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to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve:

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ameliorative

I took this photo quite a while back when I was in Taiwan earlier this year for an exhibition. It was at a very old government quarters’ compound which has been turned into an art and cultural park. 

Some of the still intact old quarters were turned into tea house, art gallery, modern cafes where most of the structures were still kept in their original condition. all those did not interest me. Instead, I went wondering on my own around the park, armed with my camera, begin looking for inspirations.

As I walk around the compound, I saw this imposing huge tree and it stopped me at my track. It was so majestic and I was in awe.I went around studying it closely. The more I scrutinise it, the more I begin to see the story behind it. I knew I have to paint this, one day…

After any trip, as I was

Treasure trove, literally means “treasure that has been found”. The term treasure trove is often used metaphorically to mean a “valuable find”, and hence a source of treasure, or a reserve or repository of valuable things. The term is also often used metaphorically.– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_trove

Now this, may not be considered as treasures to many. BUT to me, it brought out troves of loving memories that I had of my childhood.

My late father was a handyman. There was nothing he could not repair around the house. He had this heavy duty military type toolbox where all his previous tools were kept inside. He made sure to keep every tool well oiled and in good working conditions. Anybody who uses it without putting it back where it belong, will be given a good lashing. That was how precious those tools were to him.

I was trained by him to recognised each and every tool in that box.

I have always been a dog person. So for me to paint a cat, is something I myself would never think of doing.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all kinds of animals, cats included. Throughout my whole life, dogs have always been my preferred pets and I have to admit that I do feel a wee bit uncomfortable being close to cats. One of reason is that they are so tiny, fragile and aloof. So very different compared to dogs.

So what made me do this? Several of my friends thought it was a commissioned piece, which is was not.

Now, do you believe in serendipity? Chance encounters? I do, always have. And this is one good example.

I went to a friend’s house, who is a musician and also a cat lover (they have 3!), with the intention to take some photos of musical instruments for future work references. It so happened

The last portrait I did was way back in 2013 and it was of my late father. He suggested that I should draw an elderly person with lots of character in the face. Which translated to lots of wrinkles and lines.

At that time, I was quite a freshie in art and I recalled telling him where am I to find one. Even if I found one, I will be too shy to take a photo of that person. In the end, he did me a favour and posed for me, scrunching up his face to produce as much wrinkles as possible (that’s how funny he was).  A couple of moths after I have completed his portrait, he left us. It was the most devastating time of my life and I have not done anymore portraits until now.

Stand Back 200ft (2013)

So now, what made me paint this particular portrait?

The minute I saw this scene, I knew I have to paint it.  I want to capture that whole sombre, nostalgic feeling which tells an interesting story. This needs no descriptions nor explanations in length. I want the viewer to tell me their version of story instead.

This reference picture was taken in an iron factory museum in Nanfangao, Taiwan during my trip there early this year. It was previously an iron factory in the early 60’s. But due to technology advancement and changes of the times, the factory closed  down in 2004. And now, with the effort of the owner, it was turned into the Sangang Iron Factory Museum.

From the outside, this museum looks like an ordinary old taiwanese shophouses. If we were not taken in for a tour, I would not have know that it was a museum.  It was messy with all kinds of old metals and ironworks.

There’s something about quietness.  That particular moment where we are able to hear our innermost thoughts. A time for reflections, contemplations with a hint of melancholy.

No one can deny that in some point of our lives, there are times when we need to be in THAT quiet moment. It is not about self pity or sadness,  just ‘down’ time, to halt and reflect.

To retreat into the quietness is not selfish, it is a dissonance that we need to appreciate what we have, to mature and transfigure us.

Being an artist, a moment of quietness is priceless. It is a time when I can be my true self, to listen to my inner voice. I let out all of the anger, bitterness and sadness that were buried deep inside without hurting anyone else. It is a way to purge out all those negative thoughts and thereafter, move on with a positive mind.

So, enough

WHERE sunshine flecks the green,
Through towering woods my way
Goes winding all the day.

Scant are the flowers that bloom
Beneath the bosky screen
And cage of golden gloom.
Few are the birds that call,
Shrill-voiced and seldom seen.

Where silence masters all,
And light my footsteps fall, 
The whispering runnels onlyWith blazing noon confer;
And comes no breeze to stir
The tangled thickets lonely.

– Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967).  The Old Huntsman and Other Poems.  1918. 

This is something very different from all of my previous work. Landscape! Lots of green and green is the my fearful colour of all. The reason is because I find this colour very tricky, especially when it comes to realism art. It can turn out to be very cartoony or very rigid.

I got the inspiration when I was vacationing in Bandung, Indonesia last December. We stayed in a resort up on

I had totally forgotten about writing a blog on this one, how could I?? This was done way back in September 2016.

How large could I work with colour pencil? Never thought of it before and that got me thinking. To my ability, I figured that the largest I could go is about 40 x 30 inches max.

As for the subject, it needed to be something simple without too many detailed work. It could not be just a pretty painting, it has to have some substance to it. I was quite obsessed with rock pebbles at that time and naturally it became the perfect subject.

I went around for several days, to the beach and waterfalls, to get inspirations. But it was all in vain.  It was when I was almost at my wits end that a sudden image of rock pebbles in water with bubbles ‘appeared’ in my head. And I knew just

You must be wondering what on earth was I thinking picking a subject like this.

Well, I want to do something, using colour pencils, subjects that are not ‘normal’. If you have been following my style of artworks, you will notice that I tend to gravitate towards old worn out metal stuffs. It is both a challenge of testing my skills and the ability of this medium.

I got the idea when I was browsing through Pinterest, searching for some inspirational subjects. I came across a painting of some mysterious looking abandoned industrial machines painted in oil. And I was immediately drawn to it.

Now, where do I start searching for similar subject? Took me several days of drilling my memories to finally get the ‘Aha!’ moment. My husband’s mechanic shop. That’s it!!

I told my dear hubby of my intention and asked whether his mechanic will allow me to snap photos of engine

Looking at this subject, how can one see beauty in that? It is rusty, raw, edgy. What am I trying to proof with this subject matter?

Before I dwell further about the why, let me tell you how I ‘stumbled’ upon this chains.

As I was walking along the beach across my house, searching for inspirations, I came across this bulk of rusted chains. It was hanging down from a huge tree, camouflaged amongst the branches and leaves.

At a glance, it looked just like any other piece of junk. But somehow, something caught my eyes. Under the brilliant sun, something glittered. I looked through the view finder of my camera and I saw it. I was mesmerised by the textures and colours, nature’s work of art. The term ‘Wabi-sabi’ came to mind.

Wabi-Sabi represents a Japanese aesthetic philosophy that embraces authenticity over perfection. Characterised by asymmetry, irregularity, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty & intimacy, wabi-sabi values natural objects