...no time!

Him Story, 2006.

My illustration ( Part 2 )

0781, 2007.

Wonderful Life, 2007.

Great Joy, 2007.

My illustration ( Part 1 )

Faces, 2007
"God can turn water into wine".
"God can turn sorrow into joy".

Warrior, 2007.

The Happy Party, 2007

The Making of "Recall" ( Part 2 )

Recall, Oil on canvas, 91.5 cm x 91.5 cm, 2001, Private collection

The work depicts a scene at the seaside, dispersed with people engaging in their own relaxing activities - building sandcastles, picking seashells, sunbathing, swimming...The young man on the foreground is engrossed in reading, holding in hand a picture. A child with a float stood by him, as if impatiently waiting for him to play with her.
The small picture in the man's hand recalls an event 2000 years ago - of people gathering at the lakeside to hear Jesus preach on boat. There was such eagerness to come together in pursuit of God's Word as shown; In contrast, people at present are seen to be more concerned with play and relaxation, investing much time in individual pursuits than coming to know the Creator who has created man, and nature - the very places they live, work and play in. It is the similar scene by the waters, but altogether very different human's concerns in the passage of time.



Additional contents:

At the seaside
- building sandcastle, symbolic of the tower of Babel, where people were caught in glorifying own human achievements.
- digging for earthly treasure in the sand, with the help of the treasure map.

In the sea
- sharks were seen chasing after swimmers, but people on the shore seemed indifferent to the misfortunate.
- background shows dark patches of water - sea pollution by tankers and endangering sea-life ( God's creation ).

The Making of "Recall" ( Part 1 )

In 1999, during Chinese New Year season, I was feeling very down because I was facing great challenges in my job. I also did not have a girl friend then. I knew my relatives would ask about my career prospects and whether I had a girl friend when they met me ( of course I knew they cared for me, but I was just too down to face anyone back then )...
At that time,I was living at Yishun, not too far away from sembawang park, so early morning I decided to leave house and go all the way to sembawang park, just wanted to aviod my relatives.
When I reached there, I could see many people at the beach - swimming, pinic, cycling, picking sea-shells...

When year 2001 approached, (Ha ! that was a year that I set my eyes on a lady called "Shirley", who is now my wife !), that was also the same year that I decided to do "Recall" painting.

Firstly, within all these years, I discovered I liked one of my sketches on my younger brother reading comics without shirt on [ Can see the sketch on "The Making Of Recall" (Part 2) ], and I often wondered how I could transfer that image into a painting...
At the same time, I also realized that I had been painting people indoors so far; so should try some outdoor painting... Almost instantly, the beach figures came across my mind!

Following that, I started thinking how I could include some God-filled message in the painting. There were quite a few historical events in the bible that happened by the beach or river-a wide selection to choose from. Finally, I decided to portray the event where Jesus preached from a boat, to the crowds who had gathered by the lake to listen to him. This event was then put in an interesting contrast to the present-day scenario of beach-goers pre-occupied in their activities...

Pipes & Containers ( Part 2 )

This time, I am using pipes and containers in different shapes and forms to create portraits.

As you can see here, the pipes and containers form up eyes, mouth, ears, nose and others...This is to suggest every christian plays a different part in the body of Christ, forming the "Church".

2006, Ink On Paper, 21cm x 14cm

2006, Oil On Canvas, 60cm x 50cm

In the portrait with red colour background (in fact I never did it on purpose), subconsciously, I achieved a fantastic result: after I completed this painting, I discovered that the overall shape of the portrait looked like a heart shape...that makes the painting look more meaningful!

2006, Oil On Canvas, 60cm x 50cm

I would say all these portrait drawings and paintings are only a preparation for my future "bigger" and "greater" painting, which I want to create a whole figure formed by pipes and containers - "A Complete Body Of Christ".

So just "wait and see, ha!"

Pipes & Containers

My art usually has a Christian message. This is because I want to share with people my journey of faith, and how God has blessed me with His love and care all these years, since my conversion to Christianity 15 years ago.

I do not have a fixed style in my art as I do not feel the need for it. Rather, expressing God’s love, mercy, righteousness and glory in my painting is my primary concern.

I love story-telling and using imagery in my art, and I believe they are God-given abilities ingrained in me. In each of my art series, the style that I choose is usually derived by the sensitivity and emotions I experience during the period of making.

This series of abstract works shows manipulation of imagery with an element of play. Inspired by imaginary plumbing pipes and containers, I associate to channels of communion between God and man, and among people, flowing with God’s blessings such as: grace, love, wisdom, peace, prosperity... Each container represents the storage of God’s blessings within every believer, while the pipes are positioned as conduits to facilitate sharing of God’s word, fellowshipping and showing care, in turn blessing other people. Every word or action in love bears the witness of God that seeks to establish harmony and bonding within the community, and beyond...

