Expressive Arts Portfolio

Inspired by a mindfulness arts session with 5 other participants. The sharing was a painful experience hidden inside us yet the growth turned out to be beautiful.

Modalities:

painting and dried leaves installation (mixed medium)

Material:

Watercolour drawing paper (size: A4 300gsm)

Colour: Crayons and sharpie marker

Dried leaves were picked up from the open park

Title: Listen to my heart

Crayon painting with dried leaves installation on drawing paper, 7 Aug 2022

Reflection:

There are multiple shapes representing different matters hidden inside my heart that can't wait to be released and freed from the confinement.

There are times I need to pay more attention inwards rather than taking things personally from what others said.

Be myself genuinely.

# 1.2 Visual Art

Title: If the mermaid had a choice

Acrylic painting with glitters on canvas, 14 Aug 2022

Introduction:

Title: If the mermaid had a choice

Painted with a reflection written on the painting

Date of completion: 14 Aug 2022

Inspired by The Little Mermaid by Walt Disneys Pictures.

Modalities: Visual art and writing (mixed medium)

Material:

Canvas (size: 30x40cm)

Colour: Acrylic paint blue, red, yellow, and white

Glitters: a mixture of silver, gold, red, and black

Painted with brushes.

Title: If the mermaid had a choice

Artwork with writing in the right bottom corner:

"Mermaid gave up her voice in exchange for a pair of legs, with that she could walk on land.

She found the love of her life, but...

What if she has a different wish?

What would that be?"

Reflection:

A reflection of feeling the loss of love and betrayal.

Self-sacrificing is not the only option to show how much we can love or support others. There are always other options.

# 1.3 Visual Art

Introduction:

Title: Bleeding broken heart

Painted with acrylic colours, white, yellow, red and blue.

Remembering how I breakthrough the bleeding broken heart moment, sitting alone on the sofa in the dark for a few days. Everything things seem hopeless until my heart told me to move forward, start accepting the healing from high above start with reflection and forgiveness.

Date of completion: 6 Nov 2022

Modalities: Visual art

Material:

Canvas (size: 30x40cm)

Colour: Acrylic

Title: Bleeding Broken Heart

Acrylic painting on canvas, 6 Nov 2022

The rough surface created with acrylic paint and brushes representing the sensation of pain.

Contemplative Photography:

Nature

Photos taken at tamu market of Penampang, in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 25 Aug 2022

Contemplative Photography

Notice the pattern of the petals, so organized and organic growth is uncontrollable yet the petals form in many colours naturally and symmetrically. Beautiful in its own way.

Notice the different shades of purple colour. Soothing at a different level, from a lighter to a darker purple tone.

Tiny leaves potted plants with lines on the leaves form a different pattern with different shades of green. Feeling the natural touch. They are so tiny and somewhat feel fragile yet the roots hold them strong together.

Random photos taken in random places: common themes in these photos is "pattern"

Sleeping cats, the pattern on their forehead is unique.

Random photos taken in random places: The white kitten is playing with a beetle and noticed the emotions and movement change from fear to curious and then become bored.

Random photos taken in random places: common theme in these photos is "pattern"

Moths with different patterns on their wings. It is unique to each kind.

Random photos taken in random places: common theme in these photos is "six legs"

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

Cricket

Ink Painting

Title: Snowstorm

Ink paining with brush, 2 Oct 2022

# 3.1 Ink

Introduction:

Title: Snowstorm

The first time painting with ink, removed the thought of rigidness, the certain way to hold the brush, the energy level, and the hand posture. Learning to experience ink in a relaxed manner.

Date of completion: 2 Oct 2022

It was a here-and-now experience, feeling the ink drop on the xuan paper, and spreading out, blending in a different black tone creates layering.

Modalities:

Visual arts and imagination

Material:

Half-matured xuan paper

Colour: Black ink

# 3.2 Ink

Introduction:

Title: Village

Painting with ink using dried roses, and both hands. Feels like I can do anything with art.

Date of completion: 2 Oct 2022

Second piece was done more freely and deeply into an imaginary world.

Modalities:

Visual arts and imagination

Material:

Half-matured xuan paper

Colour: Black ink

Title: Village

Ink painting with both hands using brush and dried roses, 2 Oct 2022

Improvised Mandala

Title: My current and future state

Improvised mandala drawing on paper plates with watercolour and Sharpie markers, 15 Oct 2022

Introduction:

Title: My current and future state

First time painting mandalas, somehow mandala gives me the impression it was religion-related, hence my reluctance to try it previously. But it turned out to be a pleasant experience, reflecting my current and future states when I have a lot on my plates, ironically we are drawing on paper plates. I feel assurance and see the light and hope.

Date of completion: 15 Oct 2022

Modalities:

Visual arts with paper plates

Material:

Round white paper plates

Colour: Watercolours and sharpie marker

Title: My current state

Title: My future state

Clay Work

Clay work, 22 Oct and 7 Nov 2022

# 5.1 Clay work

Title: Shouting Out Loud

Contemplative clay work projecting my imagination of a man shouting out loud.

Completion date: 22 Oct 2022

# 5.2 Clay work

Title: Togetherness

Completion date: 22 Oct 2022

Created in the contemplative walking session.

# 5.3 Clay work

Title: Outgrowing a container

Clay work, created on 22 Oct and improvised on 7 Nov 2022

The tree can be separated, and it can be connected to the container with a magnet.

Coffee & Tea Painting

Title: Coffee & Tea art

mindfulness drawing with coffee and tea, 6 Nov 2022

Introduction:

Title: Dried tea stains

Painted with different types of tea, green tea, berries, and black tea.

