Kuala Sungai Pinang -Balik Pulau.

I was wondering what to fill my time with on this day while at the 'Pondok' and edecided to take a drive to Balik Pulau which is about twenty to thirty minutes drive from Georgetown.

The Island of Penang is roughly about 47 miles in circumference and if you take a drive from any direction you will end up right back where you start.  But along the way the scenery would be different for as you drive away from the city area you get to enjoy the rustic life of the kampung folks, ie. if you drive viaq Bayan Lepas towards Balik Pulau and later to Teluk Bahang. But if you drive via Tanjung ToKong towards the Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringi areas you will enjoy alot more scenic Hotels and Beach areas. So which way to go?

I took the 'New Road' which takes me up across the hills to the other side . Saves time but not good on my little car which is like its owner slowly loosing power with age.I headed straight for the locatiino I had intended which was the Kual Sungai P9nang fishing village area..

The tide was high and this gave a different perspective than when I was there last. I like to stydy the reflections of the images in the water and also the shadows cast by the old shanties build to house the fishing gears and so forth.

It was a scorcher of a day and also time it seem for boats to return from the sea after the morning's catch. Hence every now and then a boat would slip by creating waves that would rock the structures all around me while i am doing my sketching.

I made the mistake of thinking that the  man was carrying his grandchild! Nope, that is his youngest from his second wife, like oops, sorry.

Except for birds and their ceaseless chirpings and an ocaisisonal  dof barking , it was peaceful.

Life like the river flows on  as the sound of  hammering and  what seems like washing comes out of the homes close by and I am lost in my own world of drawing and sketching..

I am happy to be able to share these sights and scenes with those who stumble upon my blog and I sincerely hope that they entertain my visitors in one way or another. Yes the is always life on the other side of the island flowing along like the river if you wish to know about it take a drive.

'The4 Kancil", my trustworthy mode of transportation ever since I bought it I have had threes major accidents and the last one is still evident by the rust on the front fender. I have driven it to and fro from Penang to Trengganu on the East Coast a journey of about 400 miles.   

Nice to be Appreciated!

I have been updating this 100 feet long painting of Georgetown and the latest was adding colors to it.

I knew that the students would be more impressed if they get to see an original work of art if they see one or even allowed to handle one. Words alone does not cut the chase.

In these days and age students are more sophisticated in their taste but they lack the sense of passion in undertaking  something that comes from themselves.

They held my work with a sense of pride and this was more than enough a gratification when it comes to creativity; when you can make someone happy or crack a smile of wonder in their faces.

Being involved, being there with them and treating each and everyone  face to face and no pretension, that will grab their attention, this is in teaching Art.

Art Class at Convent Green Lane

Two days ago i was invited to give a class on "The importance of Art Classes in schools at the Convent Green Lane Secondary School: again it was fun to be teaching teenage kids with their over eagerness or lack of interest as the case may be.;one student sat stubbornly doing her science homework while i was teaching. There were about twenty five to thirty students and a mixed group of Chinese Malay and Indians girls. That in itself was a sight to behold and when asked who has done any art or interest in art not even one hand was raised.

Most students were naturally shy of felt self conscious about  doing a drawing especially when there is  a stranger in their midst overlooking their shoulders.

It was not too difficult to get them motivated for as soon as they got started , there was no stopping them even the most shy became a Picasso .

There were a few serious ones who got more involved into what they were drawing without much coaxing; these showed some promise and they seemed like the cream of the crop for the class as well.

In the Malaysian system of education  Fine Arts has taken the back sit and not until  their college years are student encouraged to embark upon their artistic venture and most were through lack of choices in the sciences.  

I gave them my spill on how and why art is important in the school curiculmn eeventhough at the back of my mind I felt no more convinced that what i was selling was worth the price I am paying right then; dont think of becoming a full time artist get a regular job! But I tried my best to make them see the importance of what it is to be creatively original in whatever that they were doing. Creativity means to be able to think not only outside of the box but under it and somewhere in between in and out; seeing tha thinking outside has slowly become the norm. They at least laughed a lot at my sense of humor.