Conversations In Christ, 2006, Oil On Canvas, 60cm x 60cm

Close Fellowship, 2006, Oil On Canvas, 60cm x 60cm (Private Collection)

Communication, 2006, Oil On Canvas, 60cm x 60cm

Where Is My Energy ?

Many people who have seen my earlier paintings (done between 1987 – 1990) tell me that those paintings have more power and full of energy, compared to later works. The energy seems to be missing now, they say,…

Whenever I hear this, I always tell myself not to worry about my “missing” energy, because that is “unhealthy” energy! In the earlier days, my heart was full of anger, frustration and hatred. As I was more quiet among the artists’ group, I had no any other outlet to help release my feelings and emotions. So in the end, all my inner feelings were completely transferred to the canvas! Also, I was mainly using big brushes to create a lot of heavy strokes and movement on my paintings… eventually, my paintings always turned up very violent…

Some of my friends prefer my earlier painting style, even suggesting that I do my earlier painting style again…I don’t know, but can they accept that a person can grow? Or will change? Do they know that the moment when my “energy” is missing, another element replaces the energy? Can you see it? If you can’t see it, never mind, I can see it. Ha!ha!

Amen, thank you, Papa God.

' Fish Revenge ' Acrylic On Paper 54.5cm x 73.5cm 1988

Frog-Illustration

( Please note that the following drawings look yellowish due to indoor lighting; the background colour is actually white. )

Tower of Babel

In the Old Testament of the Bible, ambitious men tried to build the great and tall Tower of Babel to prove that they could be as great as God. When God saw what they did was out of prideful intentions, He began to confuse their languages so that they could not communicate with one another, thus had to stop building the tower further, and were scattered over the face of the whole world.

Inspired by this story, I illustrate a tower which also looks like a well. Below the tower, there is a man’s face without eyes (blind) – representing arrogant mankind who do not know where they should stand in God’s eyes. On the other hand, I draw a frog on top of the tower/inside the well, with eyes that belong to the man below. This is to indicate that arrogance may come with short-sightedness also, as represented by the frog in the well…

Tower of Babel, 1999; Ink on paper ( Private collection )

Well-Frog Club

I believe not many people in this world want to become “well-frogs” (referring to people who live in their own worlds, having limited visions). However, sometimes they just cannot help it, because everybody and everything seem to be moving too fast…

In my illustration, you can see many people trying to climb as high as they can, as fast as they can… For those who are too slow or just not fast enough, they risk possibility of being caught/dragged down by the big frog in the well, and perhaps ending up as residents of the “well-frog club”.

Well-Frog Club, 1999; Ink on paper ( Private collection )

Reborn

This picture shows people struggling out of the symbolic well-frog’s stomach and racing forward triumphantly, with fingers pointing to heaven. (in contrast, people trapped in the well frog would refer to those who have yet to open their eyes/hearts to God’s love and His salvation.)

From my past life experiences, I felt very much like those trapped in the well-frog whilst I was still a non-believer. I seemed ignorant of many things, and when I got into trouble sometimes, I could not find a good way out. Feeling hopeless and insecure, I had even attempted to finish my own life...

But God is good. He found me, and gave me His perfect peace when I received Him as my personal savior. He also leads me through every challenge in life by His wisdom and grace. Ever since, my life has been changed, and my eyes opened to Him and His wonderful works…

Reborn, 2004; Ink on paper ( Private collection )

Untitled, 2005; Ink and acrylic on paper

My Childhood Photo

This photo was taken when I was only seven or eight years old, studying at Chong Hwa Girls' Primary School then... Yes, a girls' school! I was enrolled to this school (as were my elder brothers and cousins), because it also accepted boys, making up around 30% of the school's population.

Until now, I can still remember one of my school teachers always compared my academic results to my elder brothers’. I found the subject - English - very hard to learn, and since it was the only subject in English (being in a Chinese school), I eventually gave it up... However, I also cannot forget most of my school teachers loved to see my drawing and colouring works. They always commented that I had great talent in Art, and this really encouraged me a lot.

Another deep impression I have of my childhood school days - was being the first to wear spectacles in class! I hated to put them on during every lesson, because they made me look very different, and I did not like my outlook at all… In spite of this, I found that many of my "girl friends" liked talking to me more than to other boys. I often wondered why, perhaps was due to my introvert personality then (as compared to other boys who were quite rough) and having cute big eyes?

Lastly, I would like to mention that this photo is cropped from a group photo taken with my brothers, living at Toa Payoh last time (only my second elder brother is shown behind me). Amongst my brothers, I was also the most quiet one then. Yes, then, not now… I would say I am much more outspoken now after all these years, and of course with the convenience of blog, I have much to share…