Winning ways with watercolour

WHILE the usual practice for an artist is to exhibit and sell works at private galleries, one artist has chosen to submit works to international competitions and win a clutch of awards and affirmations rather than ring up sales.

This was one way he could build up his portfolio, reckons Johor-born Lok Kerk Hwang, who isn't totally unrecognised in the local art market - as his work was once shortlisted in the UOB Painting of the Year competition, even though that was back in 1995.

He's finally holding his first solo show now, about 10 years after he first approached Utterly Art's managing partner Pwee Keng Hock about an exhibition.