Bashful First Fire of Dawn

An unexpectedly shy and sensible demeanour – could this really be Dawn Kwan, the 11-year-old art prodigy whose paintings have been selling for thousands since she was five?

By Huang Nickmatul / Home Concepts
Photography courtesy of Jonathan Sim Location
Thanks to Praser Place

IN THIS WORLD OF HYPERBOLE, a writer hesitates to use superlatives. Nowadays, saying something is the best, ingenious, fabulous, fantastic and so on seems to automatically heighten people’s scepticism. Yet “prodigy” is the first word that comes to mind when one wants to speak of Dawn Kwan.

Looking at Dawn’s paintings, you get a sense of passion and a huge joy for life in the large brushstrokes and bright colours, but there is also a sense of control in the sophisticated choices and the obvious restraint evident in the strokes that form the shapes and, most importantly, the textures that are fast becoming one of her trademarks.

Yet upon meeting her, there is nary a hint of the fine painter that Dawn is becoming. Instead of the laughing, animated girl one might expect, Dawn is surprisingly reserved. Dressed in black leggings and a loose white tunic, she hovers in the background behind her mother, Swee Lin.

Under Swee Lin’s encouragement, Dawn begins the interview shyly, speaking in monosyllables before gradually opening up, though never quite making it to the pages and pages of chatter that an obviously mistaken writer expected while glancing through the prolific number of paintings by the young artist.

Yet there is something restful and charming in her hesitant smile and quicksilver laugh, gone in a flash; something touching about the way the unassuming and polite young girl shoots occasional fleeting glances at her mother who has retreated a short distance away to give her a measure of space and independence.

Read more about Dawn Kwan Ning Yu, art prodigy.

The Michael Phelps Diet

Watch the video — the Olympic star eats 12,000 calories a day
By James P. Ong

BEIJING Olympics sensation Michael Phelps’s diet secret is simple: He eats 12,000 calories a day. "Eat, sleep and swim. That's all I can do…get some calories into my system and try to recover the best I can,” said the 23-year-old American swimmer in an interview with US television station NBC, as reported by New York Post.

This should hardly be a surprise. As far back as 2005, in an interview with IGN Sports, he already boasted about “cramming in as many calories…as I possibly can.” What a lucky guy.

Click on our Michael Phelps story to read the rest of the Michael Phelps interview and watch the Michael Phelps video.

Gone Fishing Wednesdays

Every 3rd Wednesday evening of the month, a philosophy cum arts café transforms into a philosophy corner — a far cry from the boring, overrated coffee joints you find in town
By Estella Ng / Photos By Mr Lau / www.Urbanwire.com

HOSTING the café since Oct 2003, resident philosopher Lau Kwong Fook, who holds an MA in Philosophy from the University of Canterbury, hangs around Gone Fishing from 8pm to 10pm to lead discussions, on issues such as clear thinking, with just about anyone who is interested to hear what he has to say.

He is a freelance philosopher (giving talks to individuals, groups and organizations), editor and philosophy trainer. He even hosts a blog for reports and updates on the monthly philosophy café sessions held.

Read more about philosophy at Gone Fishing Café.

Fashion, Painted

Balinese artist Ni Nyoman Sani paints women garbed in fashionable dresses in her latest exhibition at CurioCity Gallery

WE LOVE fashion and art. In fact, we love fashion and art so much that we practically fainted at the opening of Ni Nyoman Sani’s exhibit at CurioCity Gallery along Bencoolen Street where she showed over 10 works, mostly in huge canvasses, of women dressed in fabulous clothings they look like they just stepped out of the pages of Vogue magazine.

“I get my inspiration from magazines and Fashion TV,” Sani, in her 30s, whispered to us as she related how she’s always loved to paint images of women, though it’s the first time she’s gone deep into fashionistas.

Read more about Nyoman Sani.

