The Mother of Singapore Artists
In all the 24 years Della's big heart was open to every Singaporean artist she had met and her larger-than-life personality was ready to reach out to more - artists or non-artists alike. Stephens remembered her penchant for picking up strays and let them stay in her house. And true enough, you would often find an eclectic mix of people living in her home on No. 1 Preston Road. Whenever foreign artists visit Singapore, she would also gladly provide them with accommodation at her place.
The name 'Della Butcher' was never far from the memories of many Singapore artists and peers from her industry. A rival gallery owner had nothing but praises for her indomitable spirit to help Singapore artists through the decades. Whether it was in the 60s or the 70s when Singapore art was deemed unsaleable, or in the 80s when the Singapore art market was invaded by China art, Della stayed on with Singapore artists. The late Cultural Medallion artist Ng Eng Teng attested to this unshakeable faith of hers, citing that she never gave up even when artists were relatively unknown to anyone and continued to push on with her beliefs despite growing competition from other galleries and during bad times. Whenever artists faced financial problems she was always ready to give them money, and to buy their paintings to tide them over. Watercolourist Ong Kim Seng remembered in his first exposure at a group artshow that Della organized, he was disappointed that he had not been able to sell a single piece of art. He was overjoyed when he received a call from her the next day telling him that one his paintings was sold during the show, only to find out much later in his life that the one painting was actually bought by Della herself.
Indian woman artist Roopa Natarajan had a very successful exhibition by Della in 1991, featuring the artist's series of nude paintings and sold nearly all the 43 paintings (35 oils and eight watercolour paintings) She was grateful to Della for launching her career in Singapore art circles and attributed much of that success to her.
By 1992 Della had mounted more than 300 exhibitions involving 100 artists in Singapore and abroad. As a tribute to her, 24 Singaporean artists who had all worked with her at some stage in their careers, held The Mother Of The Artists exhibition in honour of her 70th birthday on 24 April 1992. It was held at the Riverwalk Galleria Exhibition Hall, and a 60 cm by 72 cm portrait of Della painted by Beijing artist Li GuiHua, was presented at the opening of the exhibition.
Besides championing for the arts, her friends remember her for her sense of righteousness, and her willingness to fight for it. Mrs Ros Lovell, owner of lifestyle shop Cho Lon in Holland village and Della's neighbour remembered that she once spent several days chained to a tree, in order to protest and save it from being cut down. Friends took meals to her in support of her cause, and eventually saved the tree.
Della Butcher, died in her sleep on Monday morning at her home in 1 Preston Road.
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Famous quotes containing the words mother and/or artists:
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