“The pandemic may have confined me at home, but it ignited an unexpected journey: cultivating hoyas. Among the 200 species tended to during this time, Hoya spartioides (Benth.) Kloppenb., a leafless shrub from Borneo, stands out as my favourite plant due to its unique appearance and characteristics.

It lacks leaves for most of its lifetime but relies on its peduncles for efficient photosynthesis, thriving even in poor soil conditions. H. spartioides bears fragrant flowers that bloom only at night, lasting just one night. Despite their tiny size, measuring up to 1 cm, these blossoms reveal intricate textures and details up close. Their corolla’s waxy surface is adorned with fine hairs, which I could only observe during the night.

Directly observing these living specimens and their life cycle has given me a profound understanding, becoming the wellspring of inspiration for my artistic process. In my favourite 34 x 44 cm painting to date, I aimed to depict H. spartioides life-size, orchestrating multiple cascading peduncles to frame the enlarged flowers with a sense of depth. Enlarging the flowers allowed me to accentuate the intricate details of these petite blossoms, infusing the paper with the beauty that had flourished within my home during the challenging times of the pandemic.”