IN.FUSION - USK x SYF Adhoc Sketchwalk.

 

Date: Saturday, 6 July 2013

Time: 3pm to 6pm

Meeting point: Public area under the Esplanade Bridge

This year’s Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) theme is ‘In.Fusion’ – the idea that art is everywhere and all around us. Celebrating in conjunction with the SYF, the Urban Sketchers will be having an adhoc sketchwalk on 6 July (Saturday) from 3 to 6pm around the Esplanade (see map for details and suggested routes).

About 40 pupils and students from local schools, along with their teachers, will be joining in on this sketchwalk. USK members are welcome and encouraged to join in the activity. One of the main objectives of the walk is to introduce the concept of urban sketching to the youths and younger generation – the idea of “a studio without walls”. As such, this is a great opportunity let the participants pick it up with a hands-on while catching a glimpse of the ones who are more familiar with the concept “in action”, so to speak.

Do join us and have look at the suggested routes. Primarily, the participants will be guided by their teachers. However, please don’t shy away if you are approached to help or guide them in terms of directions or techniques.

As usual, the session will end with a display-and-share at the starting point (under the bridge).

Hope to see you there!

Map of suggested routes. Click to enlarge.

June USKSG at Gardens by the Bay

View of the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay from the food centre, Satay by the Bay.

June’s official USKSG sketchwalk was held at Gardens by the Bay. It was also the first sketchwalk since I came back from Germany. The weather was searing. Combined with the humidity, it was like a Thermador, so I decided to cool down at the food centre at the garden with a bowl of ice-kacang while I paint the scenery from there.

As you can see, those Supertrees can be seen from everywhere from anywhere in the garden.

June 2013 Sketchwalk - Gardens By The Bay

This sketchwalk will be part of the National Family Celebrations 2013. It will be a satellite event billed as a bonding activity for the families expected to gather at Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade and Promontory.

It will centre around The Meadows at Gardens By The Bay, though you are free to explore further. A map of points of interest will be released on Thursday night.

Beginning at 9:30 am, there will be a show-and-tell session at 12:30 pm, we will display any submitted sketches of the vicinity at a booth for the public. Do continue to sketch after if you wish to.

From 3 to 6 pm, the public can visit the booth to collect free sketchbooks and drawing materials and enjoy sketching as a family, inspired by what we have put up for show.

Some things to also note:
1) Should the haze create unhealthy conditions, this sketchwalk will either be moved indoors or cancelled.

2) Plan for road closures due to rehearsals of the National Day Celebrations and the Milo Youth Triathlon. Refer to http://www.onemotoring.com.sg/publish/onemotoring/en/on_the_roads/road_closure.html

3) Family Day Out Carnival itself is from 10 am to 7 pm.
4) There'll be a picnic-styled free concert from 5 to 9 pm at the Gardens.


See you there!

Quietening Down and Sketching Up at Church of the Blessed Sacrament

Sketching the quiet interior of the church's sanctuary...

I was 9 when I painted a drawing of the church with my first poster colour set. It was featured in the primary school art textbook and I was drawn to the beautiful roof structure which was supposed to be inspired by the tabernacle from the Old Testament (see story below). With a project to sketch the neighbourhood, I got a chance to go inside the church sanctuary and sketch inside the quiet place. It's like my relationship with the building has come a full circle.

The Church of the Blessed Sacrament is a Catholic church located at Commonwealth Drive. Opened in 1965, it serves the Catholic community in the Queenstown area. The church building was awarded conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in 2005.

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Building the church

In 1954, the Archbishop of the Malacca Diocese, Michael Olcomendy, who had been attending to the needs of Catholics in Singapore since 1937, became concerned about Catholics living in the Alexandra and Redhill areas, as there was no church nearby to serve them.

At the time, the government was planning to develop the nation’s first satellite town, Queenstown, which included the Alexandra and Redhill areas. The government aimed to build a self-contained and balanced community within the Master Plan for Singapore. It was intended that the town would have all the necessary amenities such as schools, hospitals, markets, shops and places of worship. An advertisement was placed in the local press inviting religious organisations to apply for sites set aside in the plan, stating their programmes and intentions.

