Urban Sketchers Singapore featured on the Singapore American magazine.

The expatriate publication, Singapore American has published their April issue and USKSG has a full-page feature  in their arts section.

March 2013 sketchwalk at Gillman Barracks.

Hi all, sketchwalk this saturday March 30th, will be at Gillman Barracks. This is a former military camp which has been converted into a place for art galleries and eateries. I've not been there myself, but sketchers who have been there recommend it.

The closest MRT station is Labrador Park (Circle Line Station CC27.) From there, it is just a short walk up along Alexandra Rd to the Gillman Barracks at 9 Lock Rd. A clearer direction and map can be found here.

We will gather at Gillman Barracks (9 Lock Rd) at 930am to start our sketchwalk. So please have your breakfast before coming. Sketchwalk will be free and easy so you can draw whatever catches your interest there, be it buildings or bugs. At 12.30pm, please return to the starting point (9 Lock Rd) where we will gather, look at everyone's drawings and take photo!

Everyone in Singapore is invited. And if this is your first time, we encourage you to travel light as you may have to do some walking. Bring a hat in case it gets hot. Bring a portable/collapsible stool to sit more comfortably. All levels of drawing skills are welcome, so don't be shy. You are also free to use any drawing tools and technique you wish. In fact, this is a good time to try techniques and art tools you've never tried before because it is all just for fun!

The place is relatively easy to find and it will be easy to spot the sketchers. But if you are seriously lost, you may call Andrew at 91070735. (But please call only if you are seriously lost or else he will have to keep answering his phone while sketching, which is a massive inconvenience. Thanks!)

See you all there!

PS: There is a giveaway contest for this sketchwalk here : http://www.urbansketchers-singapore.blogspot.sg/2013/03/giveaway-contest-for-gillman-barracks.html

A Little Sketchwalk at the Woodlands Regional Library

View of the Library from the Cafe Galilee at the Woodlands Library

Love the little mushroom backrest at the kiddies reading area.

Reading under tree amongst the mushrooms in the glen on the 4th flour of the library.

Discover a place where learning and creativity meet, at Woodlands Regional Library! Art Fresco is an arts programme consisting of a monthly variety of workshops, talks and performances, to bring you a whole new canvas of artistic experiences through appreciation and hands-on activities. This programme is jointly initiated by National Library Board and National Arts Council.

Enjoy a mini exhibition of beautiful pieces that exhibit snippets of life in Woodlands. Drawn by members of USKSG with a passion for sketching, these pieces aim to capture familiar spaces and buildings, and connect you to fresh perspectives of everyday Singapore.

Art Fresco @Woodlands Regional Library

Discover a place where learning and creativity meet, at Woodlands Regional Library! Art Fresco is an arts programme consisting of a monthly variety of workshops, talks and performances, to bring you a whole new canvas of artistic experiences through appreciation and hands-on activities. This programme is jointly initiated by National Library Board and National Arts Council.

There will be a special exhibition and sketch walk held in collaboration with the Urban Sketchers Singapore at the Woodlands Regional Library on 24 March (Sun) from 2 - 5pm.

The activity is held to encourage sketching amongst the heart-landers and as a means to record our memories. Selected Urban Sketchers Singapore's artwork will also be on display at the special exhibition during the 24 March event.

Do drop by and experience how memories and places can be archived and sustained using visual and graphic means.

Woodlands Town Garden

Woodlands Town Garden Lake overlooking the bridge and pavilions.

The sketchwalk during the afternoon on the day before was too hot to capture the mood in the garden. I woke up early to go back and caught the place the way I remembered it: Quiet. Peaceful. Serene. Comforting.

I stayed in a nearby rented apartmentduring my university days in the early noughties. This was my favourite hauntfor a quiet scenic sanctuary. I love the peaceful serenity the place affordsand I’m glad that it still does.

Starbucks at Woodlands Civic Centre.

Starbucks at Woodlands Civic Centre.

After a whole day of sketching at VivoCity and Woodlands (that's from South to North), the sketch group went for dinner together and I finally chilled out at this spot after some shopping.

Woodlands Town Garden

Coconut palms over the lake.

Pavilions dotting the park. A respite from the tropical heat.

If you are around Woodlands New Town, drop by Woodlands Town Park and enjoy the greenery and ambience the park has to offer. Look out for the design of the park amenities that has both Malay and Chinese elements. Sungei Mandai Kecil, a river that flows through the park, was also integrated in the design of the park. Part of this river that flows into the park was enlarged into a lake, irregularly-shaped for a natural look.

