Dr.Yuen Chee Ling (1950-2015) was born in Penang, Malaysia in 1950. Dr. Yuen Chee Ling specialised in oil paintings. Her works are famous for being colourful and figurative in style. Her representative works included "Women by Women", "Batik as Painting ", "Silver Chariot Procession" and "Rest". She self-taught and started oil painting at the age of 13 and began to participate in group exhibitions in 1971. She held solo exhibitions since 1978. In 1980, she was awarded a scholarship by the Malaysia Ministry of Culture for Creative Art Study in USM (1980) and then continued as a University Scholar in the University of Philippines (1983). Graduated with BFA (1985) and MFA (1986) degrees at the University of Philippines.    In 2008, she was awarded the PhD (doctoral degree) by the University Sains Malaysia.  During her lifetime, she had held 16 solo exhibitions locally and abroad .She participated in more than 100 exhibitions in important state museums in Malaysia, Argentina, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, China, Australia, United Kingdom, USA, Denmark, Korea, Vietnam etc. In 1989, Dr. Yuen Chee Ling founded and became the principal of the Conservatory of Fine Arts in Penang, Malaysia.  Together with her husband Mr. Yeong Seak Ling, who is also a famous Malaysian artist, they cultivated many outstanding students and had made countless dedications towards Fine Arts promotion. Her personal resume was included in the Chinese archives and published in "Piao Yu Ji-A Collection of Chinese Female Artists in the 20th Century"

In 1993, she founded the International Women Artists Council (INWAC) --an international network of women artists group to promote women’s art through the theme “Her Presence In Colours” - International Women Artists Exhibition Series. To date, “Her Presence In Colours series I to VIII had been held at Beijing, Mongolia, Korea, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur ,Sheffield (UK), Melbourne, Daegu and Taiwan etc.

 

Dr. Yuen was invited to the Olympic Fine Arts 2008 (Beijing) as a “Representative of Excellent Artists of the World". She was awarded the Gold Medal, the Olympic Torch and a Certificate by the organizer of Olympic Fine Arts 2008. In 2013, Yuen Chee Ling was elected as the Honourable member of the Russia Royal Academy of Fine Arts as an outstanding international figure in her achievement in the field of Fine Arts. She was awarded a certificate, a red robe, a medal with emblem of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and a passport to all the museums of the world.

 

Dr. Yuen has 9 publications to her credit; her oil paintings have been featured on the covers of international magazines many times, including Reader's Digest (English version), Cosmos, Hotel, Expats (first issue in 1999 and 2008) "City Walk" (Beijing Korean version) etc. About Dr Yuen Chee Ling's art reports, there are more than 100 reviews  published in various Chinese and foreign magazines  .The art reviews and articles written by her have been published in art magazines, newspaper columns and various international networks  many times. Her published personal artworks included "Women by Women", "Batik as Paintings" and so on.

 

Her Paintings are in the collection of Malaysian National Art Gallery, the Olympic Museum, Beijing, Heshan and Guangzhou Museums in China, USM Museum, Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation Centre, Bangkok Metropolitan Bank, Esso, Philip Morris and Pacific Bank.  Over 300 of her works are in the collections of collectors from Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Denmark, USA, England, Singapore and Japan.

 

In 2015, Dr. Yuen Chee Ling succumbed to kidney cancer and passed away at the age of 65, leaving a nearly completed posthumous artwork with the title "Blessings". Her husband Yeong Seak Ling said that he would continue to complete the final touches of this artwork for his wife. Dr. Yuen Chee Ling loved art all her life. She had persisted in her painting during her difficult fighting against cancer. She completed nearly 20 works during these 3 difficult years. The artistic concept of putting paper boats in her posthumous work "Blessings" represents blessings. She felt that human life will sooner or later end, insisting on painting to leave an artistic legacy for the family and the country.