June Sketchwalk at Ang Mo Kio Park

Credits: Banner sketch by Favian Ee

Ang Mo Kio Central sits between to neighbourhood parks - Ang Mo Kio Town Gardens East and West. This month's location is the latter, the larger of the two. A 21-hectare garden just off AMK Ave 6, it is beautifully landscaped with lotus pond, terraced hill, activity areas, green spaces, secondary forest, and bird singing club.
(https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/ang-mo-kio-town-garden-west)

START
Time: 9:30 AM
Location: Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West
In front of Macdonald's
https://goo.gl/maps/zHKr8yyz8qk

END
Time: 12:15 PM
Location: Garden Plaza, next to the pond
(https://goo.gl/maps/HM9oARYhAut)

Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio MRT (EWL)

Locations to sketch:
- Garden Plaza
- Playgrounds
- Stage area
- Bird singing club area
- Lotus pond
- Observatory terrace / hill top
- Macdonald's

Places to eat and shop:
- Macdonalds
- Ang Mo Kio Central

Sketchwalk leaders: Patrick Ng, Favian Ee

Notes: Bring your own stools and watch out for bees at some parts. Be kind to bees!

A Sketch Outside National Gallery

Colour washes were added later to a sketch I did on location on the steps outside National Gallery on 18 May. On that day I did the sketch, there was no more ink and no more pages to sketch and I did not bring any colours and brushes.

I don't always go to the city area but that day, the weather was good and the view captivating. The iconic Marina Bay Sands on the left is designed by Moshe Safdie with the sky park straddling three hotel towers. In the last decade, the skyscrapers were sprouting out like mushrooms behind the classic orange tiled roof Cricket Club Singapore which was built in the 1860s. The contrasting horizontal classic building and the vertical towers together with the green Padang (the big lawn) in the front forming the beautiful skyline of Central Business District of Singapore.

Father's Day

My son eating his long japanese noodles on Father's Day at Megumi. They will be moving out soon to a new location in Joo Chiat. They will be moving out end of the month as the developer is going to build a new building on the same location. It is part of the red hot en-bloc market started in 2017 and now everyone is talking about en-bloc including the place that I stay.

Breakfast on a Public Holiday

One of my favourite breakfast places - mee pok (noodles) at Simpang Bedok. In fact there are four stalls to choose from and the newest one has airconditioning, expensive and I only tried once. You can read about the mee pok here.

Hari Raya

Yesterday 15 Jun was Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Muslims in Singapore end their time of fasting with a joyous celebration of forgiveness, fellowship and food. Marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is the festival of Eid, known in Singapore as Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa. It was also a public holiday for us so we went to Simpang Bedok for breakfast. We saw so many families in their ethnic costumes passing by the coffeeshop after parking their cars. These two guys look really cool with big army bag and jubahs

Jalan Besar

I sketched this after a heritage walk at Jalan Besar area orgainsed by Urban Redevelopment Authority for a small group of enthusiasts, historians, researchers etc. The back lanes were so interesting, full of life and character. There was an altar for the wondering souls, old soil collecting points, overgrown banyan tree covering the back of shophouse, stories about the properties, so colourful and interesting.

Three's a Crowd

Three's a Crowd is a dessert cafe located at the heartland of Tampines which includes ice cream, freshly baked cakes, coffees , tea and other dessert drinks at block 802 Avenue 4 just opposite my institution. I like to come here when I need some quiet moment or after my lunch to relax with two scoops of ice cream and a thick coffee. These two young men came, ordered, left within 15 minutes after having two drinks and sharing a cake. The young man on the right had a very unique hairstyle.

JTC50 featuring my work

I am one of the three featured artists in this video that celebrating JTC50. I did a 3-metre long panoramic skyline sketch of Tuas, Jurong Industrial Estate on location. It was lots of fun doing this video before my trip to Shanghai. I met two graduates that I taught at Temasek Polytechnic as creative director and camera videographer. You can see I roll out the concertina sketchbook at 4:00. Enjoy!

last sketch in Hong Kong

 


8 pages of Moleskine Japanese Album at IFC, Hong Kong on the last day after check-in at the Airport Express at Hong Kong Station. It was windy and shady in the afternoon on the open terrace at IFC. Shake Shack from New York also just opened for business one floor above the open terrace and the queue was ridiculously long.

May Sketchwalk at SMU

Credits: Banner sketch by Anita Ryanto

SMU Green sits in the centre of the city surrounded by beautiful buildings such as Singapore Management University, Singapore Art Museum (the old St Joseph's Institute), National Museum, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, the Archbishop's House, and further down the road, CHIJMES, etc. Lots of nice places to sketch and shelter nearby. If you remember our USk symposium in 2015, this is where we had our final sketchwalk!