RSS Intrepid sails into Vivocity

The RSS Intrepid docked at VivoCity from 15 to 17 March.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) brought its Formidable-class stealth frigate RSS Intrepid, together with a Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopter, to VivoCity Promenade for the first time. This is in conjunction with Navy@Vivo, an event held from March 15 to 17 as part of the RSN's community outreach effort. Navy@Vivo is open to the public from 4pm on March 15 till 9pm on March 17.

Hong Wen School at Towner Road

The current site of Hong Wen School is the field of my alma mater, May Primary School.

This SAP school is located at the former site of my alma mater. Its exact compound is just the area of what used to be my school field.

I remember my primary school days, studying in May Primary School. I started in the school when it was still May North Primary School. I was enrolled into Primary 1B and very fortunate to be so because my form and English teacher was Miss Gomez: an excellent language teacher who was my first exposure to formal English.

She inspired and taught me the importance of diction and elocution. I will always remember her. I remembered that she was very proud of me when I graduated from Primary 6 as a member of the Prefectorial Board. She even asked me to give a stern warning to a Primary 3 boy when I asked her for an autograph.

Yes, I still have that autograph.

Ad Hoc At Woodlands...

Hey folks, there will be a special event and sketch walk organised by NAC (National Arts Council) and Woodlands Regional Library on 24 March (Sun) - will update more on that later.

In preparation of this collaborative event, there will be an ad-hoc sketch walk on 16 March (Sat) 3-6pm at Woodlands Regional Library to encourage the residents there to explore the neighbourhood estate through sketching, and everyone is welcome! It would be best if sketchers do their work on loose sheets, such that they could have their artwork displayed in a special exhibition during the 24 March event.

This will be a long-term community project by NAC and NLB (National Library Board), and hope our Urban Sketchers Singapore group could be a part of it too.

For this ad-hoc, the details are:

Venue: Woodlands Regional Library main entrance
Date: 16 March
Time: 3pm to 6pm

And do keep your 24 March free too!

Hope everyone could join in and make this a fun project!

Ad Hoc Sketchwalk at Dhoby Ghaut Green

Remember the Kallang Wave

Sketchers being sketched...

Dhoby Ghaut Green was identified as an interim park in URA's Public Space and Urban Waterfront Master Plan 2003, and conceived as a "City Room" for community gathering within the city and officially launch in 24 Oct 2009

The special locality of this park and the diversity of the user groups in the vicinity create opportunities to provide a focal point for Art & Culture, Concerts & Performances and community activities, or just a resting place for users to appreciate the surrounding park and urban environment. The site is highly accessible to people from all over the island as it is at the confluence of 3 MRT lines, North-South line, North-East line and Circle line.

Sculptural open-air amphitheatre at central space is the landmark of this park. It serves as a showpiece for the Architectural and Urban Design Excellence demonstration project and a performance venue to encourage public participation and enjoyment of the open space. Natural lines of a rattan basket inspired the design comprising interweaving aluminum screens. Night lighting will make it glow like a lantern. They also allow partial sun shading to the users. In addition, it also allow for natural through-ventilation, enable air to circulate freely through the structure. At the lower part of the amphitheatre is the performance stage with basic stage lightings. Multi-purpose rooms are available at the backstage for preparations before performances.

The green lawn and the beautiful landscape create a contrast against the architecture of the buildings in the area. The large canopies of the Rain Trees and Yellow Flame along the walk way provide good shade for the park users and the passers-by of this area.

The gravel area at western parcel is densely shaded from existing trees, providing a tranquil environment that contrasts with the bustle of the surrounding cityscape. This serves as a platform for handicraft street bazaars and busker performances.

This park provides adequate gathering spaces in the form of plazas for mass dancing and performances. An open field on the eastern end on the site is designed to allow for light recreational sports and other community events. Conveniently located on the northern side of the field between both exits of the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is a cafe offering indoor and alfresco dining experiences.

Ad Hoc Sketchwalk at Dhoby Ghaut Green: The MacDonald House

The MacDonald House

The Historical Significance of The MacDonald House (extracted from the Straits Times, 11 March 1965)

The bombing of MacDonald House took place on 10 March 1965, when Indonesian saboteurs Harun Said and Osman Hj Mohd Ali planted a bomb near the building’s lift (The Straits Times, 11 Mar 1965, p. 1). The resulting detonation killed three people and injured 33 others.

