about PTAC

A JOURNEY OF 58 YEARS

The stage was set in Francis Light School as the gathering point with the support of the then Headmaster Mr. Lee Eng Hong. Hence the inaugural meeting was called in April 1963 and the pro-temp meeting was formed. Following this the first exhibition was held and declared open by Mr. Tan Boon Lin on 7th December, 1964 at the British Council, Penang. Concurrently the process for registration of the Penang Teachers’ Arts Circle was undertaken by the pro-tem Chairman the late William KK Lau and the pro-temp committee with the appointment of the Late Lee Kok Liang as the Hon. Legal Advisor. The Penang Teachers’ Art Circle was eventually approved on 23rd December 1966 at the time when Mr. Tan Lye Hoe took over as pro-temp chairman after William KK Lau left for his Art Studies in the United Kingdom. The first Annual General Meeting was held on 30th March 1967 and Mr.Tan Lye Hoe was elected as the first official Chairman while Mr. Lim Eng Cheng became the Hon. Secretary. Lee Joo For came into the scene in 1965 and was so impressed with the going on that he wrote an article in the Straits Echo on July 24th the same year calling the Circle “The Powerhouse of Art”. The 60s had been a high period for PTAC with regular exhibitions, art session and forums. In the words of the late Tay Hooi Keat - The Circle had done much in the sharing of ‘the celestial light, the glory and the freshness of a dream’with the art lovers of Penang. Chong Cihn Seng took over as the Chairman in 1969 with Lim Chee Boon as the Hon. Secretary. Chong Chin Seng led the circle for 8 years. Chee Boon’s schematic presentation of a squatting man from a over-head view was adopted as the Circle’s logo. PTAC moved to its second home at Westlands Secondary School in 1975. Mr. Ong Leng Gin, the headmaster of the school then took over as Chairman in 1977. From 1979 with the change of a new committee and through 1987 saw the near demise of PTAC. These were the bleak years of PTAC. However in the midst of this doldrum, Mr. Tan Lye Hoe, in his capacity and with the help of the Circle pioneers made an attempt to revive the ailling PTAC by curating a sentimental exhibition billed as “The Circle Pioneers ………..20 Years after” in April 1983 under the sponsorship of the Penang Muzium Board. Though the opening by Mr. Khor Cheang Kee was a momentous affair, nothing much can be done to stall the Circle from fading for the next 5 years. But the light of PTAC shone again in 1988. With the support of Tuan Hj. Mohamad B. Abdullah, Principal of Sri Pinang Teachers’ College and Dato’ Tang Hon Yin, Deputy Pengarah of Jabatan Pelajaran Pulau Pinang as advisors PTAC was reactivated. Md. Mustaffa Sidek was elected Chairman while Tan Lye Hoe took the post of Hon Secretary until 1992. Tan Chong Teng was the Hon. Treasurer. Sri Pinang Teachers’ College became the 3rd home for PTAC. PTAC entered its high renaissance with Mr. Koay Soo Kau at the helm as Chairman from 1993 and Tan Eng Hean as Hon. Secretary. Much has been reminisced and there were times when it was felt that PTAC was more than just an Art Circle but was in fact a big Malaysian Family making up of people with a common cause - the pursuit of creative art. Others who are dear to us and had played significant roles in the growth of the PTAC were Lim Bian Yam - Guay Kee Goon - Chew Teik Lee - Pro. Ismail Hashim - Dr. Khoo Lok Sian - Dr. Choong Sim Poey - Tay Mo Leong - May Laing - M. Rajagopal - Tan Kim Heoh - Oon Suan See - Marie Lim - Wong Siew Im - Khong Ho Lun - Lim Phaik See - Lim Swee Hin - Wendy Khoo - Cheah Bee Khoon - Osman b. Mohd Arshad - K Ganesan - Mong Swee Yeng - Josephine Chok - Michael Quah - Tan Kim Seng - Ho Cheng Woh - Lim Kung Chooi - Lim Tong Juan - Ho Kay Beng - Hussein b. Hj Hashim and Lee Saik Choo. [Extract from the late Tan Lye Hoe 1994]