Olcomendy saw the advertisement, submitted an application and was allotted one of the sites. As he could not spare any priests to manage the project, he appealed for help from the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SS.CC.), a Catholic order whose priests were already active in Indonesia. He asked the Provincial of the Dutch Province if he could spare two priests to build the church and to take care of the parish in Queenstown.   

In 1958, Father William van Soest and Father Odo Tiggeloven, two priests from the SS.CC. of Holland, arrived in Singapore. The former was assigned to build the church and be its parish priest with the assistance of the latter.

It was anticipated that the church would cost up to S$200,000 to build. However, the two priests had difficulty in raising funds, as there were only a few hundred Catholics in Queenstown by 1960. Efforts to raise funds for the new church included the staging of a variety show at the National Theatre, a movie screening at the Globe Theatre, and a food and fun fair. Circus Malaya and the Tai Thean Kew Circus also donated proceeds from their performances to the church building fund.

Due to limited funds, the church was built in stages. In October 1963, the first building, Damien Hall, was completed. It was named after Saint Damien of Molokai, a priest from the SS.CC. who had dedicated his life to caring for those afflicted with leprosy in Molokai, Hawaii and who had fallen victim to the disease.

After a simple ceremony by Monsignor Noel Goh on 17 November 1963, Damien Hall was opened to the public as a place of worship. It also provided lodging to the two priests who, up till then, had been staying at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and at St Patrick’s School.

   

The church was finally completed and officially opened and blessed by Archbishop Olcomendy on 8 May 1965. It was named the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, as the priests of the Sacred Heart order were devoted to the Blessed Sacrament.

   

Architecture of church building

The church was designed by Y. Gordon Dowsett of the architecture firm Van Sitteren and Partners. Its most outstanding feature is its blue slate roof, which is constructed in folds in the shape of a tent. The roof is said to symbolise the “tent of meeting” in the Old Testament of the Bible, and covers the main sanctuary, which is built in a cruciform shape. The roof is also designed with integrated glass panels where the four sections of the cruciform shape meet to allow natural light into the sanctuary. The worship hall is made of fair-faced brick walls with timber ceiling panels. There is also a Celtic cross, which combines a circle with a cross, on the exterior brick face wall of the main altar.

The church’s distinctive design, coupled with its prominent location along Commonwealth Drive, makes it a landmark, and it was given conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority on 25 November 2005.

   

Developments at the church

Due to financial constraints, the church was built to cater to 2,000 parishioners although it was expected to grow to 6,000 as the town developed. In the 1970s, the number of parishioners reached 6,000 as predicted and in the 1980s, it ballooned to 7,000. By then, there was a demand for additional space for catechism classes and meeting rooms where smaller groups of people could meet and get to know one another. After an appeal for funds, Damien Centre was built and opened on 30 May 1982.

In 2005, the Sacred Heart priests rebuilt Damien Hall to cater to the needs of the growing number of organisations within the church and to meet the Ministry of Education’s request for smaller kindergarten classes. The new Fr Damien Centre was officially opened on 22 September 2007 by Monsignor Eugene Vaz.

The church currently serves around 4,300 parishioners. The decline in numbers compared to the 1980s reflects the changing demographics of the mature Queenstown neighbourhood, where older apartment blocks have been vacated for redevelopment and young families are opting for newer residential towns. However, the church continues to be a vibrant community with about 11 organisations including the Catholic Neighbourhood Groups and Outreach Ministry, as well as activities such as novenas and intercessory prayers. 

- Gillian Lim

Sketchwalk to Queenstown: Alexandra Canal Linear Park

Alexandra Canal Linear Park overlooking Strathmore Avenue Estate from Prince Charles Crescent.

