Time on my hands

Our flight was cancelled. I was not bothered, happy even. Happy to be held captive with a good book "The Laughing Policeman" (Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo) and my sketchbook. 4 hours till the next plane home, and the only victim was dinner with friends at home.
I tried my hand (again) at drawing people. I need to practice more, I am more at home with buildings and spaces.

Sunday

These are some sketches from my visual diary recording Sunday's main activities. The day started at 4:30 with a run out to Eng Hooi's house to meet up for the long run towards town centre. As usual, we got our messages mixed up and he and I did not meet up but ran our own long runs.
It was day light when I reached the Rock Road showroom 

I stopped for the light to change at Saberkas - the big round building on the left and did this quick sketch.
(kidding...)

Our Sunday run usually ends at the Hakka coffee shop at the corner of Carpenter and Bishopsgate street for noodles and local coffee.

That afternoon, Sam, Sara, Eng Hooi and I went to Arlene and Mag's new house to help them paint Eggshell, Brilliant White and Moondust on their walls.

The Sketchbook Project 2012

Peggy and I together with a group of friends have decided to participate in the Sketchbook Project :
"its like a concert tour, but with sketchbooks" Here's an excerpt.

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the world.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

Anyone - from anywhere in the world - can be a part of the project.To participate and have us send you a sketchbook that will go on tour, start by choosing a theme to the right.

The 2012 Tour

Brooklyn, NY

Boston, MA

Chicago, IL

San Francisco, CA

Atlanta, GA

Austin, TX

Los Angeles, CA

Philadelphia, PA

Portland, OR

Portland, ME

London, England*

Melbourne, Australia*

Vancouver, Canada

Toronto, Canada

More info on the tour...

 

Project dates

Oct 31st, 2011

SIGN UP BY

Jan 31st, 2012

POSTMARK YOUR BOOK BY

April, 2012

TOUR STARTS

Losing yourself

I love the company of people; but sometimes it is necessary to be alone. To fill in the gaps in the day's thoughts. Much like the colouring in of sketches and the adding of shadows and textures that add depth. It is also time to think and lose yourself for a short spell. 
These sketches describe a departure from the day's tasks - as architect, father, husband, tutor. In those spare hours, I can lose myself and be anonymous. A small format sketch book is helpful so that I can always have it with me. And these stolen moments are short so the sketches have to be concise.

Guangzhou sketches

The Guangdong museum

This is part of Saturday's drawing class - Yasmin showed us photos of her recent trip to Guangzhou, we selected a few and sketched them in class. We played music while sketching; 3 songs per sketch (about ten minutes) I water coloured in later.

Guangxiao Xi (Filial Piety) Temple and the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees

Next Week: Cambodia Sketches (1:30pm onwards at DNA)

...today started great

It rained..

but I got out for a run anyway

short one

from home to popiah

started at six

got there in 30 minutes

faster than I imagined

which was great

since I been feeling slow of late.

Popiah and Kopi O

with Sam for an hour

then to the office for a shower.

and as I walked in -

I heard guitar music

Doreen came in earlier to practice

'don't stop' I told her

'play louder,

so I can hear you in the shower'

World Architecture Day

The first Monday of every October is World Architecture Day as sanctioned by the International Union of Architects (UIA) to promote good architecture and to raise public awareness about  architects. The United Nations recently designated the same day as World Habitat Day. This year's theme is 'Architecture and Human Rights"  - the local architect's institute (PAM) decided to build an architectural installation to commemorate the day. 

initial ideas

The result is “Cardboard City” – inspired by the resourcefulness of the homeless and forgotten (discarded humanity) in crafting a shelter for themselves using cardboard, plastic sheeting and other refuse (discarded material) with the aim of prompting questions and discussions about every humans’s right to decent shelter.

'building' material

the job-site at the Spring shopping mall - 10 p.m. 2nd Oct

peggy and melvin with recycled soy milk bottle lights

construction starts at 1 a.m. 3rd Oct

Nearing completion (and exhaustion)

some members of the construction team at 6 a.m. 3rd Oct

the cardboard city lights up!

3 p.m. the Mayor visits with members of the Architect's Institute

The shopping trolley completes the picture

I enjoyed working on the project - the message is one reason but the main reason is the young people whom I worked with; I enjoyed their energy and enthusiasm which kept us going until the completion of the project. As seen in the group photo, they are still able to smile and joke at 6 a.m. after a solid 8 hours of constructing the 'Cardboard City' - these guys are definitely architect material! 

As we speak, more pieces of cardboard architecture are being built and added to the 'City' - Peggy and Joseph's furniture will go on display on Wednesday.

Sasha in the spotlight on designer furniture at a prime shopping mall in Kuching