Colour Maestro

It was in mid February when I received a phone call from this guy called Shi Xiong. He said his company — GJ Production House is making a programme and they stumble upon my website and blog. They find that the flower paintings and Hua Dan series paintings were what they are looking for in one of the 6 episodes programme. So, they arrange to meet me.

To my pleasant surprise, it turned out that their director is Jack Choo (Zhu Hou Ren). I know he is a veteran actor but I didn’t know he direct too. After understanding my series (Hua Dan and Flowerism) of works and my interests in Cantonese opera and other things like collecting Blythe dolls and trinkets. They started filming in beginning of March. I was 3 months plus pregnant then. My tummy began to show and I was afraid the effect will not be good especially to put on the opera makeup and costume. However, everything turned out fine. The crew were efficient and professional. We went to a few location like SAFRA (for my caricature shoot), Singapore Art Museum where my work — “Tea with Mr. M” was on exhibit, Guangdong Huey Guan (where I learned opera), my house, my friend — Chengying’s house and  Art Seasons (the art gallery).

It was a fun and educational experience working with Jack and his team. Although I was suffering from rather bad morning sickness, I seemed to forget it the moment I was involved in the shoot. Yesterday was the telecast of the programme on Channel U. I received many compliments from friends and relatives. I even had a few email messages of people whom I don’t know but saw the programme and like my works. It was afterall, a very fruitful (and unexpected) experience. I will have to work hard to produce more good works so as not to disappoint all who loved me.

Teacher Vivian

This evening, I went to fetch Mahsuri from school. Teacher Dorothy mentioned that from tomorrow onwards, she and Huang Lao Shi will be teaching the K2s. And Teacher Nana and Sun Lao Shi will be taking over N2 (also Mahsuri’s class). Just when I was puzzled with the sudden change, Dorothy revealed the reason: Teacher Vivian has left! What a shocking news to me! But why?..I wanted to ask Dorothy but seeing a few other parents came, I decided not to hold her.

These few weeks, I didn’t get to see much of Vivian as I am currently suffering from a bout of morning sickness from my pregnancy. As it’s the initial stage, I am getting much of it nowadays. Thus, Kamal sends and fetch Mahsuri to and from school most of the time.

Teacher Vivian was one of the first few teachers who follow Mahsuri when he started N1 last year. She had witnessed his growth and improvements for the past one year. Vivian is a very patient and understanding teacher. Unlike other kids, my boy needs more time to “warm up”. He is a bit eccentric and always do things in the opposite way. I too can some times lose patience with him. However, teacher Vivian seems to have a way with him. She spends lotsa effort trying to understand his character. She often reflect her observations of him to me. She make me understand that my son is a selective-hearing learner and not what some people suspect — Autism.

Now that she has left, I feel sad that my son can’t continue to be nurtured under her but I do wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

I didn’t even have her contact no. I hope I could get it from other teachers so that I could call her personally and thank her for being such a good teacher to my boy, Mahsuri.

(from left to right) Sun Lao Shi, Mahsuri and Teacher Vivian

Alberto Gonzalez

Alberto Gonzalez is one of those few new friends I got to meet from the International Society of Caricature Artists (formerly known as NCN). He does amazing caricatures in theme parks in the USA. I am so happy to meet him in my Nov trip to the NCN convention in Raleigh last year. When I was there, he did a very good caricature of me. So, when I came back, I also did one for him. 

 

my drawing of Bert

Bert's drawing of me.

Selamat Hari Raya Eid Al-Adha cum Lucian’s bday celebration

It was raining quite heavily this early Eid Al-Adha morning. I prepared the kids to go to mak metua house for a light brunch as later on, we will be heading to mom’s house for a birthday celebration. Mahsuri had his first attempt of eating by hand. Budiman also got to taste nenek’s famous nasi dagang.It’s a traditional dish from Pahang where the ingredients include unpolished rice and spices.Very healthy yet tasty food. I helped Mak to make some Roti Kirai. I am loving it! Lateron, the kids had fun playing games at popo’s house after a scrumptuous lunch prepared by Gong-gong and Popo. Finally, the birthday celebration ended with a cake-cutting session where it is the favourite part for the kids.

I am wearing a custom-made Malay Baju Kurung. I especially chose this cotton cloth with tiny flowers prints on it 'cos it reminds me of the Cheongsam that women wear during the 1930s-50s era. Also the school-girlish image of the bygone era is what I like about it.

This porcelain brooch was a rare find and a gift from Kamal who bought it in England 11 years ago.

Mahsuri and mommy. This is taken at our house void deck infront of a wall mural done by students from Nanyang Junior College.

Me and my two precious darlings

Mahsuri loves the camera!

My three handsome boys!

Budiman has his first bite of Nasi Dagang.

Mahsuri's first attempt to eat with his right hand.

Wow, it's so difficult to eat Roti kirai with one hand!

Yeah! Finally managed to eat a mouthful of Roti Kirai with my right hand!

Ayah is feeding Budiman.

Mommy is helping nenek to cook Roti Kirai. She is enjoying every bit of the heat, grease, smoke, fragrant and most important, the final product!