Alexandra Canal Linear Park is unique as it is built on top of a covered canal. It starts from Queenstown MRT Station, passing by Strathmore Estate all the way to Tanglin Road where it leads to Alexandra Park Connector, which lies opposite. The vast array of fitness and play equipment, catering to all ages, are located near housing estates and schools, providing endless fun for the young and old. One of the play equipment uses the way sounds travel to provide an interactive and educational playtime for children. The skate corner, which includes ramps and railings, provide challenges and an endless stream of adrenaline rush for avid skaters.

A continuation of the Alexandra Canal Linear Park will be Alexandra Park Connector, which stretches from Tanglin Road to Zion Road. This urban Park Connector provides scenery of high-rise buildings with fantastic architectural details as it passes by various condominiums. Located along Delta Road is Valley Point Shopping Centre, where users can rest their feet and settle down with a nice drink or to just pick up a quick meal.

Towards the end of the Park Connector are Great World City Shopping Centre and Zion Riverside Food Centre. Users can also go to Kim Seng Promenade located behind Great World City Shopping Centre.

Urban Sketchers Singapore: May Official Sketchwalk

Queenstown turns a grand old sixty on 27 September this year. For sixteen days in July, the My Queenstown society will host a festival, with an exhibition featuring images and artefacts about the country's first satellite housing estate. There will also be a commemorative book slated for release in September, as well as merchandise.

Next weekend (25 May), we're going there to capture it with Epigram for the next instalment of the Our Neighbourhood series. Sketchwalk will assume at 9.30 a.m. culminating in a show-and-tell activity to conclude the event. Updates on this post will be refreshed as they come in. Keep visiting this post for new information on this outing.

Satay by the Bay at Gardens by the Bay

View of Satay by the Bay across the lotus pond at Gardens by the Bay

My company was involved in some ‘Values-in-Action’ community work today. We brought some folks to the Gardens by the Bay. I decided to stay back after their excursion to explore the place further especially since it’s the TulipMania at the Gardens now.

After the enjoying all the beauteous blooms at the Flower Dome, I walked a little further and decided to move along the track that leads to the Satay by the Bay. The rustic Satay by the Bay, as the foodcourt is named, is noticeably less glitzy than its surroundings, with its bare floor and plants dangling from the roof.

A 10-minute walk from the two domed conservatories in the Gardens by the Bay, patrons can find eight outdoor pushcarts selling sticks of satay, with low wooden tables and stools for diners.

The food is just so-so and a touch pricey. However, my eye is on the buffet steamboat ala Marina Bay circa 1990s: it looks perfect for gatherings with friends and (lots of) food.

Being a hot day, it was still bright after my dinner. I decided to do a sketch of the place and filled it with colours after.

Reflecting at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital's Lotus Pond.

Lotus Pond at Kandang Kerbau Hospital

People often ask me if I have had formal art lessons before. That question always sends my head working overtime. Honestly, I don’t know what is considered “formal art lessons”. My impression of a formal art lesson involves years of proper lessons, easels, paints and materials culminating in a certificate or diploma of some sort.

I have nothing of that sort.

What I do have that are directly linked to fine arts are art classes at the neighbourhood residents’ committee centre, art lessons in primary school and secondary school and then finally, art elective modules during my university days. Other than that, I have had no formal lessons. Not like those who have gone through years of painting and drawing lessons and have created a portfolio before they finally graduate with a piece of certifying paper with words written in some sort of manuscript ala “Black Adder”.

But what I did have, as I fondly recalled while sketching and doing some work the other day at KK Hospital’s lotus pond, are excellent teachers in those classes and electives. My art teacher during my pre-teen years at the residents’ committee was 陈淑娟老师. An alumnus of The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, she is a patient and humorous lady who saw my ability and threw away her syllabus to teach me watercolours instead of just crayons and oil pastels. She was the one who inspired and allowed me to believe that there can be something that I am really good at; I was a very late bloomer, academically speaking.

Much later, during my university days, I was privileged to sit under the tutelage of the late 蔡逸溪老师 – a Cultural Medallion for Art recipient. I don’t think further introductions are required.

