My volunteering for the community
Outdoor sketching at my neighbourhood park March 6, 2021
Enjoying my morning walk on a Saturday morning, lugging a small bag with a sketchbook and sketching pens just in case something crops up that makes me want to record it. This pathway looks different with a resting couple taking a break from their walk, and so did I.. Hope to sight some other lifeforms but no luck this morning, so the couple was my next best inclusion.
Water Color Wetlands by Tham Pui San November 18, 2013
View of main pond on the right from the Main Bird Hide.
This painting is a memorable one. A group of eight otters appeared below the deck, and a water snake was their object of fun and teasing right before my eyes.
The next paintalong session will be conducted at Platform 2 on 24 Nov 2013 from 0830 to 1130am.
Nature Art On Trash Bins July 31, 2009
Volunteers Work of Art
Trash Bin Art: The next time you visit Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve be sure to enjoy the beautiful artwork done by our conservation volunteers and the Buloh Dabblers. A special activity for the Volunteer Appreciation Day on the 18 OCt, 2008, was the trash bin painting contest. Volunteers were given 2 hour to paint these bins, on all 5 sides if they had the time. And most met the challenge headon and managed to complete. The finished panels were simply beautiful and brightens up the images of the otherwise taken for granted bins. Thanks to all who participated.
Tham Pui San, 20 Oct 2008
A Charcoal Sketch to record my walk September 23, 2008
Sungei Buloh vs Johor Bahru skyline
One of my favourite walks I take at Buloh is at this mangrove boardwalk. I could see Malaysia across the straits. The contrasting shapes of mangrove trees silhouetted against the city skyline of Johor Bahru caught my attention, making it a telling image of nature vs man, complementing perhaps in terms of aesthetics or silently declaring our co-existence is in imminent disruption. Neither aspect was the reason for my sketch. I scanned the horizon, everything there look tranquil and still. No human presence, no traffic noise and no trash washed ashore this morning. The silence is only broken by occasional bird calls. Its another perfect morning to start my new day.
Tham Pui San
23Sep 08
Coming soon: oil series for Sg Buloh June 2, 2008
Watch out for my next exhibition at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Dec 08.
Here are two thumbnail references for plein air painting at the Main Hide on 2 June, 08.
Tham Pui San, updated 2 June 08.
21st anniversary as a volunteer at Sungei Buloh ( National Parks) March 6, 2023
To celebrate my special day 22 Feb, I took a walk and savour this wetlands as a long time volunteer at this wetlands reserve. Now as the Chair for the friends group here, I enjoy this wonderful natural heritage from a different perspective compared to 21 years ago. Then I was merely awed by the presence of a family of otters which greeted me as I painted at Hide 2A. The years at Buloh was an interest learning journey for me, understanding, appreciating and enjoying nature and doing my part to promote the awareness and importance of this natural habitat. Sungei Buloh has grown in size and importance as a heritage reserve and I believe it will continue to grow in years to come, benefitting us in many ways. Here are some sketches to show the newer additions of late.#puisansart
Typewriter art December 24, 2022
A year ago I started a new hobby after receiving a gift of a vintage typewriter from our second son.
Now the collection has grown to about 12 and I am enjoying them for journaling and art. Here are two greeting cards
I sketched for this Christmas to send to friends.
Yellow Spotted Mudskipper September 26, 2021
Capturing the agile acrobatics of a Yellow Spotted Mudskipper when it was agitated or showing off to a female, at Sungei Buloh Wetland Mudflats. Painted in Chinese ink and gouache.
#puisanart, #Sungeibuloh, #naturesketching,#www.artinwetlands.wordpress.com
Taman Negara, Selai, Endau Rompin 2006 July 15, 2021
In 2006, we were treated to a 2 day tour of the Selai Forest, part of the Taman Negara, Endau Rompin area by National Parks Board, Singapore, for volunteers and staff. About thirty of us were bussed from Singapore and from Selai, transferred to 4 wheel drives to reach our destination, travelling over 2 hours of very rough terrain cutting through palm oil plantations and forest fringe roads.
Our campsite was located near a stream, part of the Selai River, captured here in my painting.
The Book of Tales, StoryFest 2021 June 20, 2021
You are invited to enjoy Edith’s Lyrebird in this Book. Look for the my animated sketch, illustrated in water colour told by Jackie Kerin.
Nature Sketching at Singapore Botanic Gardens, April 2018 June 16, 2021
Watch this video on a life demo at ECO Lake at Singapore Botanic Gardens
The New and the Old at Kranji Nature Trail June 3, 2021
Using my art to record the changes made to this part of Sungei Buloh Wetlands. The Coastal Walk was painted in 2004 before the whole trail was developed to include the New Visitor Centre.
Eagle Point [painted in 2015] is a new lookout feature along the trail, with a long boardwalk extended from the coastal walk into the Johor Straits. You can enjoy a breadth taking view from this onion shaped shelter, facing the Johor coastline. Pre Covid outdoor art sessions were often conducted at Eagle Point.
DECAY is beautiful May 25, 2021
Exploring Nature to express an aspect of my Silver Age status.
My neighbourhood park has a variety of landscaped features and my favourite is the Lotus Pond.
Besides a very healthy mix of plants, insects and birds, the lotus garden feature has lots to explore and enjoy.
My familiarity with this pond has provided me with many inspiring moments just from observing them over time.
And one aspect that intrigued and inspired me is their display, not only of its bright pink blooms but the miraculous transformation from shoots to seeds, followed by its slow death naturally narrated in the fading glory of its past life, decaying so beautifully in my eyes.
Inspiration comes easy when they spoke to me, beckoning my desire to express how I felt and tried to understand. I drew parallels with my own silver age journey and my own being.
How can I make sense of what nature had to say?
As an artist my immediate reaction was to express its decaying beauty as best I can, hopeful that it will in turn stir something in your hearts to relook at life and ponder what with our rich base of wisdom and experience, likened to the nutrients and unexplored wonders of the lotus plant, can we not also be as beautiful in our time??
Hope you will find your inspiration when you visit your lotus pond.
Tham Pui San,Nature Artist
25 May 2021
Art in Wetlands 
