SINGAPORE — Liquan Liew, 30, and Estella Ng, 25 — who go by the artistic moniker Ripple Root — work out of a studio they call The Fishtank, located in Ming Arcade opposite the popular dive bar Cuscaden Patio. The location may be a far cry from the pristine spaces of the National Gallery, but it is wholly in line with the duo’s vision, which is to create art that is carefree, uplifting, and yes, accessible.

Aware that paintings can be alienating because of their association with high art, Ripple Root has strived to achieve just the opposite with its work. “When you look at our paintings, there’ll be something in the image that you can either immediately identify, or identify with,” said Liew.

The duo are currently preparing for an exhibition — their third and most “matured and restrained” — taking place from today to Saturday. Titled The Tide Is Our Guide, the 10 paintings, which were created over five months, are inspired by Southeast Asian motifs, paying homage to the traditions of batik and textile weaving. “It is our own spin on traditional regional art, and our intentions in creating these were to give back to society in a way that’s meaningful yet not cliche,” added Ng.

Liew and Ng started collaborating a few years ago when the former was still the senior art director of a design firm. Ng was his apprentice. They immediately sensed a kinship with the other and continued to work together on projects outside of the office, often spending weekends painting together. The fruit of their labour ultimately culminated in their first exhibition, Strong Currents, Will Paddle, in October 2015, which was themed around Swamp Life, while the second, Wild Fruit in April 2016, featured various garden scenes.

Ripple Root’s paintings are created using mixed media, including watercolour, acrylic paint, ink, graphite and even colour pencils. Both have had a hand in every piece of art created for their exhibitions, and that sort of 50-50 partnership is rare, they say. “I think Liquan’s style is a little more structured, at least in the beginning, because of his background in design,” said Ng. Liew is, however, quick to add that he appreciates the spontaneity and energy that Ng brings to the work. They agree that in the end, the finished product is always greater than the sum of its parts, and that their complementary styles of working, thankfully, have meant that disagreements with regard to artistic direction have been few and far between. “Whatever we do is a response to what the other person has done so far (on the painting),” they shared.

So far, the buyers of their paintings have mostly been young couples moving into their first home. As such, the works are deliberately kept to a size that works for HDB flats and small apartments. The duo also count a few mature collectors as customers, revealing that the appeal lies in the folkloric elements of their work, which the older generation is more likely to recognise. They sold all their paintings from their first exhibition, and about three quarters from the second. They say that they don’t feel upset parting with their work at all. Rather, they agree that it is the very process of creation that brings them the most joy. The prices remain affordable for their works. Pieces from The Tide Is Our Guide will go from S$700 to S$1,500.

Following the exhibition in Singapore, Liew and Ng will fly to London to showcase their work next month at Hundred Years Gallery in an exhibition of the same name, but with 10 entirely new paintings. This is a first for Ripple Root, but Ng has had numerous overseas show experiences — both solo and group shows around various parts of the United States while she was still a student at Rhode Island School of Design.

“We did some emailing while we were planning for the Tide show and we got several interested responses (from different galleries in East London), then it was a matter of deciding on our favourite,” shared Liew. “Hundred Years Gallery’s work is typically eclectic and fit our vibe of being relaxed yet tightly curated.”

Besides creating their own art, Liew and Ng have also done work together for F&B businesses such as Jewel Coffee, Superloco and One Man Coffee, designing everything from wall murals, marketing collaterals and merchandise. Rather than viewing commissioned work as a necessary evil to pay the bills, however, they see such jobs as a means of taking their artistic expression a step further. “It helps that our clients come to us knowing what we’re about, and we love it when people interact with the space or the merchandise we’ve had a hand in creating,” they enthused. “There is no distinct line of separation between our art and design work. Both inform each other.”

Both agree that this is an exciting time to be an artist in Singapore. Ng shares that she’s had people asking her why she ultimately decided to be based in Singapore with her kind of experience, but she says, “Singapore’s market is a young one, which means that there are more opportunities available to us.”

Ripple Root’s The Tide Is Our Guide exhibition is held at 21 Cuscaden Road, #B1-08 Ming Arcade, from 7pm on Sept 22 and 23, and from 1pm to 7pm on September 24. From Sept 25 to Oct 7, viewings are by appointment only from 10am to 7pm.