Dominic Thian’s (b. 1996, Singapore) journey as an artist started when he withdrew from National University of Singapore during his first year. With the support of his family, he went to the US to study fine art. Since graduating, Dominic has focused on oil paintings and has pursued a mastery of finesse in his brushwork and paint application. Despite the pressures to build a signature motif, he finds great joy in painting a variety of subjects, including still-life, landscapes, and the figurative. In all his works, Dominic emphasises the importance of light, colour, and technique, which underpin all his aesthetic pursuits.
A common thread unifying these works is that all were done on overcast or cloudy days. On such days, I am fascinated by the muted harmonies and sombre palette that can’t be found elsewhere. In ‘Overcast’, the patterned contrast between the folds of the white top and the auburn hair complements those same muted harmonies within the portrait. The model’s expression is similarly austere and wistful, the overall effect being a portrayal—through the portrait—of the delicate emotional qualities of such weather. The other two sketches—done outdoors and from life, pursue the impressions evoked by the weather and the city/landscape.
