Self-taught; formal art instruction by Richard Walker, art teacher in Raffles Institution
Known for
Watercolour
Awards
1927: Lim Boon Keng Gold Medal for Art 1947: Highly Commended Award (Watercolour section), Annual Inter-School Art Exhibition 1960: Perayaan Hari Kebangsaan Certificate 1968: Singapore Festival certificate 1972: National Day Art Exhibition Certificate 1974: National Day Art Exhibition Certificate.
In this Chinese name, the family name is Lim (Chinese: 林; pinyin: Lín).
Lim Cheng Hoe (Chinese: 林清河; pinyin: Lín Qīng Hé; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Tshing-hô) was a watercolourist recognized as one of the key pioneer artists in Singapore, along with his peers like Cheong Soo Pieng and Chen Chong Swee. He was credited for the amalgamation of interest in watercolour art in the local art scene and in turn, the founding of the Singapore Watercolour Society. He also was a contrast from other pioneer artists schooled in mainstream Chinese art aesthetic culture, by being a product of Western art education and a primarily self-taught artist.[1]
Lim's first art teacher, Mr Richard Walker
Born in 1912, Lim's family moved to Singapore from Amoy when he was 7. As a boy, Lim loved to draw, and would continue to explore and experiment with his pencil day in day out. In 1928, he attended school at the Raffles Institution where he found first love with watercolour art, and received art instruction from Richard Walker, his school art teacher and the first Art Inspector of Schools in Singapore. On September 13, 1930, the 18-year-old submitted his artwork in the Design and Painting class in school, and was awarded First Prize in October 1930.[2] After completing his Senior Cambridge Overseas School Certificate at end-1930, Lim went to China on a three-week vacation. In 1932 he passed the Junior London Chamber of Commerce Examination, and soon gained employment as a clerk at the Royal Naval Wireless Station in Kranji. He also continued to receive art instruction at Walker's Saturday art classes for the next three years. In 1936, Lim was employed as Chief Clerk at the Public Utilities Board, and got married in 1952 at the age of 30. He continued to work with the Board until his retirement in 1966.
Throughout his active years Lim was a Sunday painter, painting outdoors at various locations in Singapore during weekends and with any spare time he could afford in between work and family life. But he was much more into serious painting, than just painting for leisure. By the time he started his working life at the Utilities Board, Lim stopped attending art classes by Richard Walker. Instead, he continued to experiment and explored new ways to express his art through watercolour. He was a severe critic of his own work, seldom satisfied with the quality of work he produced, and emphasized greatly on accuracy in his observation and draughtsmanship.[3] In fact, it was important to Lim to paint directly from his subjects, and often take time to look around and compose them before selecting for the right pose / position to paint. This also applies to plein-air paintings with his friends, even if it meant for him to paint under the blazing sun.[4] Lim also read widely and acquired books on art history, criticism and techniques. He also was a subscriber to an arts magazine titled The Artist: The Magazine For Artists, Instruction and Review which was indispensable to feeding his voracious appetite for knowledge in art. Yet he never felt he studied enough, or mastered the watercolour medium sufficiently. This self-discipline and endless pursuit in artistic excellence thus gained him the reputation as an outstanding Singaporean artist.[2] Lim was a good-natured man with laughter following their painting group wherever they went.[4] He was also generous man who often shared his knowledge, and the publications he acquired with his circle of artist friends.[2]
He was never far from his wanderlust personality that he had developed from his schooldays. Lim had good physical health, and a deep passion for natural landscapes. In his weekends and whatever free time available with his friends, he would meet up with them on painting excursions in either T. Y. Choy's car, or in G. K. Tan's old Ford[4] to search for sceneries to paint. On occasions, he would go on painting expeditions starting from Kampong Penjuru (current site of Eusoff Hall of the National University of Singapore), travelling up to Loyang area, and ending his day by the Singapore River. These trips enabled him to continuously revisit these inspiring landscapes and rediscover his art.[3] Thoma Yeo remembered joining the Singapore River artists – as they have come to be known later in history – in 1957 when he was a young aspiring artist. As with every other Sundays Yeo would meet the group at the Red House along Bras Basah Road and the members would decide where they would go to paint. The Singapore River thus then became their favourite haunt to paint at, especially when the group cannot decide where else to paint at.[4] Between 1958 and 1971 Lim, and the other Singapore River artists took their plein air painting excursions to various parts of Malaysia, especially to the state of Johor.[5]
Lim died of stomach cancer in Changi General Hospital on September 3, 1979, after a six-year battle.[6]
^Kwok, Kian Chow (May 2000), "Ink Painting Societies, Singapore Watercolour Society and the Singapore River", The Literature, Culture And Society of Singapore, Singapore: National University of Singapore, archived from the original on 2008-10-25, retrieved 2008-09-15
^ abcSabapathy, T. K. (1986), "Image and medium: the painted world of Lim Cheng Hoe", Lim Cheng Hoe Retrospective 1986, Singapore: Ministry of Community Development, pp. 3–12
^ abSabapathy, T. K. (1986-02-28), A landscape painter and his passion, Singapore: Straits Times Section 2, p. 1
^ abcdThomas (c. 1994), "A tribute to pioneer watercolourist Lim Cheng Hoe", in Sau Yin, Tsang (ed.), Singapore Artists Speak 2, Singapore: Art & Artist Speak, pp. 308–309, ISBN 981-00-6191-9
^"Biographical outline", Lim Cheng Hoe Retrospective 1986, Singapore: Ministry of Community Development, 1986, p. 18
^Cheng Hui, Wu (1986-02-28), 我认识的林清河(The Lim Cheng Hoe I Know), Singapore: 联合早报(LianHe ZaoBao), p. 22
LimChengHoe (Chinese: 林清河; pinyin: Lín Qīng Hé; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Tshing-hô) was a watercolourist recognized as one of the key pioneer artists in Singapore...