Anyway, I was just practise-painting watercolour lotus when I recalled, fondly and with a chuckle, these little episodes in my life and quite aptly, at the namesake hospital where I was born: Kandang Kerbau Hospital:

KK Women's and Children's Hospital (abbreviation: KKH; Chinese: 竹脚妇幼医院; Malay: Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak Kandang Kerbau), formerly known as "Kandang Kerbau Hospital", is the largest hospital specialising in healthcare for women and children in Singapore.^[2]

From its humble beginnings as a small general hospital in 1858 to a 30-bed maternity hospital in 1924,^[2] KKH has grown into an 830-bed hospital providing obstetric and gynaecology, neonatology and paediatric services. Often affectionally referred to as "KK" amongst locals, it is the birthplace of a sizeable proportion of Singaporeans, delivering over half of total newborns in the country as early as 1938.

In 1966, the hospital entered the Guinness Book of Records for delivering the highest number of newborns within a single maternity facility for that year, and it continued to hold on to this record for a full decade,^[2] delivering 85% of the population.^[3] 

In 1997, the hospital moved to its present site.^[3] In 2003, the old premises was marked as a historical site by the National Heritage Board,^[2] a tribute to an institution that has been the birthplace of over 1.2 million Singaporeans since its inception.^[3]

The hospital's come from the Malay term for "buffalo shed" (kandang = shed / pen + kerbau = buffalo), reflecting the area's past link with buffalo rearing. While the hospital started as one catering to health care for women, mainly for gynaecology and obstetrics, it has since expanded its role.

First, the paediatrics department was added for the care of the babies after delivery, but over the years it expanded into a full paediatric service, treating younger patients for all kinds of illnesses up to teenage. An offshoot, the neonatology service, was then added. Thus the expanded role of the hospital warranted a renaming to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Over the recent years, the scope of care has expanded even more to provide holistic care to women and children patients. It strives to become the "Healthcare Leader for Women and Children", which has become its slogan. New departments were added to the hospital. Paediatric surgery was first added, followed by others such as colorectal surgery, psychiatry and orthopaedics for women with illnesses requiring expertise in those areas.

As a result of a restructuring exercise in the local healthcare scene, the hospital became a member of the Singapore Health Services on 1 April 2000.^[3]

Sketchwalk to Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park

View of Bishan Park from Public Shelter

 Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park

At 62 hectares, Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park, with its ponds and bridges, colourful shrubs and lush greenery, is one of the largest and most popular parks in Singapore. Divided by Marymount Road into two plots, Pond Gardens (formerly Bishan Park 1) and River Plains (formerly Bishan Park 2), the park caters to park users of all ages. Some interesting features include three exciting playgrounds, a community garden, a vantage point on a hill that gives one a landmark view of the park, and a Riverside Gallery.

One of the highlights of the park is the stretch of Kallang River that used to run in a concrete canal but is now a naturalised, meandering river teeming with life. The result of a joint collaboration between NParks and PUB, under the latter's Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Programme; this river brings park users closer to the water to enjoy its beauty and serenity, and to appreciate the flora and fauna that flourish in the park because of the waterway.

It may be of interest to visitors to note that the transformation of the canal into a river involved a series of bioengineering techniques and the use of a combination of natural materials such as vegetation and rocks. Civil engineering techniques were also used to stabilise the slope and control soil erosion.

The water quality in the ponds and river is maintained, without the use of chemicals, by a cleansing biotope located in Pond Gardens. It consists of carefully selected plants which filter out pollutants while absorbing nutrients from the water.

Bioengineering

The use of soil bioengineering techniques (a combination of vegetation, natural materials and civil engineering techniques) to stabilize the river banks and prevent erosion was a first for Singapore and is a new reference for soil stabilisation in the tropics, which have otherwise rarely been used or documented. In 2009, a test bed was constructed, testing about 10 different soil bioengineering techniques and a wide variety of tropical plant species along a length of 60 metres at one of the side drains in the park. Seven of these techniques were then selected for use along the main river. These include fascines, rip-rap with cuttings, geotextile wrapped soil-lifts, brush mattresses with fascines, reed rolls, planted gabions, and geotextile with plantings. The test bed was used to refine the selection of appropriate techniques and plants, as well as the most efficient and effective construction methods. Extensive systematic testing was carried out, including measuring the depth and tenacity of root development.

