Preserving wildlife through art

He teaches several genres of dances that include social dances such as the salsa and bachata and is popularly known as the chief instructor and owner of the ATS Dance Academy.

Three years ago Eddie Low Hock Seng  took up Chinese painting with Chew Choon and last weekend had seven of his paintings displayed for the first time and at the “Renowned Wild Life Artist Mr Chew Choon and his students Art Exhibition” at Wisma Tiong Hua, JB.

Two were sold off almost as soon as the exhibition started.

The exhibition which lasted from  August 1-5, 2012, was officially declared open by Stulang MP Mok Chek Hou and witnessed by 200 art enthusiasts.

Interviewed by CJMY, Eddie said that Wendy, one of his yoga students encouraged him to take painting and he did it because he needed inspiration to design costumes for his dance students.

He was looking for colours and shapes and thought painting would give him that extra boost in ideas.

The exhibition was the 6^th such exhibition by Chew and his students. Previously they were held in local hotels.

The funds raised would go to the following schools:

SJK( C) Foon Yew, SJK ( C) Johor Jaya, SJK(C) Pandan and Southern University College all based in Johor Bahru.

This exhibition was mooted by Yee Chang Ling, originally from Taiwan and who is member of PTA Foon Yew II and the Johor Golf and Country Club. She was assisted in this effort by Datin Suvanna Loh.

Yee had 40 paintings put up at the exhibition and is obviously very much a veteran at such exhibitions.

Interviewed by CJMY, Yee said she loves to draw animals and is especially captivated by the 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac, especially the mystical dragon.

Chew Choon in his 60s, is a famous wild life artist who originally hailed from Penang but is now a Singapore PR.

He likes wild animals especially elephants and feels they beckon to him.

While other artists use ink and water colour and paint on rice paper, he prefers acrylic and Chinese ink on canvas.

To engage more with elephants and be inspired by them, he will be going to the famed Serengeti Park in Kenya, East Africa later this month.

Diana Lim, a student of Chew, when interviewed by CJMY said that she received her inspiration on her travels abroad.

Sometimes, she copies from pictures.

Belinda Ong who has been learning painting from Chew for the past 30 years, said she paints as it relaxes her.

According to Belinda, “I have reached a stage where I can paint what I like.

I donate the proceeds of my paintings to temples, including those overseas.

I have given up line dancing but painting, never!”

The exhibition is one of a series of activities organized by the Persatuan Tiong Hua of Johor Bahru to raise funds for several educational institutions in Johor Bahru.

A forthcoming activity is the charity dance gala on 10 and 11 November 2012.

According to Lee Xiu Mei of Persatuan Tiong Hua, apart from contributing to Chinese education, it is also an opportunity for the public to admire the dances that will be performed by students of different academies.