The MacDonald House bombing took place during the period called Konfrontasi, meaning “Confrontation” in Indonesia. During that period, Indonesia under President Sukarno, used military force to engage in acts of sabotage and terrorism as part of a policy of intimidation. Sukarno opposed the formation of Malaysia, comprising a federation of Malaya, Singapore and the British colonies in Northern Borneo. He saw the Federation as a cover for the continuation of colonial power in the region (Sodhy, 1988, p. 112-114). On 23 September 1963, he announced that Indonesia would ganyang meaning “crush” Malaysia.

Singapore was especially exposed to the threat of terrorism due to its proximity to the Indonesian Riau Islands. The campaign to demoralise the Singapore population resulted in some 40 terrorist bombings by mid-1965. The Riau Islands was the headquarters for the military training of men recruited from Singapore and Indonesia. These men were under the direction of the former assistant Indonesian naval attaché to Singapore, Lieutenant Bambang Partono. From Pulau Sekupang, Indonesia planned to land battalions in Singapore, Johor and Kelantan to engage in acts of sabotage (The Straits Times, 19 Dec 1963, p. 1).

What happened
The two Indonesian bombers had come to Singapore earlier the same day at about 11:00 am (The Straits Times, 12 Mar 1965, p. 7). After lunch, they proceeded to MacDonald House where they planted bundles of explosives along the steps leading up to the first floor. After lighting the bomb fuse, they left the building by 3:00 pm and boarded a bus. A witness saw a Malayan Airways canvas bag on the mezzanine floor of the building emitting smoke and a hissing noise.

At 3:07 pm, the detonation set off an explosion that ripped off a lift door. Fortunately, the inner walls of the mezzanine floor were able to withstand the full force of the blast. However, three innocent bystanders on the other side of this wall were badly affected. Elizabeth (Suzie) Choo Kay Hoi and Juliet Goh Hwee Kuang were both killed instantly and buried by the rubble (The Straits Times, 12 Mar 1965, p. 9). A third victim, Mohamed Yasin bin Kesit, a driver for the Malaya Borneo Building Society, fell into a coma and died a few days later. The explosion also injured 33 others (The Straits Times, 13 Mar 1965, p. 1).

Impact of the bombing
Furthermore, the blast shattered windows within 91.4m of the MacDonald House building and also damaged almost every car outside the building. The bank closed for business only seven minutes before the explosion and 150 employees were closing their accounts at the time. Witnesses recounted a sudden flash followed by a bang. The explosion was powerful enough to destroy pillars and expose the steel reinforcements within. Later investigations showed that 20lb to 25lb (9kg to 11kg) of nitroglycerine were used (Sinnadurai, 1990, p. 518).

The explosion also affected the offices of the Australian High Commission located in the same building. Heavy wooden doors were wrenched from their hinges, landing 30ft (9.1m) away along the passageway. The impact also created widespread damage to the Cycle and Carriage showroom across the road from MacDonald House. The flying glass splinters injured two mechanics and damaged cars in the showroom (The Straits Times, 7 Jul 1990, p. 29).

At 3:30 pm, the reserve unit arrived and traffic police diverted traffic along Penang Road and Tank Road. Soon after, the British Army's bomb disposal squad arrived at the scene. Of the 33 people injured, several were warded at the General Hospital, including Samin bin Almari, Jamil bin Kassim, Tan Bee Geck, Kupusamy, Peter Ng, Ramasamy Marimuthu, and Zainal bin Kassim. The rest of the injured people received outpatient treatment (The Straits Times, 11 Mar 1965, p. 1).

At 6:15 pm, Minister for Health Yong Nyuk Lin visited the hospital to meet the bomb victims personally. He condemned the attack as a "senseless act of cruelty that will not solve any political problem" and asserted the need to weed out terrorists. He also noted that the explosion was not the first in Singapore as there were other incidents (The Straits Times, 11 Mar 1965, p. 1).

Saboteurs caught
Three days after the explosion, the two Indonesian saboteurs responsible for the MacDonald House bombing were caught while they were trying to escape from Singapore. They were rescued at sea by a boatman who saw them clinging to a piece of wood. At the time, they were not wearing military uniforms and had no identification papers. They were later taken on board by a marine police boat. At 1:25 pm on the same day, the police interviewed the saboteurs and  obtained details of their role in the MacDonald House bombing (The Straits Times, 7 Oct 1965, p. 5).

