New Zealand artist Jennifer Chalklen didn’t put brush to canvas until she moved to Jakarta five years ago. The mostly self-taught painter has since shifted to Singapore, been awarded an NPE Art Residency for contemporary artists, and exhibited her work in a solo show at the LUDO Gallery at the Visual Arts Centre. She talks to Pip Harry about how and why she made the move from digital marketing for a ski and surf company, to an artist’s studio in Joo Chiat.

Where are you from originally?

I spent my childhood growing up in a little rural town just outside of Tauranga, New Zealand and lived in Wellington, before moving to Asia. I now live on the East Coast with my husband and three kids Taylor 11, Meya 9, and Archer 5, and a fur-kid Sansa, a rescue puppy that we adopted from Causes for Animals. We’re coming up to three years living on the little red dot.

Where did your love for art begin?

I have always loved art and as a kid I was very creative: sewing and drawing in an abstract way. But I didn’t select art as a subject in school, instead I went into rowing training, and more academic subjects.

Art wasn’t your first career?

No, I worked in digital marketing for clients like Huffer, Billabong, Rip Curl, Solomon, Quicksilver, Ski Himalaya and Playstation. I did a bit of everything: writing weekly surf reports, developing advertising copy and making animated gifs.

When did you first start painting?

I only started painting portraits and doing figurative work when I was living in Jakarta about five years ago, and I stubbornly decided to teach myself how to paint portraits in a realistic style with oil paints. I had a lot of images and ideas in my head, but I didn’t have the technical ability to transfer them onto canvas, and I wasn’t able to say the things that I was feeling or wanted to express, so there was a big gap. I learnt by Googling stuff, YouTube videos and trial and error. It’s still a constant learning curve.

What do you like about being self-taught?

It gives me a kind of self-governance over my artistic direction, what I’m learning, what I’m saying and how I’m saying it. Plus, I really dislike authority and being told what to do, so formal classes don’t really work for me in that sense. But I need to be always learning new skills or trying something new

How do your surroundings inspire your current artwork?

After visiting New Zealand, my paintings become greener, and trees and animals find their way into my work. My colour palette is more vibrant in Singapore than the muted tones I was using in Jakarta, which were almost the same colour as the sky from the constant congestion. I found visiting Tokyo incredibly inspiring – it was complex, frustrating and confusing at the same time, a complete sensory overload.

There’s almost photographic detail in your work – are you personally detail orientated?

No! Which is why my painting style is still a surprise to me. My personality type is quite chilled out, messy, and disorganised. My desk is usually a disaster zone. I always thought I would be an awesome abstract painter wearing overalls, covered in house paint, using big bold brush strokes, which I think is more representative of my personality, but my work doesn’t come out in that way.

Describe the process you go through to develop a painting?

Normally a painting will develop in my peripheral, after glimpsing an image, a person, or a dream, and it will stay there for a while. If I don’t get it down, it will slowly vanish like the memory of a dream. I then gather reference images from live models that I photograph, or artist reference images online and then start to develop the work. My style is visual extension of my thoughts, ideas and experiences, it is almost like a form of meditation or prayer on a canvas.

Where do you like to work?

I work in my Joo Chiat studio, which is a space that feels like mine, outside of being a wife or a mother. I can exhale as soon as I walk inside and it allows me to get into the headspace I need to create. Also, our apartment does not have the space to make a mess, so to save my marriage, it’s much better to keep things separate.

What’s next?

I’m also in discussions with a gallery owner and another artist to open up a new gallery space in Singapore in the next few months, which would be great. We’re currently looking for property, so hopefully the real estate gods will shine on us in a favourable way.

Contact Jen through her website www.jenniferchalklen.com or Instagram @the_secret_art_gallery

In a bid to learn more about Singapore’s traditional art scene and get into the countryside, I’ve joined a group of fifteen intrepid ANZA Tour members on the Journey West tour; heading to Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle in Jalan Bahar, then onto Bollywood Veggies for lunch. As we arrive at our first stop, tour guide Gek points out a family of wild boar grazing on the nature strip. It’s clear we’ve left the urban jungle behind.

