Cheong Soo Pieng was another Singaporean artist that had been born in China. He was born, the last of seven children, in 1917 and began his study at the Xiamen Academy when he was only sixteen. His family was not against his pursuit of art, though they also did not encourage it. However, he was extremely self-determined and finished his studies at the Academy in three years. He continued his education in Shanghai, though his study there ended during the Sino-Japanese war, during which the Academy had been destroyed. Pieng returned home and began teaching at the same school he had attended in his youth. He was also focused on his own work. He quickly gained a reputation as an inspirational instructor and it was his own passion for his work that drove him. He presented his first individual show at the school in 1942 with his work in watercolor. Oil paints were a luxury and difficult to acquire in China during this time.
He moved to Kong Kong in 1945 and spent time there before he moved on to Singapore. He was instrumental to the founding of the Nanyang Fine Art Academy and taught there. His teaching career spanned more than twenty years and he was highly esteemed for his inspiration to his students. Pieng loved teaching though his true passion lied in is own work. He retired in his late forties and devoted his time to his art. He remains one of Singapore’s most influential artists and educators and is known for his part in developing the Nan Yang style of painting. He continued to work in water color though he used oil paints once they became available to him. He also worked in sculpture. His works hang on the walls in businesses and some of the best Singapore hotels, offering beauty and inspiration to those who view him. He’s also strongly influential to young students of art. His life work was presented in a show by the National Museum in 1983, though unfortunately Pieng died four months before the exhibit opened. He remains respected today and proves to be an inspiration to young artists for generations to come.
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