Whimsical Little Girl series

The last 2 pieces in my Untitled Series, completed after over a year's journey of 12 whimsical episodes with the central theme of looking at the world through the eyes of a child.  

I started painting the series when I became godma to my baby niece, taking a suggestion from a friend that I should paint from the heart. So it is only apt that my footnote piece is of the protagonist herself, and inspired by a recent real life episode of the little girl who is now 1 year old and, ahem, likes to do her own shopping ;p  To a child, a mall must seem like wonderland so it is that I made sure she gets plentiful colourful company, including a beloved care bear. 

Untitled 11 is a nostalgic ocean piece that got sold almost as soon as I posted it on facebook ;p I had meant to do this one for some time, having taken a break from the series to paint for another themed exhibition. It was inspired by a story my dad likes to tell, of how he first saw my mum, a little girl with 2 plaits playing balloon (pronounced "bear-loon" for hopscotch) at the beach. This must have been the beach at my grandma's place in Johore where they were both born. So the innocence, romance and idyllic freedom of a little girl skipping at sea theme was born.

Title:  Untitled 12 (A63) 
Description: Cute little girl whimsical impressionist painting, shopping in pink pastel colorful fantasy mall with pokemons, care bear, elephant and giraffe toys. True life portrayal of my 1 year old niece and god-daughter whose birth first moved me into starting this Untitled Series, so it was only apt that my penultimate work in the Series is of the protagonist who inspired them all :) 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Sold.

Title:  Untitled 11 (A62) 
Description: Sweet little girl at beach landscape painting, skipping hopscotch with whimsical nostalgic feel, peaceful waves, turquoise ocean, blue skies and sea shells. A step into the past inspired by how my dad likes to recount when he first saw my mum, a little girl with 2 plaits and playing balloon on the beach. 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

SOLD. 

Rooftop Reverie & Ocean Overture

Have been tardy this year updating my blog but have to really set down to do so, because these 2 paintings from my Untitled series completed earlier this year have sold :)

The nights always seem so full of possibilities to me, especially from aloft a rooftop which I would dearly love to do myself and dangle away on a carefree evening into an endless night of reverie. So it is that a magical fairytale journey unfolded with this one, inspired by a photo that I took of Barcelona's beautiful architectural backdrop from Gaudi's Casa Batlló.  And with it, the musicians and creatures start to creep in. And it is what your imagination wants it to be..

Speaking of music, the second piece had to do with my ambition to be a composer many moons ago which was somehow linked inextricably to many a sojourn to the beach. So the idea of a sea overture with my little girl protagonist conductor was born, with dolphins and whales performing in symphony with the swirling winds of musical notes.  

Lastly, my Untitled series was recently featured in an interview with Naorococo, an art news portal cum online gallery, where I shared my inspiration for these whimsical paintings. I don't think I am done with the series yet but let's see how it goes :)

Title:  Untitled 10 (A51) 
Description: Whimsical blue painting of girl at rooftop watching a magical fantasy night unfold over a european cityscape of chimneys, pied piper music and a flying witch. 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
SOLD.

Title:  Untitled 9 (A50) 
Description: Whimsical ocean fantasy painting with little girl conductor, sea waves, dolphins and whale in lively reverie of vintage music notes. 2016. 
Medium: Acrylic on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.

SOLD.

Winter Blooms & Wave

These 2 blue paintings came about after I realized I had one too many red art hanging in my room recently and needed to cool the balance ;p Unromantic initiative yet with surprising results as I never knew abstract art could be so exhilarating to do.  Especially the smaller Winter Blooms where everything clicked in one relaxing session.  It was also a return to my swishing brush strokes and organic movement, which others have remarked to me that this is my signature and they would love to see it again.

The art journey is an exploring one, never static at one particular style. And that is what makes it so interesting and keeps me going. I veer and experiment, if it works good, if it doesn't it's something learned.  I do not regret the journey, in fact I relish the ups and downs.  My Spanish journey for 2 years was about composition (most people thought it was architecture ;p), my Asian phase was about connection to my roots, and this Icelandic excursion was about paint, in abstract shapes and thick bright colors.

I may be ready to move on, to what I have no idea. But not knowing is what makes the painting journey so fun.  I used to backpack around the world for the thrill of unexpectedness.  Now my wanderlust is in art.

Title:  Winter Blooms (O114) 
Description: Beautiful blue floral abstract Iceland oil painting of flower blooms of nature on snow in the purple winter light, with swirling impressionistic strokes. Icelandic Series 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 30 x 30cm.

Title: Wave (O115) 
Description: Icelandic-inspired dramatic abstract expressionist oil painting of blue purple wave with bold energetic swirling movement of the sea waters in Japanese zen art style. Icelandic Series 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas. 
Dimensions: 61 x 61cm. 

Purchase at: yen.artfire.com

Haenyo

On a cab ride in Jeju, a friendly uncle driver enthusiastically told me that the island is known for 3 things: rocks, wind.. and after struggling with the korean-to-english translation app on his iphone.. women.  

He meant the famous haenyo - sea women divers who fight against the wild waves for a catch. In the old days, many men in Jeju were lost at sea. They also had to pay heavy taxes, so the diving trade eventually passed over to the women who became the main breadwinner.  A declining trade today, with tourism contributing to most job opportunities, the haenyo declined in numbers. With an average age of 65, the iconic ladies continued to dive into depths of 20-30 metres with no oxygen tank, whether for a catch, often singing a poignant song. or sadly, to the throes of tourists and flashing cameras fighting to picture the amazing feat and the prize catch of an octopus or squid.

At a particularly touristy spot, I watched but could not bear to join the mob. Amidst the madness, a solemn expression of a haenyo catches, with faraway eyes that tell of a life past that I could not possibly imagine. I knew I would paint her, paint her story, paint the beautiful bright red shoe that she wore into the waters, paint the enigmatic person behind the matriarchal symbol that may one day pass into Jeju's colourful history..

Title: Haenyo 海女 (O95)
Description: A poignant depiction of the colourful Haenyo, sea women divers iconic in Jeju, Korea, who fight the wild waves for a catch in place of the men, who are today declining in numbers and a dying trade. Jeju Notes 2014.
Medium: Oil on Ready-to-Hang Canvas.
Dimensions: 76 x 76cm.
Purchase at: yen.artfire.com