Cleansing biotopes  

Cleansing biotopes offer effective water treatment while maintaining a natural and beautiful environment. They consist of carefully selected plants in a filter medium which helps to cleanse the water by filtering pollutants and absorbing nutrients. Located upstream in the park, the cleansing biotope helps to maintain the water quality of the ponds without the use of chemicals.

Within the park, a new water playground was designed to increase the attractiveness and visitor enjoyment of the park. Water for this playground is supplied by cleansed pond water that has been filtered through the cleansing biotope and has undergone an ultraviolet (UV) treatment to eliminate any harmful biological contaminants without introducing any chemicals into the water.

Park features

Three new playgrounds were constructed for children to enjoy. New bridges, stepping stones in the water and a riverside gallery were also built to encourage increased interaction with water. Existing features such as the foot reflexology feature, community garden, dog run and fitness areas were refurbished to update the overall look of the park.

Biodiversity 

No wildlife was introduced to the park but the introduction of the naturalised river into the park has seen the park’s biodiversity increase by 30%. Singapore lies within the East Asian – Australasian Flyway so the park can expect to receive some special migratory bird visitors. A few surprise visitors have already been spotted including Zanzibar Red Bishop, a native to Africa, the Spotted Wood Owl, native to the jungle forest in Indonesia, Long-tailed Parakeet, native in the Andaman islands and the Orange-cheeked Waxbill, native to western and central Africa. Birds (such as the Purple Heron, Scaly-breasted Munia and the White-breasted Waterhen) that are seldom seen in a high-dense urban neighbourhood have also been spotted roosting among the new vegetation. The Malay Archipelago is one of the world’s greatest biodiversity hotspots, second only to the Amazon, and the tropical rainforest climate is home to an abundance of lush vegetation.

The restoration of the river has created a huge variety of micro-habitats which not only increase biodiversity but the resilience of species within the park, meaning their long term ability to survive is greatly improved.

March 2013 Sketchwalk at Bishan Park.

Here is the plan for this Saturday's sketchwalk:

At 9.30AM, We will meet outside the Toastbox at Junction 8 (just outside the Bishan MRT station).
We will draw around the Bishan central area. You can draw the Junction 8 shopping mall, the bus interchange there and the Bishan library with its cubby holes.

At 1030AM, let's start to fan out in the general direction of Bishan Park (See map below). Feel free to form your own small groups and form your own trails through the neighbourhood. You are encouraged to spread out and not cluster together so much. If not, everyone will be drawing the same thing. Explore freely.

From 1030 - 1230PM, take your time to explore and sketch Bishan Park which has been renovated. See the site here: Bishan Park.

At 1230AM sharp, let's meet outside the McDonald's at Bishan Park, circled in the map. We will find an open space there to view all our sketches there and end the sketchwalk.

This is just a recommended time plan. If you'd like to head to Bishan Park earlier because you are tired of drawing HDB flats, please go ahead.

If there happens to be a thunderstorm on that day, we will stick to drawing around junction 8 and the areas around.

If you are in Singapore, your are invited to join us. No joining fee or attendance. Just bring your drawing tools, paper and show up. Travel light.

Only if you are seriously lost, call Andrew at 91070735 . We will not be deviating from this mapped out route. So if you are late, please find us along this route. Thanks!:)

It's a small commision; but it speaks volumes in its significance.

A very significant project 26 years in the making...

I received my first commission the other day: a project to reflect the venue of PassionArts at Bedok organised by the PA. It is exciting as a personal project and a personal affirmation.

When I was 12 and selecting secondary schools and programmes that I would be interested to go to after my national exams (PSLE), the then-newly implemented Art Elective Programme caught my eye. My parents, especially my mum, were supportive and encouraged me to go for it. But there was an obstacle.