Play It Write With Alfian Sa’at

He’s met Sir Ian McKellen and written plays that defy Singapore’s censorship laws. Playwright Alfian Sa’at muses about the pressures of being controversial and finding his place in Singapore
By Selene Yap

CHEEKILY flamboyant yet down-to-earth, Alfian Sa’at a lover of traditional teh-o [tea without milk], is Uniquely Singapore(an). He’s a candidly capable overachiever, having his first play produced at the age of 19, and first book published at 21.

The 30-year-old’s illustrious decade-long career started when he was chairman of the Raffles Junior College Drama Society. He’s since written notable productions like sex.violence.blood.gore, which underwent the scrutiny of censorship laws, and Homesick, which, with its theme of biculturalism and family, opened the 2006 Singapore Theatre Festival.

The recipient of the 2001 National Arts Council Young Artist Award for Literature, and the 2005 DBS-Life! Theatre Awards for Best Script, also penned the final installment of the critically-acclaimed Asian Boys Trilogy, a series of plays exploring homosexuality and society.

Get to know Alfian Sa’at.

Rosalyn Lee & Shan Wee, DJs at 987FM

Get to know 987 FM’s atypical, slightly evil radio presenters
By Mavis Ang



First introduced to us as television personalities, Rosalyn Lee, 29, and Shan Wee, 26, have moved on to being among the few likeable DJs on local airwaves. To me at least, for I’m not a fan of DJs who constantly speak in exclamation marks and try hard to make jokes on air all the time.

The 6-month-old Shan & Rozz show is what radio should be like – maximum music, minimum repetitive radio games and tiresome sound bites, and interesting discussions. Although their 4pm to 8pm weekday slots on 987 FM may sound like it lacks personality, you’ll be surprised by the spontaneous and unusual insights on day-to-day topics by Shan and Rosalyn.

Talking to both personalities behind the console made me realise that Shan and Rozz carried themselves exactly like they do on the show. Rosalyn is open, willing to share her experiences, and voices out her genuine opinions, whereas Shan’s more laidback and private. Plus, both were as easy on the eyes as they are on the ears.

We got around to talk about music, dealing with criticism, family planning, and toilet paper, as we got to know the voices behind the Shan & Rozz show.

Read to know more about these radio DJs.

Soh Ee Shaun, 26 y.o.

The man behind colour pencils and paintbrushes
By Mavis Ang

Having freelanced his way into collaborations with MTV, National Youth Council, Red Bull, and the Children’s Cancer Foundation, graphic artist Soh Ee Shaun has so much more yet to colour and doodle. 88DB presents to you the man with a sole mission: Brighten up Singapore.

Read more on Soh Ee Shaun.

Yeo Siak Goon, 50 y. o.

Former book designer and now full-time painter, this elusive talent shares some of his thoughts on the occasion of his exhibit entitled ‘The Art Of The Offering’
By Mavis Ang

SINGAPOREAN artist Yeo Siak Goon was born in 1957 in a small village in Benut, West Malaysia. At the age of 16, he headed for the bright lights of Singapore to learn watercolour painting and drawing under two local masters, Hua Chai Yong and Leo Hee Tong.

A book designer with a publishing firm, Siak Goon has nevertheless found the time to participate in innumerable shows since 1977, representing Singapore in art exhibitions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, France, USA, Malaysia, Brunei, the Netherlands, Macau, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Read more on Yeo Siak Goon.

Ginette Chittick, 30 y. o.

She sings, teaches, designs, and DJs. Just who is this superwoman?
By Mavis Ang
Photos courtesy of FrüFrü & Tigerlily

BEST known for fronting the local indie band Astreal, Ginette Chittick has much more up her creative pockets. She also lectures communication design at LASALLE College of the Arts, is co-owner of fashion label FrüFrü & Tigerlily, and resident DJ at Home Club. Just who is this 30-year-old pint pint-sized rocker?

Get to know more of Ginette Chittick.