SWS History 1979 - 1988

12 April 1979
Slide presentation by American watercolourist Mr Mark Wheeler
Held at the Society’s premises.

25 –27 May 1979
An Exhibition of Paintings by Singapore Artist Mr Hua Chai Yong
Co-sponsored with other art organizations in Singapore.

30 August – 2 September 1979
1979 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Works by members
Held at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce

7 – 12 September 1979
An Exhibition of Paintings by Taiwan Artist, Mr Max Liu
Co-sponsored with other art organizations in Singapore.

29 November – 2 December 1979
An Exhibition of Paintings by Mr Lim Hwee Tiong and Mr Ang Hiong Chiok
Co-sponsored with other art organizations in Singapore.

4 –6 April 1980
An Exhibition of Paintings by Taiwan Artist, Mr Zhang Ron-Kai
Co-sponsored with S. E. Asia Art Society.

7 April 1980
Slide presentation by Australian Artist Mr Robert Miller
Held at the Society’s premises.

13 – 15 August 1980
An Exhibition of Paintings by members and a talk on Watercolour painting
Held in Toa Payoh Library Exhibition Hall.

5 – 7 September 1980
An Exhibition of Paintings by late founder member, Mr Lim Cheng Hoe
Jointly sponsored by Lee Foundation.
Held in the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
A collection of Mr Lim Cheng Hoe’s paintings was published by the Educational Publication Bureau.

26 – 28 September 1980
An Exhibition of Paintings by Mr Chua Mia Tee
Co-sponsored with other art organizations in Singapore.
Held in the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

14 – 16 November 1980
1980 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Works by members
Held at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce
November – December 1980
Watercolour Workshop
Held at the National Museum.

29 May 1981
Exchange programme with Australia
Sent slides of paintings by members to Australia.

4 –6 June 1981
An Exhibition of Paintings by Mr Tan Leong Kheng
Co-sponsored with other art organizations in Singapore.

4 – 6 September 1981
1981 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Works by members
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.

1 – 5 October 1981
An Exhibition of Paintings by Mr Lee Boon Wang
Co-sponsored with other art organizations in Singapore.

26 – 29 November 1981
Singapore Watercolour Painting Traveling Exhibition
Held in Persatuan Chinwoo Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Opened by Mr C. S. Chew, Hon. Sec Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society.

3 – 6 December 1981
Singapore Watercolour Painting Traveling Exhibition
Held in State Museum Board Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia.
Opened by Daruk Koh Pen Ting DSPN, AMIN, DJN, JP.

30 May – 2 June 1982
An Exhibition by Sec. – Gen. Ong Kim Seng
Jointly sponsored with the Society of Chinese Artists.
Held at the National Museum.

3 – 5 September 1982
1982 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Opened by Mr Ho Kar Leong, parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education.
Held at the Victorial Memorial Hall.

20 – 22 May 1983
1983 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Opened by Mr Lau Ping Sam, MP for Yio Chu Kang
Held at the National Museum. 18 – 20 November 1983
1983 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Exhibition of Miniature Watercolours
Work by members.

February 1984
Invitation by the Kobe Niki Art Exhibition in Japan
Mr. Ong Chye Cho, Mr. Tong Chin Sye, Mr Chew Piak San, Mr. Ong Kim Seng and Mr. Gog Sing Hooi submitted their works for this exhibition.

June 1984
New Logo approved by the Society
Designed by Mr. Ong Kim Seng.
The new address of the Society at Blk 45 Lengkok Bahru #01-221 Singapore 0315 was approved by the Registrar of Societies.

10 – 12 November 1984
1984 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Opened by Mr. Ho Kah Leong, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education.
Held at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Launched the “Contemporary Watercolours of Singapore” to commemorate the Society’s 15th Anniversary.

29 November 1984
Slide Show by Mr. Ong Kim Seng’s tour to Sichuan, China.

8 December 1984
The Society hosted a dinner for Mr. And Mrs. Dong Kingman, an American artist.

18 January 1985
The Admissions Committee is established.
Nominated members were Mr. Wan Soon Kam, Mr. Low Puay Hua, Mr. Tong Chin Sye, Mr. Gog Sing Hooi, Mr. Seow Hock Meng, Mr. Ong Chye Cho, Mr. Ong Kim Seng, Mr. Chew Piak San and Mr. Wong Shue Hong.

23 –26 May 1985
1985 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Opened by Mr. Tang Guan Seng, MP for the Khe Bong Constituency.
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.
Mr. Dong Kingman, a well-known American watercolourists, submitted 2 paintings for the exhibition.

July 1985
Mr. Dong Kingman accepted the invitation to be the Honorary Advisor of the Society.

