Francis Goh, Artist, Poet, "Tourist Attraction"

We were wandering around the St Paul's Church at the top of a relatively steep slope when we caught sight of him surrounded by tourists and other students picking out sketches. The sight of him piqued our interest and we approached him, talking to him and buying his products.

While waiting for customers, he would continue to add details to his uncompleted watercolour sketches. After spending several minutes talking to him and buying his works, we decided to interview him to find out more about him. We found that his artwork was a perfect complement to one of his quotes, 'Simplicity has its own complexity.' After some reflection, we saw that although his artwork seems simple, each piece had small yet important details as well as different perspectives to them.

Before we started conversing with him, we had spotted quite a number of felines nibbling on some leftover food or lazing around on a grass patch at the foot of a brick wall. Apparently, some of them, especially the ginger cat that was circling him and rubbing against him affectionately, were close to him. He told us about how he would often bring food from home for them to eat, or purchase chicken heads for them to consume. Unfortunately, that day, he had arrived too early and the chicken rice stall had not opened. He also shared with us that he calls one of them the "artistic cat", as it would constantly accompany him while he drew, and even trained it to obey him in Malay!

He shared with us his favourite poem that he wrote, which he treats as his motto:

          The breads of one's own life
          Depends on how the hands moulded it
          And it is good to stay alive
          Keep on moulding even if it hurts your "bit"

Currently about a ripe age of 70 years, he was born in Malaysia but joined the British Army in Singapore at the age of 17. He has been selling paintings ever since he left the British Army, for about 35 years. He also told us that he was the first person to set up a 'stall' at the top of St. Paul's Hill, and is hence titled 'first artist on the hill'. He claims to have about 25 newspaper artices written about him and photocopied a few of them for visitors to view.

Before we left, he shared with us a final quote: 'If you don't use time, it will use you.' We find that this is very applicable in our busy and hectic life as many of us often procrastinate when assigned to various tasks; however, this quote teaches us that we should use time wisely instead of allowing time to 'use us'.


Our experience with him was indeed an eye-opener as he shared with us many useful pieces of advice.