A Mother's love, the fuel of dreams.

A Mother’s Love

The Fuel of Dreams

When renowned Malaysian stained glass artist Philip Wong first stood before the Louvre in Paris back in 2012, he felt the embrace of the arts all around him. Being in the epicentre of the art world was a dream come true for Philip, but at the same time he felt a sense of regret deep in his heart.

The following year, Philip revisited the Louvre. But this time, he brought his mother along to Paris so that she can experience the romanticism and artistic flair for herself. Standing before the Louvre with his mother, Philip finally felt a real sense of happiness welling from within.

Philips mother has always been his pillar of support on his artistic career despite herself not being schooled in arts. His mother was his strength through thick and thin, and this is why Philip was overcome by a sense of regret when she was not by his side during his first visit to the Louvre.

After all, standing before the temple of arts, all he wanted to do was to share his joy with the most important person in his life --- his mother.

Living Art, My Mother’s Way of Life

Born in Seremban, the capital of Negeri Sembilan, Philip Wong is one of Malaysia’s most prolific artists and at 47 years of age, has accumulate a wealth of experience in the world of arts. His love for the arts begun at a very young age and he would often spend his time drawing on whatever he could get his hands on. Even at a tender age of 6, Philip has already clearly told his mother that he wanted to pursue fine arts in the future; a passion that has only grown ceaselessly over the decades.

“I believe that the ability for art is something that we are born with and I must have inherited my mother’s talent in the field. Her artistic side can be clearly seen in all aspects of her life, from the way she cooks and set up the dishes, to how she organises every detail of her life. She might not be aware herself, but she is definitely showing her immense talent every day.”

“Amongst the three siblings, I was the only one to pursue a career associated with the arts. I have been drawing since my kindergarten days and it was only natural for me to enter an art college after finishing my secondary education.”

The journey of an artist is not an easy one and Philip can still recall the strong opposition from friends and family when he first started out.

“My mother does not understand fine arts on a deeper level and although she has never shown any real opposition to me pursuing of my dream, there was a point that she too, was worried about my future.”

While the pursue of one’s dream is a calling, there is still need to put food on the table, and Philip has worked in advertising firms and taught in art college to supplement his income.

The economic crisis that struck 8 years ago was a particularly trying time for Philip. This was the first time he felt the impact of how a poor economy can affect his dreams as he struggled to keep his art gallery afloat. His mother was understandably worried for him during this time as she saw how hard he had to work to keep everything together.

“As far as I remember, that was the first time my mother actually opposed to what I was doing and advised me to wind up the gallery and look for a more stable job.”

He does not deny that it was difficult to make ends meet during those years as less people are buying paintings while the rent still needs to be paid. “I kept telling myself to wait patiently for my chance and not to give up on my dream that easily. As I waited, I grew more resolute in my beliefs and am convinced that the day when I can put the worst behind me will come.”