A 30-minute fire wiped out 30 years of toil and sweat when a fire destroyed an artist couple's workspace in Telok Kurau Studios on Tuesday morning.

Kept in their second-floor unit were more than 1000 art pieces between Anthony Chua, 48, and his wife Hong Sek Chern, 45.

"It is very shocking and traumatic. I haven't slept since the fire happened," said Mr Chua, who returned to the studio yesterday to see if he could salvage any paintings and material.