Asia has been fundamental in Candyss’ evolution as an artist. She lived in Hong Kong and Singapore for eight years and traveled to Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines, and Cambodia. Candyss began selling paintings in Hong Kong and it was in Asia that she officially began her professional art career. She taught art classes in Hong Kong in Central and workshops in Discovery Bay, on Lantau Island. The first Asian Flora series Candyss painted was inspired by the Botanical Gardens and was titled ‘Tropical Shadows’. Read More…
” I really enjoyed meeting many diverse groups of people and also like minded people ~ Asian and expatriates.
I quickly developed a client base and began selling a lot of work in Hong Kong and Singapore. Asian Flora was my main theme at the start. I loved the dynamic and brilliant colours and shapes of the Asian flowering plants.
I jogged every morning to the Botanical Gardens and watched the water lilies opening in the warm early morning air sitting peacefully on the glassy ponds. Then I would occasionally walk around the Orchid Garden – a lush surrounding housing over 20,000 species of rare and beautiful orchids. The frangipani garden was amazing, old twisted frangipani trees in every colour possible, dropping flowers everywhere creating a blanket of colour over the damp vivid green grass.
The colours are bold in Asia due to the different and intense light and deep shadows. I painted the vibrant heliconia flowers hanging lazily against the shadowy green plants focusing on the contrasting colours, shadows and light. I couldn’t paint enough and had my next abstract show in the Raffles Hotel at Art Folio Gallery. This show was received very well. After a while my travels took me back to Australia and I began painting different themes but I will always have a love and deep connection with Asia. “