Lim drugged and raped a woman who filed rape charges against him. To derail police investigations, Lim decided to kill children, and made Tan and Hoe...
Sir Han HoeLim CBE JP (Chinese: 林汉河; pinyin: Lín Hànhé; 27 April 1894 – 23 March 1983) was a Singaporean physician and politician. Lim was educated at...
he co-founded the Singapore Watercolour Society with artists like LimChengHoe, and Loy Chye Chuan, and served as the Society treasurer for many years...
challenged in his state seat by Lim Kit Siang, who unseated the previous Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu in 1990. Koh beat Lim with over 70% of the votes. He...
would include Lim Hak Tai and Cheong Soo Pieng. Before studying at NAFA, Chen had joined the YMCA Art Club, led by artists LimChengHoe and T.Y. Choy...
and he expressed his sadness over Chew's execution. Lim Ah Mei, the 64-year-old mother of Hoe Hock Hai, who was also among the eighteen condemned, sadly...
Lim (born 1973), video and installation artist LimChengHoe (1912–1979), painter Lim Hak Tai (1893–1963), painter Kim Lim (1936–1997), sculptor Lim Tzay...
Ho Yuen Hoe (simplified Chinese: 何润好; traditional Chinese: 何潤好; pinyin: Hé Rùnhǎo; 18 February 1908 – 11 January 2006), later in life but rarely known...
their lawyer Nathan Isaac (who was best known for defending Hoe Kah Hong in the 1981 Adrian Lim murders case), make a police report on 16 January 1986 and...
1985: Tan Ming Swee 1985: Abdul Shattar Abdul Rahim 1985: Lem Siang @ Lim Lee Cheng 1985: Hui Guan Lian 1987: Ismail Tamim Abdul Aziz Bantan Alhafiz 1987:...
ancestral home. He also married a local girl, Lee Cheng Kin, by whom he had two sons, Datuk Yeap Hock Hoe and Yeap Hock Hin. They lived in a mansion called...
candidates lost their $500 electoral deposits: Lim Chuan Geok, Valiya Purayil Pillai and Richard Lim Chuan Hoe. All 3 candidates were candidates contesting...
Hua Dominic Soong LimChengHoe Badminton Men's team Silver Malaysia national football team Football Men's tournament Silver Lim Guat Hoon Table tennis...
Koay Kar Lin Saw Swee Leong James Selvaraj Dominic Soong Moo Foot Lian LimChengHoe Women's team details Indonesia Ivanna Lie Regina Masli Tati Sumirah...
Manzoor Azwira Abdul Wahid Zainuddin Mohd Ariffin Amirul Nizam Mahadzir Tan ChengHoe Adrien Jurad Chamrong Cheah Kean Seng Roslan Abdul Rahim Mazlan Abdul...
Keong Saik, Ho Yang Peng, Wee Theam Tew, Lee Cheng Yan, S.J. Chan, Wee Swee Teow, Song Ong Siang, and Lim Boon Keng. Under their management, Gan Eng Seng...
Kia, was a Singaporean gang leader known for fatally shooting 41-year-old Lim Hock Soon, his former friend and nightclub owner, using a semi-automatic...
since Singapore gained independence in 1965, beating Teo Kim Hoe's result of 0.81% in 1984. Lim joined a six-member SDA team contesting in Pasir Ris–Punggol...
including Lim Keng Yaik and Paul Leong Khee Seong, joined Gerakan. In 1980, Lim Chong Eu decided to retire from the post of party president, and Lim Keng Yaik...
Games. Alex Lim – won gold medal in backstroke at the 1998 Asian games, silver medal in backstroke at 2002 Commonwealth games Khiew Hoe Yean - national...
Lim Kay Tong (born 10 July 1954) is a Singaporean film, television and stage actor. Notably, he starred opposite Sean Penn in Shanghai Surprise (1986)...