Date of completion: 6 Nov 2022

My first time drawing with coffee and tea, was a here-and-now experience, trying new mediums not using a brush, and trying to let the liquid lead the flow on the paper, smashing the tea bag on the paper feels satisfying, and releases energy. The smell of tea and coffee fill up the classroom, making me feel a soothing and memorable community art experience.

Modalities: Different types of tea

Modalities:

Visual art with coffee and tea

Material:

Drawing paper (size: A4)

Coffee and tea

Tea stains on drawing papers.

Letting out the control and letting the stain form the artsy element on the paper. Sometimes we just need to trust the process and let it be as is.

Smashing the tea bag!

Photo credit: Erica

Community art with coffee and tea

Photo credit: Li Li

Rose Petals Wreath

Title: Christmas Wreath

Rose petals rub on the paper to create the base of the wreath, mixed medium glue was on waste red thread and dried rose petals, 10 Nov 2022

Introduction:

Title: Christmas wreath

The first time creating an art piece with fresh rose petals, and glued on red Chinese knot string and dried flower petals.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year, reminds me of church celebrations, family gatherings, chaos, performance, laughter and joy.

Date of completion: 10 Nov 2022

Inspired by Christmas wreath

Modalities:

Visual art collage with fresh and dried rose petals and strings (mixed medium)

Material:

Watercolour drawing paper (size: A3 200gsm)

Fresh rose petals, dried rose petals and waste Chinese knot string.

No colours or paints were used on this art piece, yet the colourful aesthetic was formed with multiple layers of installation and nature elements.

Applying pressure and pressing the fresh petals to draw them on the paper feels so relieved, different petals and produce different colours.

Just like life, different life experiences produce different growth inside us.

This poem was created in class on 27 Nov 2022.

It has a Christmas theme matching the creation of this Christmas wreath.

Title: On The Stage

On the stage you stand,

Feeling alone, experience darkness,

Hearing the cheer,

Feeling nervous.

On the stage you stand,

Feeling courage, expressing freely,

Seeing the crowd,

Feeling jolly.

On the stage you stand,

Curtain was down, it was dark,

Yet you shine in the dark,

being yourself feeling great!

Tapestry

Title: My current state - disappointment

Improvised Tapestry made with woven strings, 13 Nov 2022

Introduction:

Title: My current state - disappointment

The first time trying tapestry, was an unplanned encounter, my friend and I walked into the Bookxcess in Lalaport and they were having this free tapestry workshop. We did not expect it takes about 4 hours to complete.

The process of weaving calmed me down from a heated discussion and walk away with disappointment. It was satisfying to see the final art piece and my disappointment turn into understanding as the weaving process reminded me to see things from a different perspective.

Date of completion: 13 Nov 2022

Modalities:

Visual art with woven strings

Material:

Woven strings

The grey woven strings weaved into a heart shape projecting my disappointment at that moment.

Poetry

Title: The Beetle (Haiku Poem)

Beetle has hard shell

It is dark green with brown spots

It shines in the dark

First time writing a Haiku Poem.

This was the picture I have in mind while writing it. Reminds me of pleasant family time in my hometown, Sabah.

Title: The Sleepy Cat (Haiku Poem)

猫咪喵喵喵

Miao Mi Miao Miao Miao

吃着鱼又想吃肉

Chi Zhe Yu You Xiang Chi Rou

吃累了就睡

Chi Lei Le Jiu Shui

Title: The Prime Minister (CinQuain Poem)

Anwar,

Courage, resilience,

Seeing, hearing, doing,

Never give up yet,

Malaysia.

The photo was taken from Twitter: Anwar Ibrahim @anwaribrahim

#10

Touch Painting

Touch painting with eyes closed.

Photo credit: Radika

Introduction:

Touch painting

The first time trying touch painting, rolling the oil paint on the wooden board, placed the newsprint paper on top and started touch painting. The experience was getting in touch with my senses, touching, and smelling the paint, hearing the sound of rolling on the paint and the sound of touching the paper too.

The process is calming and tiring but works well with imagination. My body was feeling warm after the process.

Date of completion: 4 Dec 2022

Modalities:

Visual art with touch painting

Material:

Wooden board, oil paint, roller, newsprint paper

Title: Night In The City Starry Night

Title: Mountain Starry Night

Title: Christmas Tree

Title: Christmas Lights Tangled

Title: Inner Monster Fear of Judgment

Title: Planet in Galaxy

Title: Love

Title: Tree of Life

There were painted with eyes closed.

Title: Butterfly

Title: The Waves

#11

Guided Mindfulness Arts Recording

Title: Guided Mindfulness Expressive Arts Recording

The sound of the morning breeze was recorded from my balcony, photos are taken using my phone, my voice was recorded, and the video was created with Canva on 8 Dec 2022.

Duration: 7.29 minutes

Step 1:

Play the guided mindfulness video, and pay attention to the guided breathing exercise. You may do it with your eyes close.

Allow your body to communicate with you. Allow it to feel and express.

Step 2:

You may use colours, drawing paper, or any medium and material you can access, and use them to create images from your imagination during the mindfulness breathing exercise earlier.

Always allow your body to guide you in the creation without judgment.

#12

Tank Drum

Title: Playing The Tank Drum In The Rain

Introduction:

Tank Drum

The first time trying tank drum, the sound is therapeutic, soothing somehow does connect to religious practice. As I was playing it I felt the struggle inside me reluctant to take it as an instrument rather religious. My whole body felt warm and calm, and at the same time excited.

Date of completion: 8 Dec 2022

Duration: 4.26 minutes

Modalities:

Improvised music with tank drum

Material:

Tank drum

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