Born in 1937, Singaporean artist Ho Kah Leong is known for his en plein air paintings and Chinese calligraphy. Trained at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) for one and a half years in the mid-1950s, Ho explored with various mediums such as outdoor sketching, woodblock printing, photography and painting. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Nanyang University in 1963, Ho continues to hone his skills and participates actively in the local art scene even when he was a teacher and politician. Serving as a NAFA’s principal from 1997 to 2003, Ho is passionate in working outdoor and painting on-site to capture the essence and life of a scene, which he believes can evoke one’s emotion.

Over the years, Ho has travelled to different parts of the world to sketch and paint outdoor. Ho’s pastel sketches exemplify the fundamental drawing curriculum of the Academy that influenced his artistic practice. Sketches that allow him to observe and document the cultural and historical landmarks of the world. In this sketch, Ho use dark coloured paper to capture the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise. Rendering streaks of pastel pink reflecting on the iconic Tanah Lot rock formation at Bali, Indonesia, devotees making their way to the temple at dawn.