Mouth of the dragon

The family-run Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle (85 Lorong Tawas via Clean Tech View, thowkwang.com.sg) is home to Singapore’s last firing dragon kiln, and the island’s largest variety of porcelain and pottery ware – a vast collection of earthen pots, colourful Peranakan bowls, and blue and white china.

The brick, wood-fired kiln, built in 1940, roars to life only a few times a year these days, taking 24 hours to reach a blistering 1,260°C. As the dragon is currently sleeping, we are allowed to step inside the 36-metre belly of the kiln, where a few thousand pieces of pottery are loaded in for each firing.

At its height, the kiln would be fired four times a month, going through a steady cycle of packing, firing, cooling and unpacking. “From the 1940s to 1970s, there was a thriving pottery industry in Singapore, with 20 dragon kilns in production, and Jurong’s white clay considered ideal for producing the cups used for the numerous rubber plantations on the island,” says Gek. “When the rubber plantations closed, there was demand in the 1970s for orchid pots. Unfortunately over the years, all but two of the kilns have shut down.”

Preserving traditions

With their lease up in 2021, and redevelopment looming, Thow Kwang and other Singapore cultural icons need continued support to preserve their legacy. “You need a lot of manpower and it’s much more time-consuming than gas or electric kilns, so why bother?” Gek asks the group. “The answer is that the ashes interact with the pottery and glaze, so each piece is different. That’s what the artists are after – the unique variations in colour and texture. Also, it’s a tribute to old Teochew and Chinese traditions.”

“You start digging a little deeper and you find all this traditional industry going on in these little hidden pockets in Singapore,” says tour member Fay Ford. “It is a real shame there isn’t the demand for this style of pottery firing, even though they still have the facilities here and the volunteer manpower. If it dies out because of infrastructure changes, it will be a shame, because it will gloss over important Singapore heritage.”

Bollywood bound

Laden with pottery purchases, we head for our second stop on the tour: rustic Bollywood Veggies (100 Neo Tiew Road, www.bollywoodveggies.com) To get to the organic farm we travel along heritage-protected Lim Chu Kang Road, lined with thick angsana, mahogany and rubber trees. The Heritage Road Scheme was launched in 2001 by the National Parks Board, to conserve the scenic and significant tree-lined roads of Singapore.

Bollywood is a 10-acre slice of green paradise, away from the bustling CBD, which runs educational programs, cooking classes and farm tours. It’s owned by eco warrior Ivy Singh-Lim and her husband Lim Ho Seng, ‘farmpreneurs’ who believe in sustainability and connection to the land. We happily potter through tropical fruit orchards, butterfly sanctuaries, medicinal garden beds, and more.

Escaping the heat of the day, the group gathers at Poison Ivy, Bollywood’s farm-to-table restaurant to enjoy a delicious Indian fusion feast, finishing with fig tea and moreish banana cake. As we make our way back to Singapore’s condos, skyscrapers and busy streets, it’s nice to know this heavenly rural patch still exists in Singapore.

ANZA Tours runs regular excursions to all corners of Singapore, uncovering its hidden treasures. Book here: anza.org.sg/tours

1. Sky Mirror, Anish Kapoor, 2010
Location : Lily pond at ArtScience Museum
This elegant stainless steel, reflective artwork from a Bombay-born British sculptor, sits in calm lily ponds overlooking Marina Bay, reflecting the sky and the iconic lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum.
Fast fact: Sky Mirror weighs a whopping 1,800 kilograms!

2. The Bird, Fernando Botero, 1990
Location: UOB Plaza near Raffles Place
It’s hard to resist stroking the chubby feet of this very sweet, very plump bird, created by famed Colombian sculptor and figurative artist Fernando Botero. Made entirely of bronze, it represents peace, serenity, and joy.
Fast fact: Another Bird can be found outside the airport in Florence, Italy, with the same weighty proportions.

