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.

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 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.

This morning, Kamal and i took the morning off to go and watch Mahsuri’s performance. It is his school annual concert cum kindergarten level 2 graduation show. Mahsuri is in nursery one this year so this is his first school concert. I was worried that he might run to the backstage to hide or just broke down and cry, like many young kids will do when they have to face the crowd first time. A gestures of “stage fright”.However, he didn’t cry or panic. He just stand on the stage in a cool and compose manner. Sometimes, follow the song a bit or else just stand there and stare at the crowd fearlessly. Kamal and I were so proud of him. Looking at the brilliant red graduation robe the older kids were wearing, I was just imagining how Mahsuri would look like when he gets to wear it on his graduation day, three years from now…

see how smart Mahsuri’s seniors look?

哇！毕业了！！We have graduated from kindergarten!!

Mahsuri wearing his "lion" mask.

Mahsuri and classmates.

Ayah and Budiman were there to support Mahsuri too.

Finally, concert is over and we could go home!

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!

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

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

Mahsuri really knows how to share good stuff with his little brother. And Budiman enjoys the pamper he gets from his little ‘nanny’!

Last time, we went swimming with Mahsuri, he was enjoying himself very much. So, one fine Sunday morning, when both daddy and mommy are not tied down with work, we decided to bring both he and Budiman to the swimming complex near our house again. However, this time, for whatever reasons, he didn’t want to get off from his stroller to splash in the pool. Sigh… kids! They are as unpredictable as the weather…So, we just let budiman enjoy his swim this time round while the sulky brother sit watching from his stroller.

i cry if i want to, cry if i want to...

wah...so nice and cooling!

splash!

see! i can walk in the water! you are missing out the fun, bro!

Ah dui! What is mommy trying to do??? Turn me around like roti prata??!!

i am crying super duper hard over here and just what are my folks doing??!!! Taking my malu photos???!!!

boohoohoo blah blah blah...when is this emperor going to stop?!!!??? sigh...