Darrell Ang, a Singaporean and Londoner, is an artist in a different medium than canvas. He is a supremely accomplished international orchestra conductor and has expertise on many instruments. Here is his impression and artistic take of our very talented November cover artist, Anne Koh,
“Anne Koh is drawing lots of attention in the region as a painter of rare talent. One often hears of child prodigies in music, art, science, etc., but what are the chances of meeting a fully grown adult prodigy? Anne Koh, a petite 50-something Malaysian woman from East Malaysia, is a self-taught artist who began her painting “career” only recently and who has clearly found her niche in life. She paints as she sees and feels, and is driven by a desire to leave behind a legacy of images which celebrate the beauty of her Malaysian/ Asian heritage.
Anne Koh practices a wide array of styles, and one naturally detects the influence of great painters of the past – from the evocative impressionism of Claude Monet and the rugged boldness of Van Gogh, to the swirling and intense expressionism of Oskar Kokoschka. But the intimacy of her landscapes, as well as her meticulous attention to detail, informs us of her quiet assurance and immense skill, and further attest to the sheer magnitude of her talent.”
High praise, indeed, and that which echoes many other artists of many different persuasions who immediately appreciate her talent when viewing a painting or art work she has done.
As a writer, I believe artistic endeavours like subjective writing, art, and all forms of music are based on a person having been blessed with a creative core and the talent to translate that into various messages to others. I can recognise Anne’s creativity as part of her core and we can all agree she certainly knows how to translate that into meaningful messages as an artist.
As an art consumer, I am moved by her raw talent and complex grasp of compositional skill as showcased primarily by the vibrancy and interplay of the colours she intersperses with such clarity and luminosity. I can easily envision many of her works on my own walls at home which, believe me, is the highest compliment I can give. I like the explosion of primary colours that radiate from her paintings because they are bold while also being translucent. This results in a poignant viewing experience which inspires optimism about our natural world as well as striking a deep chord within that is responding to the luscious beauty on the canvas.
Anne is just as inspiring in person with her enthusiastic and engaging personality. She had me smiling as soon as we met and very quickly I was caught up in her passionate vision of what her art means to her. The most touching aspect for me, was her discovery of this latent talent at middle age. She is indeed almost childlike with her fascination and her appreciation of her gift and assures me she intends make the very most of it. She vibrates with life and positive energy and upon meeting and getting to know her I understand the genesis of the talent behind her paintings.
Born in Sarawak, East Malaysia, she confidently expounds to me that, “I love going into rural areas, taking photographs, or just gazing about and drinking in the beauty, the colours, and the natural environment all around me. Then I go home and try to recreate the same kind of striking beauty on canvas. All I can tell you now is that I am a lifetime artist!”
Anne encapsulates the growing excitement that talented and skilled artists feel as they realise they have the means to express themselves through the art medium. “My goal is inspire viewers to truly appreciate the fact we are all as one with our world. We all exist together, needing each other, being needed by others, and are all part of the cycle of this planet’s life,” she exclaims.
She has set aside the paintings photographed on this page for you, our readers, and has priced them very low. She gives all proceeds to various local charities which gives you a good idea of the type of person she is. The love she manages to engender is inherent in her and she aptly manages to transfer this in her works and is what, I believe, touches people the most.
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To view her paintings or for more information, please contact me at [email protected]
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Source: The Expat November 2012
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