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Equanimity – calm, composure, presence of mind, serenity, tranquility.

As shown in several of my work, rock/pebbles seems to be one of my favourite subject. I find them very versatile, both in paintings and expressing human feelings metaphorically.  They can be intense yet subtle at the same time.

With this piece, I wish to portray a sense of tranquility yet complex at the same time. At a glance, the whole composition looks calm and serene. But take a closer look, you will see so many muted colours and textures in every individual rocks. Just like us human beings,  we are unique in our own way.

If we as a society are able to practise tolerance, understanding and respect for each other, no matter how different we look or difference in belief and creed, we CAN co-exist peacefully. Imagine a world where everyone look and think alike, scary isn’t it?

The size of this piece is

Pluralism has such vast meanings. In a simple explanation, it means “the condition of being multiple or plural.”  

My interpretation of this painting is based on Sociology, the existence in a society of groups having distinctive ethnic origin, cultural forms, religions, etc.  A condition in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are present and tolerated within a society.

In Sociology, “Pluralism” means the existence of groups having distinctive ethnic origin, cultural forms, religions etc., that are present and tolerated within a society yet adds to the “flavour” of the whole.

Individuals, irregardless of race, creed, culture, shapes and sizes, when coexist harmoniously, can turn this world into a beautiful and harmonious place in time of many challenges.

The rock pebbles depicted in my painting is a metaphor of today’s society, multiculturalism. Each rock represent us as individual, some are similar but never quite alike and some are a total opposite but still a rock all

Wabi-sabi represents Japanese aesthetics and a Japanese world view centered on the acceptance  of transience and imperfection . The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent and incomplete”. Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the ingenious integrity of natural objects and processes.  – en.wikipedia.org

Now, what made me want to paint this? Many did asked why and what were my thoughts when I chose this particular subject.

I happened to notice this main water valve by accident. This valve is right by the junction to my house that I drove pass every time but I never took any notice until then. It is something that I, like many others took for granted that it is just there.

I was desperately looking for subject/inspiration for the Langkawi Art Biennale 2016. I need a

The much-anticipated journey continues in Langkawi Art Biennale 2016. The all-encompassing theme in this coming event is called the ‘Exploration’. Moving forward with the ‘Migration‘ theme from the 1st biennale, participating artists will settle down and experience Langkawi in-depth. Artists would be exposed to new discoveries of multifaceted cultures and religions, an endless array of local food, varying lifestyle of the inhabitants, and even the tranquil nature of the countryside and natural beaches.

www.langkawiartbiennale.com

What an experience! To be part of this international art event was pretty surreal for me. This is the first time coloured pencil artwork were included and exhibited along with all other mainstream medium here in Malaysia.  It is a huge milestone for coloured pencil art in Malaysia and I hope it will open up a path and opportunities for more colour pencil artists locally and internationally.

First of all, this event is not

Six weeks after submitting my membership’s application to the International Guild of Realism (IGOR), I finally received the approval via email on the 24th October, 2016.

I truly cannot believe my luck and took me quite a while to read through the email, several times, in order for the news to sink it. IGOR is an organisation that promotes Realism art in all medium.

To be accepted as a member of IGOR,  Coloured Pencil …… You can imagine my joy.

http://www.realismguild.com/

Now, one may wonder what is so great about getting accepted as a member? When I posted the news on my Facebook page, there were some comment asking what is it all about and why is there a need to ‘belong’ to certain organisation/group.

Before I go into details on why, here is what is IGOR all about.

Our mission is to advance realism in

Seems like a long time since my last blog and this is the first time that I am blogging from my website.
After the exhibition with Faber-Castell Malaysia in April this year, I have been cooped up at home working on paintings for the Langkawi Art Biennale ‘Exploration” 2016 (LAB 2016), which will take place from the 16th – 23rd November 2016 in Langkawi, Malaysia.

LAB 2016 will be a milestone for me and also coloured pencil art, locally, if everything goes well. This exhibition really pushes my boundaries as a colour pencil artist as I have to produce paintings at the size from 24 x 24 inches (60 x 60cm) to 36 x 36 inches (91 x 91 cm) huge. A very big feat when using solely dry medium. Tough, but it is a good try.

All the complete paintings for LAB 2016 can only be revealed during

Finally the day of the much anticipated and awaited event has materialised.  This is Faber-Castell Malaysia first ever fine art exhibition in Malaysia and also the Asia Pacific region. All 35 fine art pieces were created exclusively from Faber-Castell’s “Art & Graphic” range by 12 selected contemporary artists based in Malaysia.

The planning of the exhibition took almost a year and all artists were given a period of 4 months to complete 3 pieces of artwork each last year. Once all work were completed and submitted, Faber-Castell Malaysia will then select the art work for the exhibition.

The exhibition was held from the 7th – 10th April at the Faber-Castell Kiosk in Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur and it continues on at the Artemis Art Gallery in Publika, Kuala Lumpur till the 1st May.

Initially, I was rather skeptical of an exhibition held in a public mall,

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” quote from the teaching of Buddhism.

Such simple words yet not so simple for many of us. We can go to the quietest and most serene places on earth but if we are not at peace with ourselves, we will never find it. Irregardless of our beliefs.

I ‘discovered’ this subject during my trip to United State last year when I made a detour to Portland, Oregon,  to pay a visit to my husband’s grand aunt who is in her mid 80’s. She is of a Thai descendant and has been living in the States for many years. Being a devout Buddhist, she has a small prayer room filled to the brim with Buddha statues and antiques from Thailand, it looked and felt like a mini Buddhist temple. She spends her time in there praying and meditating most time of the day. Because of the many fruit trees planted

I grew up in a time where the use of these manual typewriters were slowly being replaced by the electric ones. By the time I was working, they were considered antiques.

Don’t know why, I have always been fascinated by this ‘mysterious’ machine. Every time I see one, I could not resist studying and caressing it, wondering about the person who used it and what did he or she typed on it, my mind will go into imagination overdrive.

I came across this antique typewriter during my trip to the United States last year. It is  a Remington Standard own by an artist friend of mine, Dianne Peters Gruber, who lives in Glenn Rose, Texas with her husband Pete. I was very fortunate to be invited by her to live in their house for the duration of my trip there.

I had only noticed the typewriter

WEATHERED  
8″x8″ hot-pressed, 300gm Lanaquarelle watercolour paper. Faber-Castell Polychromos, own photo reference.

Now, the story of behind the hand…

This drawing of the hand was done specially for the DRAW Portraits in Colored Pencil. I received an email from Ann Kullberg back in August 2015 asking me whether I am interested to be one of the contributing artist for the book. I was taken aback because I am not known as a portrait artist. I have done a couple of hand portraits of my late father and my mother. And that was the specific subject I was asked to contribute. Needless to say, I was over the moon that my hands portrait were noticed and there are people who thought it was not bad.

In my opinion, hands, after the eyes, are one of the most difficult subject to tackle in any portrait drawing/painting. Especially wrinkled and weathered hands, it tells a lot of