159. URBAN SKETCHERS - 'WE SHOW THE WORLD ONE DRAWING AT A TIME'

Urban Sketchers is a global community of artists that practice drawing while on location in cities, towns, or villages they travel to or live in. It has taken on a life of its own and is now a worldwide movement and a non-profit...

Kuala Sungei Pinang...at its muddy best...

In Ch'ng Kiah Kiean's studio in Balik Pulau. He invited us over to meet with him...he was generous in his sharing for it's hard to copy work by established artists, each style/ technique is totally different - his strokes are so fluid and confident

Some of Kiah Kiean's work, freely available on his website and books. He's in demand all over for workshops and is very well known internationally for his Chinese brush painting style, very often done with a twig, sharp and blunt ones...using Chinese ink and washing over with water colours...

 

Learning from the pros - these chaps are so good - anywhere is a good place - at a hawker place, on a pavement, in an artist's studio...

Another rustic spot, totally unchanged for a long time where its inhabitants go about their lives pretty much like what they've been doing for the longest time. Chinese and Malays coexist peacefully tending to their boats, nets and the day's catch.

Chew's Jetty is one of several jetties along this waterfront in Balik Pulau. It has some interesting and challenging locations for the sketchers...it was rustic and unspoilt...life is simple, its inhabitants warm and friendly. It was like going back in time to a period that's kinder and gentler, more gracious...

Fish traps...

One can look right into their homes - doors and gates are left open - you could see what's cooking

 

The iconic wall art thats sprouting up all over - in Ipoh, Singapore, here in Penang...

Some street artists and samples of their work...

Where all the action is - Armenien Street, Georgetown...

Ever since Georgetown was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it was developed quickly to become a festival and arts town. Sunday artists haunt the place, they park themselves at street corners, walkways, outside cafes and everybody's good about it...

Hole-in-the wall

 

Nice to see recycling carried out in a creative useful way. Plastic bottles turned into ceiling lamps and herb planters

This shop owner bids you welcome unless you belong to that stated category of sales-people, donation seekers and competitors - breastfeeding mothers are welcome too! I like the honesty!

Even in this outback town of Balik Pulau, I see good art...all this is from the ground, from a group who are passionate about their hobby and are free to express it. Some sketches are so darn good it's hard to believe it's all coming from hobbyists. Even the Singaporeans in my group produce excellent work, good enough for sale. But it beats me why they are all Chinese...a good many are left-handed - it's a left brain/right brain thingy!

The 'exhibition studio' had wooden plank walls, a zinc roof, fans, a bare concrete floor, surrounded by wild unkempt grass and bushes - it was wonderful - true artists love such environments

Going bananas

Their famed Snake Temple is a pale shadow of its former self. Left with a handful of snakes, the whole place looks forlorn. The sketchers stopped to sketch this temple...

Malaysian coffee and tea taste so much better in the dirty looking old style coffeeshops and roadside stalls. This simple fare of coconut rice has a dollop of anchovies sambal which tasted so old school!

Idylic, rustic lifestyle outside Penang city, in Balik Pulau. The participants have jobs and families too yet they are able to meet every Sunday in different locations to sketch and paint...how do they do this? Is it because life moves at a slower pace? 

Can it be its people are more contented with what they have without that endless hankering for more and more stuff? Many members are young, in their early 20's - that sensitive soul makes them more interested in creative pursuits perhaps? 

Drawing is a quiet focused activity, you're on your own - it's meditative - they are doing this outdoors in a hot humid climate, I didn't come across anyone talking on their phones, nobody's phone went off...

Goatees - a style worn by goats - notice the similarities...?

Animal Farm - beautiful pair of

horns...

Hanging roots with pink highlights - like my hair!

The sound and sight of this brook reminded me too much of The Brook, a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson... I just had to snap it...

Penang is the nutmeg State of Malaysia - the fruit is turned into a juice drink, a medicated oil, a dried fruit snack - the fruit within looks like a heart...

   

Wild orchids are as lovely as the hybrids...

 

Calligraphy in this humble abode in a fishing village... 

As the name suggests - Big Bowl noodles

It's been ages since I last saw budgies. I had several colours as pets, growing up in Malaysia

I would hate to walk into this big guy on my way back to my lodgings...imagine him clinging to my face - it would be my worst nightmare

 

Till I saw these okra plants (lady's fingers) I didn't know they grew upwards, not hang downwards from a creeper

These 2 look like their wings were permed!

Bad hair day - some strange breed from Croatia

 

 

The folks from Balik Pulau will have you know their durians are the best in Malaysia! This was a home delivery service... 

In this outback town, they know how to use the Singapore brand name, although I don't really know what's Singapore beehoon. In India, there's a Singapore noodles, of which, the likes and taste I've never come across in SG...

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