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Giant Panda portraits

China Daily, November 27, 2012

• "My parents gave me a box of colored pencils, which initiated me into the wonderful world of color and creativity. I drew almost everything that caught my attention," he says.

  His a-ha moment came when he was in the fifth grade.

  "I went to my friend's home one day after class and was immediately attracted by the fish tank in his house. To me, as a young boy, the fish tank was a colorful and gorgeous ocean filled with charm and excitement.

  "When I went home, I begged my parents to buy me a fish tank with some fish but was rejected. They felt that rearing fish was a luxury and we didn't have extra money for that."

  Unwilling to give up, Chen decided to realize his dreams on paper. Every day, for two weeks, he went to his friend's house after school.

  "I looked at those fish intently, trying to memorize their posture, colors and every detail, before putting them on paper."

  That childhood experience planted the creative seed in him and nurtured his love for drawing animals.

  "I like drawing animals because they transcend language and cultural boundaries. When I draw them, I pay special attention to their characteristics, and try to grasp their individual charm and temperament."

  Chen's panda stamps received an overwhelmingly positive response from Singaporeans. On Sept 6, the day Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrived in Singapore and also the day the stamps were released, there were long lines of people waiting to buy the stamps at every post office.

  Everyone wanted a piece of the pandas, and by the evening of the second day, the stamps were sold out.

  The value of the stamps in the set also held special significance. Priced at S$0.50 (40 cents) and S$0.65, they represent the cost of sending a postcard or an airmail letter from Singapore to China.

  There is also a set of stamps at S$2 and first day covers at S$10 each.

  Chen is very proud that his family was also involved in the creative process. Son Yixi, 21, and daughter Yixin, 12, helped Chen, with Yixi designing the panda on the first day cover, and Yixin helping to design the commemorative postmark.

  "It is really meaningful to be able to design the stamps together with my family. It has enhanced our bond with each other and in the process, my kids understand my work better," says Chen, who is married to Singaporean actress Xiang Yun.

  Besides producing and hosting programs, singing and acting, Chen is an illustrator and author of eight series of children books - and yes, they are all about animals. Many of his books have received recognition in Singapore and won international awards.

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