'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

Brunei inspiration paintings 2004-2006

Gongxi Brunei, 2004
Acrylic on paper, 20 x 35 cm
(collection of Betty Fleury)



Reverie, 2004
Acrylic on paper, 18 x 52 cm
(collection of Jose Freitas Cruz)




Berjaya (succeed), 2004
Acrylic on paper, 28.5 x 18.5 cm




Selamat #1, 2004
Acrylic on paper, each panel 20 x 9 cm
(collection of Betty Fleury)

Brunei inspiration drawings 2003

Circle Drawing 6, 2003
Pen and graphite on paper
30 x 30 cm



Drawing 13, 2003,
Graphite on tracing paper layered over ink on paper
75 x 55 cm



Study #02, 2003
Pen on tracing paper
20 x 20 cm





Circle Study #01, 2003
Graphite on layered tracing paper
26 x 26 cm




Plastic Study Series #01 , 2003
Pen on plastic against natural light
15 x 15 cm


To view other Brunei inspiration drawings, go to
http://picasaweb.google.com/leanim.chew/BruneiInspirationDrawings2003#

Artist's statement

I find that when my mind is calm and clear, the strokes and marks that I make on the paper surface are light and natural. The work that is composed in this way tends to be simple but may have an unexpectedly pleasing or striking effect.

I don’t have a fixed or detailed plan as to how a drawing or painting will turn out. When I am making a work, I reflect on a particular feeling or state of mind and let my senses and judgement be guided by my drawing and painting tools, support ( ie paper,board, fabric) and art material. This intuitive approach to making artwork is influenced by the ancient Chinese belief in change as a fundamental reality in the world.

Pencil man, 2001,

pencil on canvas, 31 x 21 cm

Emerging, 2001
Paint on layered fabric, 28 x 18 cm