Despite having helped with the illustrations of several ‘big books’ (the drawings were A3 in size), my form teacher stated that my school (i.e. herself) needs to endorse on my application and maintained matter-of-factly that I was “not good enough for the programme”.

More recently, despite being a graduate and having practiced as an interior designer and architect, I was told by the local Ministry of Education that I am “not qualified to teach art because [I am] not certified by the National Institute of Education”.

To me, it’s all right. I have already practiced as an actual designer, taught art for at least 10 years and had my works published. Now, I have at least one commissioned piece to add to my portfolio. I suppose I don’t really need their qualification for affirmation or confirmation.

Although this is a simple piece of work, its very existence speaks volumes in its significance.

Our Neighbourhoods: We Love Bedok by Urban Sketchers Singapore x Epigram

Design & Photography: Wee Editions

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>> View Sample

Our Neighbourhoods: We Love Bedok Urban Sketchers Singapore Synopsis: Tucked away in the East is a sleeping giant: Bedok, a paragon of the heartlands. Previously bordered by the beach, this neighbourhood was known for its scrumptious seafood. Bedok, or Bodo, as it was once called, is now the district with the largest resident population—and the oldest. Journey with Urban Sketchers Singapore as great change sweeps eastward. Dodge through major construction at the beloved Bedok Town Centre, where Princess Theatre still stands, for the quiet of Bedok North’s songbirds. Have a dip at Bedok Swimming Complex, then replenish your energy with the famed rojak and cheng tng at Bedok South. The artists delightfully depict Bedok Reservoir too, where a certain Wall has travelled all the way from Berlin to Bedok. Praise: “Memory is the ultimate thing that makes a place come alive. I was a Bedok kid, and this book beautifully preserves the diversity and colour of Bedok!” —Royston Tan, director of Old Places ISBN: 987-981-07-5432-7 Format: Paperback Size: 125 x 175mm Pages: 96 Published: Apr 2013 Also in the Our Neighbourhoods Series: We Love Tiong Bahru by Urban Sketchers Singapore We Love Toa Payoh by Urban Sketchers Singapore

A fresh cool day after the morning storm.

Ad hoc Plein Air at Sungei Buloh

Just felt like being amongst the greens with the air being washed afresh after the morning storm.

Bishan Columbarium 广惠肇碧山亭

Pavilion at Bishan Columbarium

Went with my family for ancestral prayers earlier this month: my paternal grandparents' remains are placed here. While hanging around at the place in between the prayers, I did a quick sketch of the picture postcard setting of the pavilion there and then filled it with colour later.
 

Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng （广惠肇碧山亭） was a cemetery in Singapore that was established in 1870 by immigrants largely from the three prefectures of Kwong Chow Fu （广州府）， Wai Chow Fu （惠州府) and Siew Heng Fu (肇庆府) in Guangdong Province, China. It was originally solely for the Cantonese community, but within a century, Peck San Theng (PST) became one of the biggest Chinese cemeteries in Singapore, holding more than 100,000 graves over 384 acres (1.55 km²) of land.

In 1979, the Singapore government decided to acquire all its land to create the present Bishan New Town. Many graves were exhumed and remains cremated during the 1980s. To enable Peck San Theng to continue with its tradition, the government leased 8 acres (32,000 m²) of land to Peck San Theng for accommodating an office block, a Memorial, two temples and a columbarium. The columbarium houses some 100,000 niches which are available to the to public irrespective of race, language and religion since 1980. It was and will continue to be a place for ancestral worship in Singapore. Peck San Theng is currently managed by a federation of sixteen clans of the Cantonese community in Singapore.

"We've decided to include two of your sketches..." ~ Epigram

Just received news that TWO of my paintings from the Bedok sketchwalk has been selected for publication in a commemorative book by Epigram for the estate.

Tres-tres excite!

The sports area in Bedok estate.

Bedok Community Centre

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.