Picturesque Sai Kung inspires painter to dabble with society

For painter Zhou Fada, every step taken beyond his front door reveals something inspirational. An old, crumbling village wall, remnants of a once-thriving fishing community, the wrinkled, weather-beaten and expressive faces of lifelong seaside residents.

Zhou lives in Sai Kung, where the scenery and surroundings can be so picturesque that they inspired him and others to establish the Sai Kung Arts Society about two years ago.

'Sai Kung has changed a great deal, especially in the past decade,' says Zhou. 'With development and the resulting influx of residents came an awareness that there were also many people who dabbled in some aspect of the visual arts, either painting, calligraphy, sculpting, wood-turning, photography or some other form of artistic expression.

'So, a few of us decided the time was right to establish a society where like-minded people could meet, network and also exhibit under one banner.

'Before 2001 there was no representation for individual artists. I am a local resident and I also speak English, so I was asked to contact expatriates involved in the arts to invite them to join with Chinese artists to form this society. Little did I realise just how many artistically inclined people would be interested in joining.'

Zhou has exhibited overseas and in Hong Kong and teaches Chinese calligraphy and western watercolour painting.