The year was 1952, when Gloria Keh was born in the Chinese Year of The Dragon.
Her late father, Martin Fu, was an oil painter, who although never achieved fame, and died poor, enjoyed many rich experiences from his art and his love of classical music and European opera. Gloria was blessed to grow up in a household surrounded by art and music. Not only did her father paint a great deal, but her late elder brother had a passion for making watercolor paintings which were always of very serious looking Catholic saints. And mother would spend her leisure time coloring black and white comic books. But art is art, no matter what the subject may have been.
Because it was a difficult task making a living as an oil painter, her late father was forced to work in an advertising agency, as a commercial artist, in order to support his family. Gloria would also hang around her father, either in his office, or when he freelanced, working on graphic art, at home. She enjoyed watching him work, making art… Hence, she was exposed to commercial art and graphics from a very impressionable age. In addition, to subsidise her allowance, Gloria began peddling little artworks drawn and painted in poster colors, even before she was 10. She would sell her little drawings/paintings for $3 a pop, indeed a princely sum in those days for a child.
However, with the passage of time, Gloria entered the work force, taking on jobs in other fields of employment, that certainly afforded better monetary rewards than art. Sadly, art was to take a back seat for a long time, until 1996, when in Melbourne, Gloria began serious study in mandala art and symbolism. Her teacher, Georgina Fode of the Theosophical Society, played an important role in her development as an artist. Her study in mandala art and symbolism continued for a decade, following which, upon the blessings and request of her mandala teacher, Gloria began facilitating mandala workshops both in Melbourne and Singapore. She also undertook a short study course in art therapy.
Although she attributes her first art teacher to be her late father, Gloria studied oil painting under P. Gnana of Gnani Arts in Singapore. And acrylic painting under the watchful eye of her mentor, Gregory Burns.
Says Gloria: “As I age, I prefer the comforts and quiet of solitude. Painting provides me with a form of meditation, and I find inner peace and healing through my art.”
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