START
Time: 9:30 AM
Location: SMU Green
https://goo.gl/maps/BBvWQapjydA2
If it rains we'll take shelter under SMU

END
Time: 12:15 PM
Location: Same as starting point

Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (Circle Line), City Hall (EWL, NSL)

Locations to sketch:
- SMU + SMU Green
- National Museum
- Singapore Art Museum (SAM)
- SAM@8Q along Queen Street
- Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and Archbishop's House
- CHIJMES

Places to eat and shop:
- CHIJMES
- Food Court and eateries along Bras Basah Road
- Plaza Singapura
- Cafes at the museums

Sketchwalk leaders: Flavian Ee

Notes: Lots of trees around SMU Green. Watch out for birds!

Informal visit by the Minister Iswaran

Minister Iswaran visited the exhibition on 9 May 2018 and had a good informal chat with the participating artists.

Result of April Sketchwalk

I did another long sketch at the April Sketchwalk at Farrer Park, here is part of it. I am leaving this evening for Hong Kong, hope I have time to sketch there.

April Sketchwalk at Farrer Park

Copyright © Chia Kwek Fah
Used with permission

Farrer Park is where much of Singapore's Sports was developed. Fandi Ahmad played at the field. Ang Peng Siong trained at the pool. But by mid 2020, Farrer Park will be returned to the government. Its fate is unknown, but it is one of the few remaining large open spaces in land-scarce Singapore. (http://www.straitstimes.com/videos/farewell-farrer-park/5760121151001).

Surrounding Farrer Park Field are shophouses along Race Course Road, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Farrer Park Swimming Complex, several old churches and temples.

START
Time: 9:30 AM
Location: Farrer Park Field next to Farrer Park Swimming Complex
https://goo.gl/maps/SWnQipRJ17v
If it rains we'll take shelter at the swimming complex

END
Time: 12:15 PM
Location: Same as starting point

Nearest MRT: Little India (DTL/NEL)

Locations to sketch:
- Farrer Park Field. With some luck there may be people playing soccer or cricket!
- Farrer Park Swimming Complex (from the outside. It's a private facility)
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital
- Shophouses and churches along Race Course Road
- Shree Lakshminarayan Temple along Chander Road
- Parish of Christ Church along Dorset Road
- Mama shop at Rotan Lane

Places to eat and shop:
- Restaurants along Race Course Road
- Pek Kio Market

Sketchwalk leaders: Patrick Ng

Notes: Bring your umbrella and hat, and sunblock if you need. Not a lot of shade/shelter at the field, and trees sometimes have birds

Credits: Banner sketch by Chia Kwek Fah

Asia-Link Sketchwalk in Taichung

If you not already known, the tickets for Asia-Link Sketchwalk are on sale. This year it will be held in Taichung from 4-7 Oct, 2018. Asia-Link Sketchwalk or ALSW started in 2016 in Bangkok and continued in 2017 in Kuching. I am planning to go, how about you?

Get a Workshop Pass today!

Details are on Facebook and Website.

Official Opening

Monday, 16 April was the official opening for the exhibition "We Draw Amaravati Together" at Art Gallery@GCV, Temasek Polytechnic where I work as the Artist-in-Residence. The Guest-of-Honour was Mr Khoo Teng Chye, Executive Director for Centre for Liveable Cities. The last day of exhibition will be 20 Jun. All are welcome.

Chief Minister Visit

Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, visited the exhibition "We Draw Amaravati Together" at Art Gallery@GCV, Temasek Polytechnic. He was here only for a day since 6am and before his returned flight at night, he asked to visit the exhibition. What an honour!

ALL ARE WELCOME

The Centre for TransCultural Studies of Temasek Polytechnic presents the exhibition "We Draw Amaravati Together" by Urban Sketchers Singapore. The exhibition opens on 16 April, Monday at 6:30 pm; we are honoured to have Mr Khoo Teng Chye, executive director of Centre for Liveable Cities grace the occasion.

This project is presented by the Amaravati Partnership Office of the Ministry of Trade & Industry and Temasek Polytechnic, with Urban Sketchers Singapore. Banner sketch of the Mandadum village in Andhra Pradesh, India by Benedict Tay.

Please join us on 16 April, 6:30pm. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Sketches on Shanghai

I was away to Shanghai for a work trip from 12 to 25 March and completed a sketchbook. Enjoy!

It's a Wrap!

It’s a wrap after this final filming session for a skyline sketch.
Background music - “heavy rain” by nature.