michaelhoart — Plein Air Painter

Latest

News & Events

🔍 Click to enlarge

30MAY-29JUN 2026

《FLOWrest | 森の流》Watercolour Solo Exhibition

Walking through the concrete jungle, is our pace too hurried? This June, I warmly invite you to step into the world of “FLOWrest” and rediscover your long-lost tranquility within the flowing greenery.I will be showcasing over 30 original plein air paintings at Levain Bakery in Quarry Bay. There will be no formal opening ceremony, but you are most welcome to book a guided tour with me, or simply drop by to visit, enjoy a cup of coffee, and savor the cafe’s signature sourdough bread.

Enquire about this exhibition →

🔍 Click to enlarge

2-8JUN 2026

《初夏水韻》Watercolour Exhibition

Organized by Hong Kong Watercolour Society, this exhibition centers on the theme 'Water Rhyme of Early Summer' capturing the picturesque scenery of spring and summer through the medium of watercolor. Bringing together dozens of accomplished artists, the exhibition showcases the diverse faces and fluid beauty of water.The exhibition will run from June 2 to June 8 at Gallery F (The Atrium), Jao Tsung-I Academy. We cordially invite you to visit and share your insights.

Enquire about this exhibition →

《跨•越TRANSCENDENCE》Hong Kong Artists Society Joint Exhibition

🔍 Click to enlarge

11-16JUN 2026

Hong Kong Artists Society Joint Exhibition - TRANSCENDENCE

This exhibition is the annual showcase of works by members of Hong Kong Artists Society. Bringing together dozens of local artists, it features over a hundred spectacular pieces, ranging from oil paints and watercolors to Chinese ink paintings, offering a magnificent and diverse visual feast. The opening ceremony will be held on June 11 at 5:00 PM at the Hong Kong Central Library Exhibition Gallery (Ground Floor). A series of engaging art activities, including live artist demonstrations, will also take place throughout the exhibition period. Venue: Exhibition Gallery, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library/ Dates Times:June 11, 2026 (Thu): 15:00 – 19:00June 12 (Fri) – June 15 (Mon), 2026: 10:00 – 19:00 June 16, 2026 (Tue): 10:00 – 17:00

Selected Works

The Gallery

Watercolours painted on location — from mountains to harbours, fields to city streets.

Available

Stay HopefulLandscape · 2025

Sold

Victoria HarbourCoastal · 2025

Available

Visitor Information CentreUrban · 2025

Sold

Kumoba PondLandscape · 2025

Available

Dinh Cau LighthouseCoastal · 2025

Sold

St. Dominic ChurchUrban · 2025

Available

Ngan Chau TsaiCoastal · 2025

Sold

Cheung ChauVessel · 2025

Available

Wan Chai WaterfrontUrban · 2025

Plein Air Tips

By The Sea

Practical advice gathered from thousands of hours painting outdoors.

🔍 Click to enlarge

Observation

Paint the Light, Not the Object

Beginners often focus on painting what they know — a tree, a boat, a building. Instead, train your eyes to see the light falling on surfaces. Squint until detail disappears and only masses of tone remain. That contrast of light and shadow is the soul of a plein air painting.

More details →

🔍 Click to enlarge

Technique

Work Fast — Commit to Your First Marks

Outdoor light shifts every 20 minutes. Establish your key tones within the first 10 minutes and commit to them. Overworking a watercolour kills its freshness. Accept the happy accidents — a bloom, a backrun, a wet edge — they carry the energy of the moment far better than a laboured finish.

More details →

🔍 Click to enlarge

Kit & Setup

Pack Light, See More

A compact palette of 8–10 colours, a single round brush, a small block of paper and a water bottle is all you need. The lighter your kit, the further you walk — and the further you walk, the more unexpected compositions you discover. Simplicity forces creative decisions and frees you from the studio mindset.

More details →

🔍 Click to enlarge

Light & Timing

Chase the Golden Hour

The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset bathe every surface in warm, directional light that flattens at midday. Plan your sessions around these windows — the long shadows, rich ambers, and glowing edges transform an ordinary scene into something luminous. Arrive early, mix your washes before the light peaks, and let the moment do the work.

More details →

🔍 Click to enlarge

Coastal

Read the Water Before You Paint It

Water is never one colour. Spend five minutes watching how it shifts — the dark trough of a wave, the silver flash at the crest, the turquoise shallows over sand. Paint water's behaviour, not its appearance. A few confident horizontal strokes with varied tone will always read more convincingly than a painstaking copy of every ripple.

More details →

🔍 Click to enlarge

Watercolour

Leave the White of the Paper

In watercolour, white paint is a last resort. The brightest light in your painting — a sun-struck wall, a foam crest, a highlight on wet stone — should be reserved white paper. Plan these areas before your first wash and paint around them. Once lost, no amount of opaque white will recapture the luminosity of bare paper catching the light.

More details →

Plein Air Locations

Recommended Spots

Hand-picked painting locations across Hong Kong — each offering remarkable light, composition, and atmosphere for outdoor watercolour work.

Spot 01

Tai O — Stilt House Village, Lantau

Hong Kong's most painterly fishing village. Weathered stilt houses over tidal channels, drying fish, and traditional wooden sampans create endlessly rich compositions in warm, muted tones.

Open in Google Maps →

Spot 02

Cheung Chau — Praya Harbour Front

The harbour front is alive with fishing junks, colourful sampans, and ferry traffic. The low morning light catches the painted hulls beautifully — arrive early before the crowds.

Open in Google Maps →

Spot 03

Peng Chau — Village Lanes & Ferry Pier

One of Hong Kong's quietest outlying islands. Narrow lanes, old shop fronts, temple courtyards, and a small ferry pier make this an ideal full-day painting destination away from the city's pace.

Open in Google Maps →

Spot 04

Tsim Sha Tsui — Avenue of Stars Waterfront

The best face-on view of the Hong Kong Island skyline. The harbour foreground, ferry wakes, and the towering glass cityscape beyond create a classic urban watercolour subject at any hour.

Open in Google Maps →

Michael Ho — Plein Air Watercolour Painter

About the Artist

Painting the world as it breathes

Hello~ I'm Michael Ho, a Hong Kong–based watercolour painter devoted to plein air work. I paint on location, outdoors and from direct observation, chasing the shifting afternoon light across mountains, coastlines, and the city's edges.

My practice is rooted in the belief that working outside — in real weather, real light, real time — creates something a studio never can: a direct record of the present moment.

Beyond my own practice, I regularly hold exhibitions, live painting demonstrations, and watercolour workshops, often in collaboration with cafés, hotels, and community venues, to share the joy of painting from life and to bring art into everyday spaces.

20+

Countries Visiting

2000+

Plein Air Works

10+

Exhibitions

Get in Touch

Let's work together

Interested in collecting my original paintings, purchasing limited edition prints, exhibition collaborations, or workshops? I'd love to hear from you.