Mahsuri and the Taboosh

Games after a scrumptuous lunch at popo's place.

Happy family. All except Budiman are in the picture. Budiman was taking his precious afternoon nap then.

Singing the birthday song for cousin Lucian in four languages (English, Mandarin, Malay and Cantonese).

Mahsuri and birthday boy Lucian are two inseparable peas!

Caricature as a gift to a friend

This gentleman wanted a drawing done for his female friend who enjoyed going to resort islands for holidays.

Hua Dan – the flowerism new series

The ‘Hua Dan’ Series by Ye Ruoshi

Synopsis

Ye Ruoshi caricatures contemporary existence through her series of figurative paintings. Though seemingly quirky at first glance her paintings are fully loaded with symbolisms that questions our perception of cultural perfection, identity and gender desires.

Her signature floral depictions from earlier painting series of ‘Flowerism’ and ‘Motherhood’ is apparent. This time, she has switched from abstraction to figurative paintings by drawing inspiration from her involvement in Cantonese opera performance, ‘Blythe’ dolls collection, toys belonging to her sons and household antiques.

A ‘Hua Dan’ is the prima donna of a chinese opera. This series of paintings presents a regular set of cast which juxtaposes the ‘Blythe’ dolls with other trinkets into a thought provoking narrative. These dolls has distinctively big, interchangeable glass eyes at the pull of a string that dangles from the back of its head.

The Cantonese Opera make-up, seductive undergarment and postures surrounded by toys that suggest a male presence and local objects seems to be at odd with each other. Intentionally, they form a narrative that suggest our multiplicity of culture and desires. This refreshing style is an amalgamation of various painting genre ranging from Pop to Surreal. Two dimensional graphics are interwoven with three dimensional still life, imagined figures and graphic icons into an exciting feast of colour and form.

Though these works invites an open interpretation by the viewer, Ruoshi seems to be making a social commentary on male and female differences in desires. The pull-string suggesting control and inhibition. Far from just an innocent reminiscing for playing with toys and exotic subject matter, these paintings are a serious reflection of our uniquely multi-racial culture and desires in a flat world.

-Kamal Dollah (M.A. in Contemporary Practise)

The followng are a few works from her new collection:

Title: Red Piano
Size: 61(l) x 76(w) cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Year: 2008
Series: Hua Dan

Title: Tea with Mr. M
Size: 78(l) x 56(w) cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Year: 2008
Series: Hua Dan

Title: The Bath
Size: 91(l) x 61(w) cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Year: 2008
Series: Hua Dan

Title: The Play
Size: 74(l) x 50(w) cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Year: 2008
Series: Hua Dan

Explorerkids@Downtown East 30th-31st August

Artist at work pix 1

kamal 's first customer

my young customer

Agathe Wee

A pre-National Day Family outing

Last Sunday on 3rd August, Kamal and I brought the boys out to play. We clad in red and white attire and head down to Esplanade to take some photos with the glass mural that Kamal had completed just the day before the outing. The glass panel mural is at the Esplanade Concourse entrance. Title of his work is “From All Walks of Life”. It’s a big birthday present from Esplanade to Singapore for it’s National Day. He chose passerbys or visitors to Esplanade to have a caricature done on the glass panel. There are altogether 43 faces to coincide with Singapore 43rd birthday this year. This project is his biggest project after the wall mural which he had did last year at TAPAC (Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre). We wanted to take the photos to keep it as part of our children’s growing up memories. So, here are some of the photos taken:

red and white -- colour of Singapore flag.

getting ready for a "National Day" inspired outing.

Budiman posing infront of daddy's art work

mommy and ah jing- budiman

swing baby!

this mama just likes to show off her poppy red dress and fair complexion. oh, and don't forget the volumptous mama body! yeah!

Me and my two very active boys!

budiman cool shot

me and my mommy 1

me and my mommy 2

mommy is flirting with daddy who is behind the camera

happy family

Night Festival @National Museum Singapore

We were engaged by an event company to give free caricature drawings to the public who visit National Museum Singapore on 25th and 26th July 2008 for the Night Festival held there. For that two days, we were there drawing from 6p.m. to 2a.m. Almost non-stop except for a total of 1hr meal breaks and toilet breaks. The queue was SUPER looonnnnggggg….I believe we have drawn about at least two hundred people. We were in great moods especially when we see people’s happy and ecstatic expression when they receive their drawings from us. That feeling is great and makes us forget about our tiredness and hunger. The pen in my hand is always “dancing’ to the rhythm and momentum of the music that is played near our booth. And I love the attention i get. The more people are looking, the more confident and expressive i am. Well, I guess i am a “natural” performer (a-hem!). ;p Looking forward to more of these chances.

this way to National Museum.

our booth

my first customer, an Iranian girl.

i like this piece. good exaggeration.

the mother of this boy is very happy with how his drawing turned out.

another funny face

i like this guy. he is very spontaneous!

my good drawing partner and his geeky grin.

Cartoon Family

My latest drawing on my family.

Budiman Ma Jing, the doe-eyed charmer

Mahsuri Ma Ning, the Superman Fan

Kamal Dollah, the subject of inspiration for our family

Ye Ruoshi, the vain mommy.