25 – 28 July 1985
An Exhibition by Mr. Ong Kim Seng
Jointly organized with The Society of Chinese Artists
Officiated by Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador to the United States of America.
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.

August 1985
Donated 13 paintings to The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Members who donated their works were Mr. Ong Kim Seng, Mr. Chew Paik San, Mr. Low Puay Hua, Mr. Gog Sing Hooi, Mr. Ang Ah Tee, Mr. Kng Choon Seng, Mr. Michael C. M. Khoo, Mr. Tan Leng Kheng, Mr. Wong Chue Hong, Mr. Lee Keng Thye, Mr. Lim Hwee Tiong, Mr. Ching Hing Kang and Mr. Toh Teng Quan.

5 –8 December 1985
Exhibition by Mr. Lim Hwee Tiong and mr. Ang Hiong Chiok.
Jointly organized with The Singapore Art Society and The Society of Chinese Artists.
Opened by Mr. Chng Jit Koon, Ministr of State, Minstry of Community Development.
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.

20 January 1986
Mr. Tan Chiang Kiong from Penang was invited and admitted to the Society.
Mrs. Rosma Guha was admitted to the Society.
April 1986
Mr. The Siew Joo from Ipoh was admitted to the Society.

22 – 25 May 1986
1986 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Opened by Mr. Kho Lam Son, MP for Telok Blangah.
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.
July 1986
Miss Jean Tan accepted the invitation as Honorary Legal Advisor to the Society.

5 –9 November 1986
Exhibition by Mr. Tan Yoong Kek
Jointly organized with The Singapore Art Society
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.

23 January 1987
The Society hosted dinner for Mr. Wei Zhaotao, an artist from Shantou, China.

3 –5 April 1987
Exhibition by Mr. Poh Siew Wah on Realism to Abstracts
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.

18 April 1987
Method of admission of new members reverted to election by majority of members present at meetings.

20 – 22 August 1987
1987 Singapore Watercolour Society’s Annual Art Exhibition
Opened by Mr. Lau Ping Sum, MP for Yio Chu Kang Constituency
Held at the National Museum Art Gallery.

26 September 1987
Extended invitation to members of the Old Watercolour Society’s Club (UK), Australia Branch to Honorary membership of the Singapore Watercolour Society.
The aim and object is to promote and strengthen the relationship of artists between the two societies.

10 October 1987
Orchard Mall Open Air Art Fair
The Ministry of Community Development and The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts invited SWS to participate in this event.
112 paintings by members of SWS were exhibited.

14 – 19 November 1987
Exhibition by Mr. Low Puay Hua on Pastoral Chaozhou
Opened by Mr. Teo Liang Chye, View-President of the Association at the Cultural and Education Centre.
Jointly organized with The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan

23 January 1988
Rules and Regulations Amendment Committee was formed
Headed by legal advisor, Miss Jean Tan
There were 6 members in this committee; they are Mr. Ong Kim Seng, Mr. Gog Sing Hooi, Mr. Khor Ean Ghee, Mr. Kng Choon Seng, and Mr. Chew Piak San.
Formed the Editorial Committee for the Book of Watercolour Painting ‘89
Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Society
Members were Mr.Wan Soon Kam, Mr. Ching Hing Kang, Mr. Ong Kim Seng, Mr. Ong Sing Hooi, Mr. Khor Ean Ghee, Mr. Poh Siew Wah, Mr. Lee Choon Kee, Mr. Chew Piak San and Mr. Toh Teng Quan.

14 –18 July 1988
Watercolours ‘88
Exhibition of paintings by members
Opened by Mr. Yeo Seng Teck, Chairman of the Visual Arts Committee

20 –25 August 1988
3rd Collection of Asian Watercolour Works in Osaka, Japan
Twenty members of the Society submitted a painting each

8 –15 September 1988
International Watercolour Exhibition - to commemorate the ’88 Seoul Olympics
Organized by the South Korea Watercolour Association in Seoul, Korea
Ten members represented the Society

14 – 17 September 1988
An Exhibition by Sec. – Gen. Ong Kim Seng on Overland Tibet
Opened by Mr. C. N. Watson, Chairman of Sembawang Holdings
Jointly sponsored with the Society of Chinese Artists
Held at the National Museum

8 –21 November 1988
The Third Exhibition of Asian Watercolours ’88
Sec. – Gen. Ong Kim Seng and Mr. Khor Ean Ghee represented the Society at the opening of the exhibition.
Works by 23 members were exhibited
Held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

15 – 18 December 1988
CPPD ’88 (An Exhibition of graphics, sketches and paintings)
Mr. Gog Sing Hooi, Mr. Low Puay Hua and Mr. Tong Chin Sye were invited to participate in this event.
Held in the Ishikawa Perfectural Museum of Art