Five young artists' works go on sale
PUBLISHED ONJuly 27, 2014 10:30 PMByCheryl Faith Wee
Ngee Ann Polytechnic student Kang Joo Soon was disappointed when he did not get into the School Of The Arts in 2009.
But he continued to pursue his interest in visual arts and joined The Little Arts Academy's weekly classes funded by The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.
Yesterday, he was one of five young artists from the academy to put their works on sale for $1,000 each in the foyer of Raffles City Convention Centre.
It is part of an exhibition, Our People, Our Home, organised by the art gallery Ode To Art and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, which funds youth who want to pursue the arts. The paintings will be on display until Aug 15 and all proceeds from their sales will go to the fund.
Joo Soon, 17, who studies arts business management, said: "I feel very honoured to be able to contribute to society. It is a great feeling. Painting is one of my main interests. Whenever I do art it gives me a sense of freedom."
His painting depicts a group of six people standing in front of a kampung house and is based on an old family photo of his relatives and their friends. In 2012, he sold two artworks for $550 and $350 at a charity exhibition.
Having a price tag next to her work for the first time is a nerve-racking experience for Ms Fernandez Leong, 21, who joined The Little Arts Academy's art classes two years ago.
Ms Leong, a recent graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, said: "I have asked myself many times if I should become a full-time artist. I am still deciding. I am quite scared and excited about whether my painting will be sold."
Ode To Art director Jazz Chong feels all five artworks by the young artists will sell. "They are so good, I did not expect this quality of work as they are not fine art students," she said. "A lot of businessmen and local people walk by this foyer. I hope they will come to understand more of these students' works."
cherylw@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on July 26, 2014.
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