On 20 October 1965, Harun Said and Osman Hj Mohd Ali were convicted by the High Court of Singapore under the Penal Code for the murder of three civilians and sentenced to death. Their appeals to the Federal Court of Malaysia were dismissed on 5 October 1966. Both were hanged at dawn on 17 October 1968 and their corpses sent home to Jakarta that same day (The Straits Times, 18 Oct 1968, p. 14). About 10,000 Indonesians gathered at the airport to give them a hero’s welcome. Chief Admiral Muljadi received the bodies at the airport with a contingent of soldiers, marines and students. Indonesian flags were flown at half-mast for two days. The commandos were later buried with full military honours and decorations.

Outcome
In Jakarta, the execution of the two Indonesian commandos incited public anger. As a result, a well-organised band of 400 students sacked the Singapore embassy in Indonesia as well as the residences of Singapore diplomats. These students were upset as they felt that the Indonesian soldiers had only carried out the orders of the government of former President Sukarno who stepped down in 1966. The students were reported to have used bamboo staves and smashed furniture and windows. The attacks took less than an hour, after which the mob went to the security headquarters building where the bodies of the two executed commandos were lying in state (The Straits Times, 18 Oct 1968, p. 1).

Ad Hoc Sketchwalk at Dhoby Ghaut Green

I dreamed of Phuket Part X

Morning sketch. View from outside my room in Casa Jip, Patong, Phuket. I've always loved the power cables running along and outlining the city line!

Fellow sunbathers... good day.

Always love Au Bon Pain.

These two Russian ladies from St Petersburg came over to look at my sketch and we had a good laugh. She insists that she's smaller (i.e. slimmer) than depicted in the picture and is drinking milk. I agreed: it's milk made from barley, wheat and hops.

This trip in February over the Chinese New Year period marks my tenth trip to Phuket. My first trip there was very memorable for various reasons:

• It was my first time to Phuket;
• It was my first flight on a budget airline (AirAsia);
• It was my first overseas trip with Terrel;
• I came back just days before the Boxing Day Tsunami.

Yes, you read the last point right, I was there that year - 2004.

I love the place - the locals are so warm and friendly. The culture is so free and easy, live and let live. AND I have yet to find a place where you can go from beach to shops to shopping mall all within minutes of each other.

Yes, I love Phuket. Don't be surprise if one day, I should retire on that island with my own ocean view bungalow while running a B&B-cum-bar.

Setchwalk from Wessex to Portdown

Vimy House along Woking Road.

Wessex Village Square

Although the island Republic of Singapore has been submitted to a systematic territorial revolution since the 1960s, some of its urban heritage has been preserved. This is the case with Wessex Estate, a quiet residential neighbourhood located in the low hills extending on the western flank of the central urban area. Made up of less than a dozen bungalows and 26 small blocks of flats, Wessex Estate is of no particular architectural interest, but it does represent a heritage through the names borne by the blocks of flats.

Clearly printed on the façades of the 26 blocks of flats, these names all refer to military feats of British history. The study locates and briefly describes these events, several of which took place on European fronts, as far back as the early 18th century (such as Ramilies, Blenheim), others throughout the British Empire, starting from the middle of the same century (such as Plassey, Quebec, Khartoum, Pegu).

Built just prior to or just following WWII, it seems that the flats housed non-commissioned British officers during the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960). Their names refer to battles or theatres of war in all of which a given British regiment, the 67th or South Hampshire Regiment, might have been involved. Whatever the case, it remains somewhat remarkable that so many reminders of the colonial past, even a good number with "no natural connection" to Singapore, have remained prominent in this city-state otherwise apparently prone to sever "colonial apron strings".

JANUARY 2013 SKETCHWALK

Sketch by Favian

Hi everyone,

The first sketchwalk of the year will be along Portsdown Rd (Wessex Estate area). We will meet 930AM, 26 JAN, Saturday, at Fusionopolis' Ya Kun cafe. You may take the circle line and drop off at One North Station, which is below Fusionopolis itself. Take the escalator up to the first floor and you will see Ya Kun cafe. 

Have your kaya toast breakfast there earlier, if you like. At 9.30 sharp, we will start moving off along Portsdown Road (see map). You may stop to draw anything that catches your interest along the way. But keep moving up the road, pacing yourself, until you reach Colbar, a famous eatery. There will be signs that will point to the eatery when you near it. There is a cluster of cafes there. Feel free to take any detours you like along the way. But at 12.30pm, please be present at Colbar for our "show and tell" gathering and possible lunch there.

