"Botak" - The Miyamar Welder

Why do I waste my time tqking so many pictures of this guy doing his job? It is simply because of the fact that i like to sketch figures and what better way to study the various forms and positions of a human body than when they are captured in action. This I would advice to my art students to focus on if they too wish to understand the human figure for their studies. There is no doubt that most good artists do this without being told to anyway.

My friend from Miyamar or what used to be Burma is a very interesting man who takes on all kinds of odd jobs in and around Sungai Pinang and he is another Mc Guiver , a man who is capable of building or constructing anything from scratch. 

When we first met he had reservations about who i was and  often either avoided me or used to give me the dirtiest look like a f..k you kind of look. Not that i can blame him as i too was judging him through my myopic and prejudiced eyes when we first met where he was working at a friend's house. I did not know him then but now we have become good friends sharing our thoughts of our different countries and cultures.

Botak is not his real name as it simply means "Baldy'  which has become his nickname among my friends and relatives in the area. I don't think he takes it as an offence either as he seem comfortable and at home here although at times aloof from others around him.

He started oppenig up to me when he watched me sketching and took a look at my sketchbook. He started talking his feelings of  his homeland and how the Buddhist monks there had totally let the people down. He has now recently started to understand the political turmoil Miyamar is going through from reading what is going on there in the news papers here. I mentioned to him about those who are fortunate enough to be able to step out of their country and take a look at it from afar  as they get a clearer vision of the whole forest and not just the trees. 

Botak is a survivor and he reminded me of myself when I was  living in the USA running from one place to another and working from one vocation to another struggling to stay alive in someone else's country.I hope someday he will return to his homeland and share his thoughts and feelings if not his talents with those who needs it in Miyamar.