The Penang Art Society Dinner




The Tara Dancers

Last evening I did my five minutes worth of story telling in front of an audience at the China House 'Cantin' this was my first performance of my "Live Blogging" which I hope i can keep on doing into the future and with a little more time allotted. I enjoyed myself as the audience were fully receptive towards all the performances, it was an encouraging experience. Felt good being able to share my tales with strangers and at the same time give my Blog and Web page a boost. I am sure one or two person in the audience might find it interesting enough to take a glance into my writing.
The evening before, on Saturday it was dinner at the E&O Hotel given by the Penang Art Society and I was a guest of my brother Lee who reserved a table for his family and colleagues as he always did in the past. I am deeply moved and honored by this man and his charitable Christian heart and he has been a saviour where my children financial needs are concern. In return I can only give what i can afford in the forms or my artworks of which he has more than he really needs and among his collection are some of the best artworks produced here in Penang as well as abroad.. Lee Khai is a lawyer however his heart is buried into artworks and he has keen sense of taste when it comes to artworks. His dedication and devotion towards the Fine Arts movement in Penang is exemplary and he is well respected by all the artists for his opinion of their works. Lee is a committee member of the Penang State Art Gallery and a well known patron of the arts in Penang. He reads voraciously as you find books stacked all over his house next to artworks and he is a Bible Scholar devoted to the in depth knowledge and practice of the Way of Christ as much as if not more so than my study of the Buddha's Way. In spite of his wealth and fame Lee is one of the most humble down to earth man when among his friends and I for one am deeply honored to be among them, however I'd hate to be on the opposite side of the fence facing him in the court of law!; I love this man more so than my own brothers and I pray that God preserve our friendship for good.
Also invited at the table was a fellow Malay Artist who is excellent in rendering photo realism of the tropical rain forest on canvass; to me he is one of the best at it in Penang and perhaps in the country and he is still young. Shapparel is not a Penang born but have been living on the island ever since his university days at USM. He loves the jungle and every so often took into the forest to gain his inspirations. Of late he has been able to move away from painting rivers and forests into a more color oriented expressionistic forms in style. He has a good sense of colors and breaking away from his normal style it seems is working out good for him.
There were mostly Chinese artists at the dinner and quite a few I know of and most I rather not have to. Mr. Chor Hong Fatt was the only gentleman who greeted me genuinely as a fellow artist with warmth and openness, a few others avoided even looking at me or acknowledge my presence; these I take with a grain of salt. And I find at my age that it don't really matter anymore one way or the other, sincere and genuine respect is earned not bought or given; I have earned my rites of passage in being who I am.