Cheah Thien Soong is a celebrated artist born in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. He graduated from Chung Hua High School Seremban, Malaysia, in 1959 and NAFA, Singapore, in 1962. Cheah trained in Chinese ink and Western painting under Nanyang pioneer artists Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Chong Swee, See Hiang To, and Georgette Chen, teachers who profoundly influenced his artistic sensibilities. He furthered his studies and received his doctorate from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in 2002.
Cheah holds many fond memories of waterhens, birds that were common in his childhood kampung. It is unsurprising that birds have since become an iconic subject in Cheah’s artworks. Fauna is typical in Cheah’s oeuvre and reflects his philosophical beliefs of Tao. This Chinese philosophy promotes knowledge obtained from everyday life.
