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 pen 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 cityscapes and landscapes of the world. In this sketch, Ho captures a section of the exotic Palace Hotel, situated on a volcanic site among the Pilanesberg mountains in South Africa. The palace hotel known for its grandeur architectural style of domes and animal frescoes and statues; Ho’s sketch reflects an air of fantastical atmosphere.