My first painting on canvass

Tada.But not finished yet ...

I have many images to paint but I did this one first - because my friends and I are at this stage of our lives where we are contemplating life and work.

We keep saying that we need to do work that is meaningful, that makes us feel something stir inside us, and work that has impact and outcome.

Actually, I was thinking of Giyoun and Bernice when I started to paint this.

Because Giyoun wants to be a garderner, and Bernice wants to grow herbs. And they said, that if they had actually done it, they can see things growing by now.

I agreed, and thought of my art work.

Can we say the same for our professional/ officework now, we asked each other?

It was something to think about.



I finally managed to bridge the inkpaper - paintcanvass divide within myself. I have a long way to go to get used to the technique.

After years of drawing in ink, I was actually afraid to start on canvass. With ink I can be really detailed and fine. But I actually appreciate the freedom of movement I have with canvass.

I did watercolors since primary school.

At 12, I was happy that my art teacher Cikgu Bukhairi of Sek. Ren. Pengkalan Tentera in Kuantan, Pahang - east coast of Malaysia (a school where children of soldiers go to - in an army camp) announce one day: Topic Bebas (free topic).

I had been an abstract/surreal artist since then (hehey), because when all my classmates painted flowers and houses, villages, fruits and the likes, I painted the earth - a round shape with the insides filled with many different colors, lined in black. I mixed more than 20 colors, from the 12 basics that I had.

At the end, it looked like the earth was divided into so many blocks of different shades. If I knew better, I'd call it multiculturalism, kept apart by our different boundaries.

Then we had to pin all our art work on the wall at the back of the classroom.

I remember Cikgu Bukhairi actually standing infront of my painting, looking hard at it, sometimes frowning, he seem to be thinking hard. Then he rubbed his chin, turned around to look at me and winked.

Cikgu Bukhairi was a very strict teacher. I felt some satisfaction in that. Haha!

Ps. Thanks Rainstorm for the encouragement. I need it!