Pavilion of the Timeless Brush

Elizabeth Loo Ah Hong was born in Pontian, Johor, Malaysia, and grew up in a palm oil farming family. At the age of 16, she moved alone to Singapore to work in support of her family, and gradually discovered her artistic voice through drawing and calligraphy, developing self-expression and cultural literacy. She is now a distinguished Singaporean artist and recognized as a senior figure in the Chinese ink painting community.

Born in Malaysia, Kow Deon moved to Singapore with her family at the age of three. Her early immersion in art and culture was shaped by her late father’s collection of calligraphy, painting, and Chinese antiques, which nurtured a deep appreciation for traditional aesthetics from a young age. After leaving school, Kow Deon studied watercolor and ink painting, and in the 1980s she committed to ink as her primary medium.

Master Nai Swee Leng (赖瑞龙) is a distinguished Singaporean Chinese ink artist whose practice spans more than five decades. A key student of Fan Chang Tien, he also studied under See Hiang To and Chao Shao-an, while his training at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts broadened his artistic foundation. Known for his bold and spontaneous xieyi (写意) style, Nai combines the traditions of the Shanghai and Lingnan schools with Nanyang subjects, creating expressive paintings of flora, fauna and landscapes.

Photo courtesy of National Arts Council, Singapore