Les Fleurs Decorative Painting

Three by three

The magic of 3 - 3 frames of 3 roses. There's something special about the number 3. Genie offered Aladdin 3 wishes, there's a classic comedy The 3 Stooges, a classic novel The 3 Musketeers, Lionel Richie & The Commodores sang 3 Times a Lady, there are catchy tunes like 3 blind mice, knock 3 times, 3 times lucky, and an average person can do 3 things concurrently at any one time. There are also 3 chances and 3 warnings, P. Ramlee's 3 Abdul, washing 3 times in a wudhu/ablution, saying a verse 3 times in a prayer, 3 dimensions of our perception, and many fascinating facts relating to the number 3.

Kluang Workshop Photos 1

I really had a wonderful time in Kluang. The participants came from near and far, as far away as Singapore, and with full of enthusiasm and energy. Judging from the reception, I'm sure there will be more decorative painting workshops in Johor in the near future.

Kluang Workshop Photos 2

I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and the interactions. Thank you very much to all the participants and the hardworking organisers, on and off the scene. The Kluangite hospitality was just marvellous, and I look forward to being there again soon.

 

 

Workshop In Johor

This weekend I will be conducting a workshop in Kluang, Johor. Decorative painting enthusiasts from Johor have been asking me for a such a workshop for a while now. So this Sunday, 20 people will attend a one-day workshop in Kluang, many thanks to a local team of talented and hardworking painter Norhasikin and her other half who managed to arrange it. The workshop will be conducted at a beautiful local florist that is conveniently located and has the appropriate facility for it.

Incidentally, this will be my first trip to Kluang, although Johor is not a total stranger to me. I used to live in Chaah, which is not far from Kluang, when I was much younger. While living there, I had been to nearby Segamat, Batu Pahat and Ayer Hitam, but not Kluang. Therefore, I'm really looking forward to being there this weekend, and to meet decorative painters from Johor.

Can't plant 'em, paint 'em

I love hydrangeas. They are so fascinating - big, colourful blooms of pom-poms and they change colours on their own. I plant them around the house, inspired by how they look in the magazines and the flower nurseries - bright and in different shades of blue, red, pink, purple, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have green fingers. My hydrangeas are never as good as they look in the nurseries and flower shops. So I paint them in any way and in any colour I like without the need to transplant, prune, fertilise, etc. and wait for them to bloom in different colours. Well, as they say, if you can't plant 'em, paint 'em.

Cozy corner

A cozy corner should be, well..., cozy and comfy. Whether it is a study area, a work area, a rest and relax area, or just a lazy corner, a nice piece of decorative item can add a cozy touch to a relatively dull looking area. And if it is your personal area where you spend a fair amount of quiet moments, you can have your favourite things painted on a woodpiece and hang it there to mark your territory.

Also for the boys

We tend to find a lot of decorative items for the girls, but there are also a lot of them for the boys. The objects, abstracts, styles and colours may differ as boys and girls may have dissimilarities in perspective and taste. But it is not always easy to categorise as many objects and styles are gender-neutral. Flowers or fruits in red and teapots in blue may be suitable for everyone, but blue baseball cap and dark-brown leather glove will more likely be the stuff for the boys.

Needles and pins

More on simple and practical daily applications of folk art and decorative painting - this time with the all-too-familiar sewing stuff. All you need to do is just arrange your fabric, threads, needles, scissors, tapes, buttons, etc. and voilà! - you have a lovely decoration.

Message in a bottle

One very interesting aspect of folk art and decorative painting is its extensive daily applications - you can decorate and bring to life almost any daily items that would have otherwise gone to the garbage bin or recycling centre. These ubiquitous green bottles adorned with unassuming "bunga kangkung" can easily brighten up a dull corner of your kitchen or dining area. Very simple and yet, très chic.

Mega Workshop Indahnya Folk Art

Some of the photos at the recent Bengkel Mega Sehari Indahnya Folkart organised courtesy of Laman Impiana. Held at a popular hotel in Shah Alam, the one-day mega workshop was attended by more than 130 decorative painting enthusiasts.