The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and science.   Albert Einstein, ‘What I Believe’, 1930

'Mimpi' (Dream), 2009,

Acrylic on paper mounted on stretcher,

22 x 22 x1.8cm

The woods are lovely, dark and deep...

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

(from the poem 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' 1923)

Rahsia (Secret), 2009,Acrylic on paper mounted on stretcher, 28 x 28 x 1.8cm

'The comfort of forgetting...

From 'CHUANG TZU, Basic Writings' translated by Burton Watson.


Artisan Ch'ui could draw as true as a compass or a T square because his fingers changed along with things and he didn't let his mind get in the way. Therefore his Spirit Tower (a Taoist term for the mind) remained unifed and unobstructed.

You forget your feet when the shoes are comfortable. You forget your waist when the belt is comfortable. Understanding forgets right and wrong when the mind is comfortable. There is no change in what is inside, no following what is outside, when the adjustment to events is comfortable. You begin with what is comfortable and never experience what is uncomfortable when you know the comfort of forgetting what is comfortable.

Drawing faces

When drawing a face, any face, it is as if curtain after curtain, mask after mask, falls away…until a final mask remains, one that can no longer be removed, reduced….The eye does not judge, moralize , criticize. It accepts the masks in gratitude...

Frederick Franck, 'The Zen of Seeing - Seeing/drawing as meditation'

Pat, 2001, pencil, approx 60 x 40 cm

Peter, 1994, pencil , approx 21 x 15 cm

Gardener at Arcadia, 1998,

wax pencil, approx 40 x 30 cm

Figures on Cloth (1998-2001)

I would like to introduce 'Figures on Cloth' with the observations made on two of the works by Doug Coates, former IT consultant and architect and the guest-of-honour at my exhibition 'The Language of Feeling' in 2001, Melbourne.

In the paint and fabric collages, a particular point that interests me is the use of pattern in the reversal of figure and ground – where the figure is a patterned fabric shape set into a plainer ground, sometimes with drawn figures in silhouette or lightly sketched in. It produces a floating effect that is sometimes ghostly.

Batik man on cloth 01, 1998
Fabric, stitching and colour pencil , 35 x 25 cm

Figure on cloth 02, 1998
Mixed media, 35 x 25 cm

Worried man 03 , 2001
Mixed media, approx 28 x 20 cm

Worried man 04, 2001

Mixed media, approx 28 x 20 cm

Worried man 01, 2001

Mixed media on fabric, approx 28 x 20 cm

'Heaven and Earth'

According to ancient Chinese belief, heaven was represented by a circle and earth by a square. The union between heaven and earth was symbolized in Chinese coins, which were circular with a square hole in the centre.

Heaven and Earth 06, 2001
Stitching and colour pencil on fabric , 11.5 x 11.5 cm

Heaven and Earth 26, 2001
Thread, wax, pastel and acrylic on fabric , 21 x 19 cm

Heaven and Earth diptych 1, 2001
Wax, pastel and thread on fabric,
Right panel 10 x 10 cm


Heaven and Earth diptych 1, 2001
Wax, pastel and stitching on fabric,
Left panel 10 x 10 cm



Heaven and Earth 28, 2001
Thread, wax and pastel on fabric , 19 x 21 cm

Heaven and Earth 09, 2001
Thread, shell fragments, pastel, paint and pencil on fabric ,
16 x 16 cm

Heaven and Earth 12, 2001
Wax and pastel on fabric , 16.5 x 16.5cm

Selected works 2008

Brunei paradise, 2008
Acrylic on paper, 10 x 27 cm



Brunei paradise #1, 2008
Acrylic on paper, 12 x 24 cm

Desire, 2008,

Acrylic on paper mounted on stretcher, 20 x 20 x 1.8cm

Children are delightful (part 1)

 Sketches made during a visit to a child care centre in Marine Parade, Singapore in 1994.

 

Wei Ting(2)

toddler napping

child napping (1)

child napping

curly-haired child napping

Each drawing is A5 or 20 x 14 cm.

To view the rest of the drawings, please click: http://picasaweb.google.com/leanim.chew/ChildrenAreDelightfulPart1#

Children are delightful (part 2)

I can still remember how eagerly the children raised their hands when I asked for volunteers to be my subjects. Each sitter kept very still as I drew their faces, while their peers, in hushed silence stood patiently waiting for their turn.

Each drawing is  21 x 14 cm and took approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Petrina

Tan Sun

Rao Jian Yan 

Nicholas Loy

Gregory Tan

Elizabeth Leong

Elin

Cheng Cherg Lin

Asheta

Perforated works

All works were made with acrylic on paper. The textures were produced by scraping thin layers
paint over lines that were incised or embossed on the paper support.




















Within the veil, 28 x 28 cm



No distinction, 28 x 28 cm

Tribute to Klee, 30 x 30 x 1.8cm

To view other works, please click: http://picasaweb.google.com/leanim.chew/Works2005#

Exhibitions

Poster for my exhibition Mindscapes in 2005



Alliance Francaise Brunei quarterly programme, 2005



Leaflet for group exhibition [x?] artists - one boat at the Empire Hotel Brunei in 2005.




Invitation to Art Forum an exhibition of works by Bruneian and international artists at the Brunei Museum in 2004

Advertisement for my exhibition The Language of Feeling in 2001

Exhibition at the Sebel Suites, Melbourne in 2002

Work displayed at the entrance to the exhibition space.



My work from the series 'Batik man on cloth' at the Citro Bar and Restaurant, Sebel Suites, Melbourne



The Citro Bar and Restaurant, St Kilda Road, Melbourne




Mum as a young bride (study), 1994 (sold)
Mixed media on paper
73 x 46 cm



Untitled (Seated Chinese lady with shell fragments), 2000, (sold)
Ink and wash with shell fragments on paper,
22 x 15 inches (including frame )

Press release

Borneo Bulletin, 27 March 2005: Lean's solo exhibition, Mindscapes at Alliance Francaise, Brunei


Borneo Bulletin, March 25 2005: Lean's solo exhibition, Mindcsapes at Alliance Francaise, Brunei



Straits Times, October 1997, President's Charity Art Exhibition, Singapore