Source: The Star, Malaysia , Metro, August 15, 2001    Story by Bavani M. Photos by T.K.Lim

Focus on things near and dear              by Bavani M.

Family members, dogs, cats and landscape scenes of Port Klang were subjects that dominated 19-year-old Lee Hui Ling's debut exhibition recently.

While the extensive use of bright, vibrant colours was evident in her recent works, subdued images in ink and watercolour can be seen in her earlier paintings.

This budding young artist showcased over 40 pieces of her paintings from August 10 to 12 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Bukit Bintang (Malaysia).

Works of art, capturing the lifestyle of folk in quaint villages in Port Klang, old buildings such as her school and her pet dogs, are actually bits and pieces of Lee's growing-up years.

This can be seen in a series of works done in ink and watercolour such as My High School Convent Klang, Coffee Shop, Crooked Housed and Sailor's Deck, and Fishing Trawlers in Anchor.

"I enjoy conjuring images in my mind's eye and rendering them on paper and other mediums," she said.

"A bewildering array of subjects ranging from eclectic self-portraits, the fascinating collection of boats and fishing trawlers in Port Klang, the soft nuances of colour on my pet dogs, the lively riverside coffee shop by the Klang river and so on, are constant sources of fascination for me," she added.

Indeed, Lee regularly goes on painting excursions, covering the length of Klang and its port.

Her passion is well captured in the watercolours, oils and a plethora of pen and ink drawings.

The exhibition was launched by Datin Seri Endon Mahmod, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last week.

Bavani M.   The Star, Malaysia , Metro, August 15, 2001