I was born in 1967 and grew up in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. My first experience of clay was with my father. He worked in a factory that produced red clay bricks. During the school holidays as a little girl I was allowed to follow him to the factory. Sometimes, I would be left behind to play with the clay, while the men were busy with their works, the whole process of bricks making captivated me, watching my father stoke woods into the fire holes, it’s was just fascinating! Even though I was too young to understand the process at that time.
By profession, I’m a graphic designer. It was perhaps the natural progression for me to pick up on a childhood fascination. I took up part-time pottery lessons at Kuala Lumpur College of Art, fuelled by an innate desire to create beautiful shapes. From there on there was no turning back. During the earlier practice, the minimalism of Japanese functional ware influenced my works. The shapes, colour, firing technique and even the theory behind them. It stirred the imagination as I questioned what is ‘beautiful’? What is ‘perfect’?
In some point, I felt “Clay” is a messenger to express the inner feeling I had. My inspiration often came from nature, events that had to happen and the journey through it, it is enough to tell a tale. My workplace became a special place to me, producing the story…
EXHIBITIONS
2017
- Forever Magician – Solo Exhibition, ChinaHouse, Penang, Malaysia
- Alice in Wonderland – Group Show, Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
2016
- Tree of Life – Group Show, Ayala Museum, Phillippine
- Alice in Wonderland Symposium – Group Show, Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Centre, Denmark
- Making – Group Show, Shalini Ganendra Fine Art, Selangor, Malaysia
2015
- Earth & Fire – 3rd Southeast Asian Ceramics Symposium, Workhouse Arts Centre, Virginia Washington, USA
- Day Dream – Two Men Show, Art Space I & II, China House, Penang, Malaysia
2011
- Fire and Earth Contemporary Ceramics – Group Show, Shalini Ganendra Fine Art, Selangor, Supported by Ministry of Culture, Malaysia
2009
- What Goes Up – Group Show, Shalini Ganendra Fine Art Selangor, Malaysia
- The Ring of Fire – Southeast Asian Ceramics Symposium, Ayala Museum, Philippines
2008
- Ceramics Group Show – Badan Warisan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2006
- Ceramics Group Show – Badan Warisan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2005
- Selsius Exhibition – Group Show, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
- The 5th Elements – Group Show, Bon Ton Resort, Langkawi, Malaysia
2004
- Touch of Clay – Group Show, Badan Warisan, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia
2003
- Pottery Emotions – Group Show, Kraftangan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2002
- Touch of Clay – Group Show, Badan Warisan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2001
- Open Show – Group Show, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ARTIST IN RESIDENCY PROGRAMMES
2016
- Alice in Wonderland Symposium – Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Centre, Denmark
2007
- Goshogawara International Wood Fire Festival – Kanayama, Aomori Zen, Japan