Former MP and artist Ho Kah Leong says inspiration for his paintings is close to home
akshita nanda, Straits Times 20 Oct 09;
Veteran artist Ho Kah Leong enjoys painting scenes of natural beauty and says he will never run out of material in Singapore.
'You can find natural beauty in every corner in Singapore,' says the former Member of Parliament, who has been exhibiting his landscapes for more than 20 years and is proud to claim that the island city is his main source of inspiration.
'Beauty is not just grand mountains and huge, spectacular scenes. You can find beauty in smaller things as well,' he says. His latest solo exhibition is on display at the Tembusu Art Gallery in Hill Street until Oct 29 and is titled Splendour Of Lakes And Hills. The 20 artworks capture views in natural parks around Singapore, such as the lake at West Coast Park and Bukit Timah Hill.
Dr Ho is donating 30 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of his artworks to the Make A Wish Foundation, a charity that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. Thirteen of his paintings are produced in a calendar, 300 pieces of which will also be donated to the foundation.
Fund raising for charity is a habit from his 30 years in politics, says the 72-year-old artist, who stepped down as MP for Jurong in 1996.
Some proceeds from his exhibition of scenes of Pulau Ubin last year went to the charity B'Well in Geylang East, which caters to the health-care needs of senior citizens.
Pulau Ubin is one of his favourite places to paint because many corners remain rustic in spite of the resort that has been developed there.
He packs his painting materials and visits the islet whenever he can on weekends. 'It's sometimes hard to carry all the painting materials and jump on the bumboat but I'm used to it,' says the artist, who swims three times a week and is a strong advocate of regular exercise.
He first began studying painting while studying at Chung Cheng High. He says he is greatly inspired by Impressionists such as Claude Monet, as well as pioneer artists such as Chen Wen Hsi.
His paintings pay homage to the Nanyang school of art, which captures the flavour of life in the tropics, and has been influenced by Western art.
'Singapore is a tropical country. We should try to capture its light and colour and paint the subject matter of South-east Asia,' says Dr Ho, who was principal of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts from 1997 to 2003. He was also senior parliamentary secretary from 1984 to 1997.
He does not paint with a brush. Instead, for 'freer expression', he coils up a piece of rice paper, which he then dips in acrylic or oil paint. 'I think the effect is quite good,' he says, pointing at a painting of a lotus pond in Kampung Java Park that is reminiscent of Monet's Water Lilies.
He thinks his strokes have 'become bolder and more colourful' and is eager to hear feedback on his work.
'I will accept not just the positive but also the negative. Right now, I receive very few negative comments, which is not good for an artist who wants to go further,' he says.
