Fresh from my ‘Boom Tree’ I made plans to start working at the KL Krash Pad, my community work project which I started last year where I gave some art classes (not a lot admittedly) for the toddlers in the activity center in Chow Kit. This year however the organisers asked me if I would consider teaching the older kids instead at KL Krash Pad. KL Krash Pad is a community center open for the young adults of Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. Its open all week for the teens to come and get online, do their homework or participate in any of the activities prepared by volunteers (just like mine).

So I came up with a program that I tabled out for the year. In this program I wanted to have a smaller group of people to teach (8 people). I found it really hard to do art classes for kids under 10 at 25 pax a group! 

I was super happy when KL Krash Pad came back and said I could run the program. But first I needed to get a class. So I told the volunteer team to tell the teens in KL Krash Pad that I would be doing this year long program and that whoever who were interested had to know that its a full year’s commitment.

To my surprise at my Introduction class, I had 9 people show up to try out the class.

I decided on a simple still life exercise. I pulled together a bunch of random objects from my studio and laid its out on the table for the kids to see. 

I told them they could zoom in on certain areas or decide to paint it on wider angle. The choice was up to them. I just wanted to see what their observational skills and imagination was like. 

 I showed them a few things to demonstrate and then they were off.

After 2 hours, they managed to finish their pieces and I was super floored by their efforts.

Some of these teens have never done art before and its was great to see such potential coming out from them. At the end of the session all of them said they would love to be in the class. Yay! My class below!

He loves to keep it within the lines.

 Tentative yet just ready to flow!

First time painter tackled string! Brave girl!

First time painter! Absolutely charming bird in a cage.

I love this girl. Makes me laugh all the time. Its her first time painting. ‘A penguin hiding behind balls’. I’m going to keep this and show this to her at the end of the year!

Good enough to be a print design!

First time painter! Love his energy!

Her drawings as cute bubbly as she is!

I was pretty nervous carrying out this art lesson. Thanks to Rozy for volunteering your time to help me! Also, mad love to Daler-Rowney who sent me paints to support my art classes with the kids! Super great to get such supportt!

#artforlife

Halo halo! This is late but I thought I’d post a separate entry to a live painting session I did for Levi’s® and Tongue in Chic (TIC http://www.tonguechic.com) last November. Check out Levi’s Dress With Intent page http://goforth.levi.com.my/dwi/profile-nini-ramlan.php

The brief was to do whatever I wanted. How fun! The painting measured 8 feet  by 13ft. I think I can’t remember! Well it was fairly big let’s just say.

So I decided I wanted to do some kind of a “tree of life” for the piece.

I call it the ‘BOOM TREE’. The black and greys at the bottom represent conform. But nature will tell you what you need to do with your life and she will always push you to answer your calling (represented here with the “arrow leaves”). It will reach a point where find it in yourself to go forth and just do it! Explode into a burst of color and life! #artforlife. Do your art and you will go BOOM! 

My painting with people session would start at around 3pm so  I decided to come in around 11am to get the outline done. (That’s my sister with her amazing guns) Ummmm, I nearly passed out from the heat as it was literally high noon when I was doing it! I took breaks in between as it was just too glaring but after a couple of hours, I was happy I managed to transfer the drawing freehand! 

Ahh the picture looks great but the heat and sun was a killer! Loads of people came over to help paint including the girls whom I had met in the last Levi’s painting session last Aug, 2011. Here’s the post incase you missed it http://ninimarini.tumblr.com/post/9333458829/art-for-life-go-forth

I love this shot. Volunteers hard at work painting. Next time I will need more ladders. 

Another friend I had made in the last Levi’s painting session. Dayang! Much love to you lady. Thank you for the photos and for filling out the buckets of water!

It was a pretty interesting doing this project with Levi’s this time round as there was another painter involved. Next to my piece (on the left) is another done by artist James Ly. (Its not finished here by the way). His approach was way fun as he got people to kick balls dipped in paint onto this canvas. 

8 hours and the painting was completed. Big shout to all who came to help or even to say hi. Thank you (Urbanscapes via All Is Amazing for this photo)

Thank you to the special ladies (above - Amira, Nabila, Dayang, Rab, Naimmah and Nurfariza) I met most of you at the first painting event and now new friends with the second project! Much love to you all. (Thanks for this photo!)

It was such a fun and beautiful day. Lots of great Malaysian energy. Love love love.  (Thank you Meetlov for this collage!)

The next day my Levi’s Go Forth buddy and talented photographer Mr. VPYP posted up this picture of the painting in the daytime. ‘BOOM’ indeed! (Thank you VPYP - #JADI)

Well then there you go. A great way to finish the year I thought and I am looking forward to doing something interesting towards the end of this year you too! Keep on keeping on :)  (Picture courtesy of Urbanscapes)

Thanks Levi’s for always supporting the things I love!

#artforlife.

Nini