Choo Keng Kwang, a first-generation Singaporean artist, was well-known for his oil paintings of landscape, animals and nature. A former school principal of Sin Hua School, Choo later headed the Art Education Department of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) until his retirement. Although Choo is primarily known as an artist, he had spent more than 30 years in public education. Even in his professional career, Choo sought to improve the teaching of the arts. In 1982, in order to raise the standards of secondary school art teachers, the Ministry of Education started a two- and four-year Art in Education diploma course. Choo oversaw the programme and was its main lecturer. In 1984, he was seconded to NAFA where he was appointed a senior lecturer, before becoming head of the Art Education Department. As an artist, Choo is widely recognised as one of Singapore’s first-generation artists, along with his contemporaries such as Georgette Chen and Liu Kang. His artworks have been commissioned by royalty, dignitaries and governments. For instance, the Singapore government commissioned his paintings as state gifts to foreign dignitaries. His paintings were presented to the late former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, as well as China’s former Chairman, Mao Tse-Tung. His paintings have also adorned Command House at Kheam Hock Road, the official residence of the late former President Ong Teng Cheong. Choo also received commissions for paintings, murals and bas-reliefs from government ministries, statutory boards, businesses, hotels and other institutions. Choo held and participated in numerous solo and group art exhibitions in Singapore and abroad. His works toured Southeast Asia, Japan, Europe and the United States. In November 1990, he became the first Singaporean artist to participate in a cultural exchange exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia. In July 1993, he was invited to exhibit his paintings in Brunei to commemorate the Sultan of Brunei’s 47th birthday. His artworks are sought-after by art collectors, national leaders, museums, as well as public and private corporations and sold at international auction houses such as Christie and Sotheby. For his contributions to art and education, Choo was conferred the Public Service Medal (PBM) in 1976 and the Long Service Award (PBS) in 1986.