"In my picture-perfect memory of father and mother, they would be quietly painting in their own corners of the studio at home. Mother preferred natural light and had limited time as she had a household to run. She took a spot near to the window and would paint only when the light was good. Her flowers reflected that... sunlight glistening, morning rays penetrating through their translucent petals. Father on the other hand, painted very long hours at a go, he preferred that his “visuals” not fluctuate or be overly dependent on the time of day or even night. He would set up in the middle part of the studio with lights that were thoughtfully designed and placed for his purpose. Consistent and focussed. There was no chit chat or loud music. Father sometimes had the radio quietly on FM 92.4 — classical music but I know mother would have preferred silence. In the two houses that our family have stayed in, first at Watten Estate and then at Kheam Hock — the studios were configured like that."

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Dr Chua Yang

The Art of Chua Mia Tee
Chua Mia Tee and Lee Boon Ngan: Inseparable for 65 years

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