3. Nutmeg and Mace, Kumari Nahappan, 2009
Location: ION Orchard
This iconic two-tonne bronze sculpture is an interpretation of an opened nutmeg seed. It connects the mall with its past as a nutmeg plantation in the 1930s and is symbolic of trade prosperity.
Fast Fact: Nutmeg and Mace, as well as Urban People and Panda Family are part of CapitaLand’s extensive public collection in Singapore, which includes sculptures, murals, mosaics, stained glass, paintings and calligraphy. art.capitaland.com

4. First Generation by Chong Fah Cheong, 2000
This exuberant bronze statue group shows five boys leaping into Singapore River. The sculpture acts as a reminder of simple pleasures and highlights Singapore’s transformation over the years, with the river now surrounded by towering skyscrapers and hotels.
Fast Fact: Other bronze statues The River Merchants, From Chettiars to Financiers and A Great Emporium are located nearby and are part of the People of the River sculpture series.

5. 24 Hours in Singapore, by Baet Yeok Kuan, 2015
Location: Front lawn, Asian Civilisations Museum
This interactive audio sculpture installation of five stainless steel balls is more than meets the eye. Local artist Baet Yeok Kuan has incorporated familiar sounds of daily life in Singapore, from traffic in suburban heartlands and MRT trains, to the chatter in wet markets and coffee shops. With the passage of time, this sculpture will become a slice of history.
Fast fact: Kuan’s distinctive sculptures can be found in many public spaces in Singapore.

6. Panda Family by Julien Marinetti, 2013
Location: Westgate Mall, Jurong
The Panda Family features four pandas sitting in identical poses, with the father at the head of the group. The subject hints the proximity of Westgate to the Chinese Garden, whose pagoda and pavilions are prominent landmarks of Jurong.
Fast fact: The colours splashed on the pandas have meanings: orange and red for the sun, pagoda and pavilions; blue for water and sky; and green for nature.

7. Reclining Figure by Henry Moore, 1983
Location: OCBC Centre
This monumental, semi-abstract bronze sculpture was created by famous British sculptor, Henry Moore, whose work often features female figures in recline. It’s position by the water makes it even more serene and striking.
Fast fact: Measuring over 10 metres in length, Reclining Figure is one of the largest sculptures that Moore has ever created.

8. Urban People by Kurt Laurenz Metzler, 2009
Location: ION Orchard
Commissioned specially for ION Orchard, this set of six caricatured urbanites invites shoppers to hold their hands, give them high fives or link arms. Their bright colours and poses with shopping bags, briefcases and newspapers capture the vibrant shopping and business district of Orchard Road.
Fast fact: Look closely – the woman in purple is carrying a silver shopping bag with an ION Orchard logo.

9. Pedas, Pedas by Kumari Nahappan, 2006
Location: National Museum of Singapore, Fort Canning Entrance (Level 2 Exit)
In this commission by the National Museum, artist Kumari Nahappan represents a common local ingredient: chilli. Standing at almost four-metres tall the artist used chilli to reflect Singapore’s multicultural society – as the ingredient is found across many Asian cuisines.
Fast fact: Nahappan pursued a successful interior design career before studying fine art at the Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore and Masters of Fine Art from the RMIT University, Melbourne.

10. Jelly Baby Family by Mauro Perucchetti, 2012
Location: Plaza Singapura
These colourful pop art style resin sculptures at first seem cute and cuddly, but the Jelly Baby Family series stems from Perucchetti’s interest in cloning and his mixed horror and fascination with the possibility of cloned human beings. Do their smiles look more sinister now?
Fast fact: The Jellies have toured the world – being exhibited in London, Paris and Rome, before finding a permanent home in Singapore.

Download free public art walking guides from www.publicarttrust.sg/Public-Art

Once you’ve seen a Louise Hill artwork, it’s hard to forget. A kaleidoscope of bright pastels, intricate patterns, vintage Asian themes, photography and illustration, they’re completely unique, and the perfect memento of time spent in Singapore. The London born artist is accustomed to expat life; she lived in Paris from age six to 10, spent a couple of years in Melbourne, and then had stints in Shanghai, Hong Kong and finally, Singapore. She now resides in a “modest” Black and White house in Medway Park with her husband Ryan and teenage twin boys, Ezra and Jude.