If you are late, just head up Portsdown Road and you will find us along the way. It a long walk so travel light. But it's a nice walk. See you there!

In Pursuit of Life and Liberty Coffee!

Liberty Coffee at 131 Rangoon Road: for a satisfying and mesmerising cuppa with pastry selections that is matchmade in heaven in an equally wonderful environment.

Quite literally, it had been a chase. I had originally planned Liberty Coffee as part of my December Cafe Skecthwalk (Part 1). That was when I learnt that they are wholesalers and retailers of coffee beans rather than a cafe and they consider the occasions when they do open for drinking coffee as 'coffee-tasting' sessions. It is only on certain adhoc, random days when they do open for such an event. They do announce a few days in advance for a one-day only affair. So really, they are like the mayflies in the coffee-drinking circle. Missed the day and that's it - you have to wait for the next cycle.

However, the wait is certainly worth it. I noted that they are opened today make a trip down after work for an experience. I was fortunate to find a seat at a vantage point (to eat, to observe, to sketch). What was even more fortunate was that Pauline (the lady of the house) had prepared a wonderful pastry concoction of gula Melaka pandan chiffon to go with the latte I ordered from the master of the house, Terence.

The pair is a matchmade in heaven (referring to the food, of course). The cafe latte, made with espresso from the Speakeasy Houseblend is extracted just right - nutty, smoky, chocolatey with just the right amount of sweet from the espresso and the perfectly steamed milk served in a fancy latte art. Meanwhile, the chiffon is delectable with just the right amount of sweet to complement the coffee that was served together.

The environment is a cosy, homely hustling and bustling coffee place. On opening days, arrive at the right time (i.e off peak hours if it happens to be a weekday) for a seat as well as a satisfying selection of pastry to go along with your brew or espresso. The place will not disappoint.

《青花瓷》: My Affections for Blue+White aka An affair with Royalty (of the Copenhagen type).

TWG loose leaf tea and Royal Copenhagen Blue Flower Curved Tea Cup Saucer

I have always loved blue+white porcelain. "Blue and white wares" (Chinese: 青花; pinyin: qīng-huā; literally "Blue flowers") designate white pottery and porcelain decorated under the glaze with a blue pigment, generally cobalt oxide. The decoration is commonly applied by hand, by stencilling or by transfer-printing, though other methods of application have also been used.

One of favourite range is from Royal Copenhagen. I got a few pieces of their wares when I started working and had hoped to own a whole tea service when I get my own place. However, they pulled out of Singapore before I got the chance to do that. Fortunately, I still have a set of mugs and tea cup and saucer, plus a couple of their crystal glasswares.

Tea, anyone?

A Little Soba Fix

Dinner at Shimbashi Soba

Soba (そば or 蕎麦^?) is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It is synonymous with a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, and in Japan can refer to any thin noodle (unlike thick wheat noodles, known as udon). Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup. It takes three months for buckwheat to be ready for harvest, so it can be harvested four times a year, mainly in spring, summer, and autumn. In Japan, buckwheat is produced mainly in Hokkaido.^[1] Soba that is made with newly harvested buckwheat is called "shin-soba". It is sweeter and more flavorful than regular soba.

I love the soba served at Shimbashi for two reasons: the freshness and the texture. Their soba is made fresh daily at the premises and has a wonderful chewy texture that is just right. So, whenever I feel like a soba fix, I'll find myself here

Saint Marc Cafe at Vivocity

It was a melange of fun at Vivocity on Sunday (clockwise from left cluster): St Marc's Choco Cro, chicken sandwich and latte; Starbucks chamomile from previous sketch; agate seal in stylised Chinese character seal.

It was a Sunday for chilling out. I packed my things and went off to Vivocity to try St Marc Cafe and their famous Choco Cro, which is essentially a croissant stuffed with chocolate. Once I got a bite of that crispy-outside-fudgey-inside deliciousness, I melted with the taste.

The croissant is a regular piece of golden baked goodness with a generous portion of chocolate goey rolled inside. Do not be fooled though. It is packed with just the right amount of goodness and sweetness, so one is just enough for a good tea or dessert serving to go with that latte you've ordered.

It is important to note though: Saint Marc is known more for their desserts than their barista beverages.

On the same day, I spotted an ongoing roadshow at Vivocity and saw an actual master craftsman carving seals by hand in the traditional 篆书. I chose an agate seal - a premium material - and got the master to create a stylised seal for me. The result as you can see is the seal on the bottom right of the sketch.

That was a good day. :D