Sharon Chin

People came to #WEEDS/RUMPAI. Lots of them. Many I’d never met before.

They ate and talked and drank and listened and sat down to make art.

The artworks I’d made were hanging in the background. But it was what was happening around the art that mattered.

It was what I wanted, and hoped and dreamed.

Yeoh and Tsuji’s five-year old daughter took my hand and we danced together while Wolf sang ‘Tudung Periuk’. Sometimes you need someone else to be there with you so you can dance.

I cried happy tears. I always do this. It’s ok. It gets more ok to cry in public as the years go by. Guess I grow less and less attached to being terminally cool as a marker of personal success.

Wolf said: can’t bring you anywhere, Sharon! It’s true. I will fucking cry my eyes out.

Look! This was the day after:

What now?

Onwards, dear comrades.

P.S. – Pics of the night here by OUR Art Projects.

Final weed comes from the top of Tanjung Tuan, where the lighthouse is. A bank of these flowers grows there wild, overlooking the sea. During the great raptor migration in March, birds of prey wheel in from that horizon beyond. They come from Japan, Siberia, Russia, Mongolia, Korea and converge in Tanjung Tuan. It’s a sight to behold, those immense birds riding the winds in the light of day.

This is a good place to end.

Wanna see all 30 Days of Weeds?

I made paintings based on these drawings! Go go go to there: WEEDS/RUMPAI series.

A bunch of clover. Lately I’ve seen the clover blooming with little yellow flowers.

Wanna see all 30 Days of Weeds?

I made paintings based on these drawings! Go go go to there: WEEDS/RUMPAI series.

Another one that grows happily in the cracks.

Wanna see all 30 Days of Weeds?

I made paintings based on these drawings! Go go go to there: WEEDS/RUMPAI series.

STEP 1 – Get a flag somehow:

STEP 2 – Identify weed. Draw/photograph/otherwise make an image of it:

STEP 3 – Make a grid to scale and put it over the image:

STEP 4 – Transfer drawing to flag with wax pencil. The grid helps. Coffee and blind faith helps:

STEP 5 – Paint in the drawing with fabric paint:

STEP 6 – Paint paint paint:

STEP 7 – Outline the painting with wax pencil:

STEP 8 – Add dimension, tone, shade:

STEP 9: Done!

Now repeat 20 times.

Furry little balls. Fun to look at, fun to draw.

Wanna see all 30 Days of Weeds?

I made paintings based on these drawings! Go go go to there: WEEDS/RUMPAI series.

The day I leave Port Dickson to do the #WEEDS/RUMPAI exhibition (this Sunday, 10 March folks!!), our deputy prime minister Muyhiddin Yasin comes to town.

Where the big wigs go, the flags will follow. Or is it the other way around?