First brushstrokes

Louise studied art and design at two London art schools before joining her father’s design company as an apprentice. “I cut my teeth there, focusing mainly on wine label and spirits packaging design. I worked from the ground up and can still remember being nervous about calling a printer for the first time to specify points and picas (design measurements) – we didn’t work with computers in those days.”

From there, Louise spread her wings in the corporate world. “I spent a few years at Crabtree & Evelyn, then Marks & Spencer, followed by Ian Logan Design for several years, where I finally did learn to use a computer! Then I took the opportunity to go travelling for a while, when the design industry hit a bit of a downturn at the very end of the 90s.”

The Melbourne connection

Louise set off with a backpack and her now husband Ryan. “We travelled from India along the Spice Route to Australia for a year out. However, instead of returning home to the UK as planned, Ryan got a job and we ended up in staying in Melbourne for three years.” The couple set themselves up in the hip, artistic suburb of Fitzroy and Louise freelanced as a graphic designer and worked part-time as a guest lecturer at RMIT University. “I was actually quite terrified at the prospect, as I’m not comfortable in the limelight and I felt utterly out of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed my time with the students.”

Shanghai surprise

When Louise fell pregnant with her twin boys, she felt a longing for home and family. “At five months pregnant we left Australia to return to our little seafront apartment in Brighton.” But after a couple of years of double duty parenting the couple had itchy feet once more. “We were drowning in twin feeds, nappies and hyperactive boys, so we eagerly accepted a job for Ryan in Shanghai,” remembers Louise. “We were craving more adventure and the promise and privilege of help from an ayi!”

As she raised her boys in Shanghai, Louise dabbled in logo design for fellow expats, but struggled with the language barrier as she dealt with local printers. “My Mandarin really only stretched as far as the market and the taxi driver. So I decided to think of another way to have my own business that would also be portable.”

Finding her niche

After a move to Hong Kong, Louise wanted to work from home to be with her boys, so she initially tried her hand at bag design, before coming up with the idea of creating prints that reflected her surroundings and Asian culture. “I designed my ‘Hong Kong Ferry’ print, sold it to a couple to friends, who told me they would love to see more! I then realised that I had a good small business model.”

Inspired by living in Shanghai, Hong Kong and now Singapore, Louise creates digital mixed media artworks that are layered, vibrant and textured. “I instinctively take inspiration from my own surroundings and daily life observations, so I started with Hong Kong themed designs followed by Singapore when I moved here. I love to add in the colours, patterns, favourite places, buildings and cultural curiosities we enjoy as foreigners living abroad.”

The perfect keepsake

A Louise Hill print has now become a must have for expats leaving Singapore and Hong Kong. “A lot of people say that they see something different each time they look at the design, something they hadn’t noticed before; they love the vibrancy and uplifting nature of my work. Many people say that they simply bring back lots of happy memories of the place that they used to call home. I have also sold to local Singaporean customers who enjoy the celebration of their culture.”

Louise’s work is available on her website www.louise-hill-design.com

As a senior school art teacher, who worked in the UK and then international schools in Asia, Samantha Carle is the ideal candidate to guide visitors at the STPI Creative Workshop and Gallery (www.stpi.com.sg) “I usually guide two or three times a month,” she explains. “I’m part of a team of amazing voluntary docents. I give one-hour tours of the current gallery show, and behind the scenes at STPI’s creative workshop for general visitors. I also give private tours. But the majority of tours are student tours for local and international school groups, as part of STPI’s Education and Outreach programme.”

Meeting new people
The mother of two boys (Harris, 10 and Hector, 7) Carle moved to Singapore with her husband two and a half years ago, after living in Hong Kong and Japan. She initially joined the docent program as a way to make new friends. “As I was new to Singapore, joining the docent training programme was a brilliant way to meet people, make new friends and feel more connected to Singapore.”

Carle began by attending an open lecture at Friends of the Museums (FOM), a volunteer, non-profit society that offers guiding services and other forms of partnership to nine of Singapore’s museums and heritage institutions. “I found out more about the range of museums that you can volunteer at in Singapore. As well as STPI, you can train to be a docent at the Asian Civilisations Museum or the National Museum, and many other institutions.”

