Campbell Lane – Exploring Little India

By Don Low, Singapore.

It has been so long since I returned to Little India. Campbell Lane is my favourite enclave to sketch paint and draw or just having coffee. Just many months ago, they were constructing the Indian Heritage Center along this location and it was all noise, clutter and chaos. I shunt the place for a long time. Finally I came back because my school term was over and there was a group of artists painting in the morning so I decided to join in.

I brought enough stuff to make a watercolour painting but I ended up drawing and painting on my all time favourite “Monologue” journal book. Campbell Lane was closed to traffic now so there is plenty of space to sit around. The sun was shielded by the Heritage center so we could draw in comfort away from the sun. Still, the heat from the reflected light was also quite unbearable.

Fountain pen and watercolour.

Brush pen and watercolour

On my sketches, I would add a final embellishment using coloured pencils. This is unnecessary though but I like the process of adding some coloured lines over my painted surface sometimes.

With the heritage center standing proudly in the middle of the once cluttered junction, this area has become a little cleaner and less noisy. The road is also flanked by coffeeshops on both sides so its easy to get some snacks and drinks as you draw or paint. Occasionally there would be a truck that stopped illegally to unload goods. It was quite annoying if that happened as most part of the view would be blocked. It happened every time. I might called up the traffic attendant next time if it happened again.

Here’s the news of Campbell Lane converting to a pedestrian mall and walkway….

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/part-campbell-lane-become-pedestrian-mall-early-2015

I am just hoping they would stop developing the area further if the authority is not adding to the colourful essence of Little India. For now the Heritage Center is a huge black monolith that stands quite jarring among the old shophouses… if more of such buildings sprout out in the future I am going to get very annoyed.