Training up
She signed up for the required eight weeks of docent training and hasn’t looked back. “The training included lectures on art history, guiding adults and students, as well as workshops with the artists to learn print and paper making techniques. There’s a great deal of reading and written work to do in preparation for your first one-hour tour.” Carle stresses you don’t have to be an expert to become a guide. “It certainly helps to have a background in art and design to guide at STPI, but it’s not essential.”

Connecting with the art community
Carle loves how her role has opened up new connections in Singapore. “In training and working at STPI, I have met expats from all over the world and made Singaporean friends too.” She also enjoys meeting the artists. “Each year, a number of artists are invited to live and work at STPI. It’s a total privilege to be able to see their work in progress, before it’s shown in the gallery.”

Being around great art is a joy for Carle. “The current show is work from the National Collection by James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. It’s amazing to be able to see historically important artists up close and personal in a small gallery context. There’s nowhere else in the world like STPI and I feel very lucky to play a small part in its journey.”

Interested in volunteering through FOM? Head here

You used to be a journalist?
I did! I love reading, writing and creative arts and I studied English Literature at university. Being a journalist meant I could interview people and find out about their perspectives. It was also good to push me out into the world and have a social life. Otherwise, I’d be at home with a book in my face, or at a computer writing by myself!

How did you get involved in botanical drawing?
I started painting when I was 17. A book titled: “The Magic and Medicine of Plants” arrived in my house one day. Inspired by the illustrations of herbs, I taught myself botanical watercolour painting, using the old watercolour palette left over from my secondary school days. That brought me so much creative joy and meditative peace that I continued to be a ‘bedroom’ painter for the next three years, expanding my botanical subjects to orchids and fruits. I had a fleeting thought then about how nice it would be if I could paint orchids for a living in the future. But I stopped painting, and pursued a happy career as a writer, travel editor and lecturer in cultural studies. Three years ago, I took a sabbatical leave to the South Island of New Zealand and Gili Air, Indonesia. Returning to Singapore, I started a nature-led creative studio called Within and became a full-time botanical artist.

You’re a trained florist too?
I’ve always enjoyed fresh flowers in my house and I was curious to learn the basic rules of arrangement. So I took a course. I’m always on a look out for chances to join various creative workshops. I recently completed an Intermediate Botanical Illustration Course in Kew Gardens, London.

What do you love about drawing in nature?
I love the entire creative process of being out in nature and the elements, and the sensory act of observing. One of the greatest pleasures is to let the beauty find me, and being mindful about what is presented or how I see it. I love botanical photography too.

How long do your artworks take?
I typically spend about 30-50 hours on a painting, so I develop a close connection with the botanical subject. It’s a form of meditation for me.

How do you choose what flowers and plants to paint?
The flora selection for my personal exhibitions and retreats are based on my inspirations and concepts. I’ve got a painting schedule and list of plants for my upcoming exhibitions and book. My corporate commissions for clients like Chanel No.5, Aesop or Diptyque are based on the botanical ingredients of the products and my interpretations. All are rooted in my desire to highlight the beauty of the botanical subjects and/or their purposes. In my projects with Mandai or with Singapore Botanic Gardens, I would highlight the vulnerable or endangered status of the plants as well.

What do you like to do in Singapore to relax?
Catching up with my friends and family over a walk in the park or gardens. I also love getting a massage, meditation, yoga and reading.

What’s next?
We’ll launch our nature-led arts programmes and workshops for children aged 6-12 at the end the year. I’m really excited.

Journey into Nature
Join Lucinda’s Art of Nature Journeys in Chiang Mai, Thailand (3-10 Nov, 2018) or Kauai, Hawaii (23 Feb – 4 March, 2019) which include private tours of botanic gardens and daily creative workshops.
Closer to home, sign up for one of her regular watercolour or mixed media workshops at venues like Pollen, in the Flower Dome at Garden’s by the Bay.
“Our nature-inspired workshops and retreats aim to teach the therapeutic benefits of nature, develop our students’ creative confidence and connect these skills of problem-solving to areas of their life.”
For details head to within.sg

www.lucindalaw.co
Instagram: @lucinda.law