An Interview
2:30pm, 14 Nov 2011
Interview by an journalist from local newspaper The Borneo Post.
Charming lady, Sim Yee with gallery's owner, Ellie Hwong.
Interview with one of our local artist, Sia Yek Chung whom has 75pcs of painting under our collections.
The Borneo Post . Tuesday . Nov 15 2011
by Chok Sim Yee
KOTA KINABALU : To ease the tension of everyday life, check out some fine art pieces produced by Sabahan painters at maryjames art gallery.
maryjames art gallery, spanning 1,171 square feet, was set up in January 22 last yearon the 11th floor of Kompleks Karamunsing.
Many may be unaware of the existence of the art gallery, according to managing director Ellie Hwong, and the gallery's purpose was to provide a comfortable environment for the art pieces to be showcase in a proper setting.
" I think the ambience of the place is very important to reflect the art pieces and to reflect them with dignity, that's very important to me."
Hwong has been collecting art pieces by local painters since six years ago.
" When I first explored into this idea six years ago, my father suggested that i set up a big souvenir, arts and craft centre.
" But I found there was not enough artist to produce sufficient work for a big place."
Hwong chose a quiet place instead, away from the hustle and bustle of the commercial shops and crowds in the mall.
" Maybe sometimes this setting would be a little intimidating to the people, but I want them to enjoy it the way it's supposed to be- in a quiet place.
" They can take their time, nobody is going to bother them, nor chase after them. It's open and as long as they want to come in, they can spend as much time as they want here."
Hwong reassured that the price of the art pieces were reasonable compared to those offered in West Malaysia. The prices of the art pieces at the gallery range from RM2,000 to RM10,000.
What Hwong attempted to do was to provide a place for local painters to showcase their works, and to encourage the public to appreciate the art pieces produced by the local artist.
Hwong is not a painter, but she does appreciate artworks and her love for the art was perhaps influenced by her father, who is an avid antique and art collector himself. Whenever she went oversea, she would visit museum and art galleries where she found peace.
maryjames art gallery features the collection of three main local artists - Sia Yek Chung, Muhammad Amin Muhidin ( a batik painter) and Awang Fadilah.
Whenever the artist produced new works, Hwong would purchase them and show them to her friends. She currently owns around 160 art pieces, while the gallery exhibits around 35 pieces at any one time on rotation.
" My wish is for people to collect original art pieces, to have pride to have pride to have bought a Sabahan art piece to support the local artist."
" The quality of the local artists is on par or even better than those elsewhere," she pointed out.
During the interview, Hwong lamented that there was not much opportunity for local artist to feature their works here. Demand was more from tourists rather than locals, as the people here were still relatively unaware of the art gallery nor the appreciation of art.
" I think it goes with education as well, how we view creativity, a person's creative artwork. It's very organic, it's unlike a computer which can print thousands of copies.
Ellie and Sia pose next to an latest art piece which took him three weeks to complete.
Interview by an journalist from local newspaper The Borneo Post.
Charming lady, Sim Yee with gallery's owner, Ellie Hwong.
Interview with one of our local artist, Sia Yek Chung whom has 75pcs of painting under our collections.
The Borneo Post . Tuesday . Nov 15 2011
by Chok Sim Yee
KOTA KINABALU : To ease the tension of everyday life, check out some fine art pieces produced by Sabahan painters at maryjames art gallery.
maryjames art gallery, spanning 1,171 square feet, was set up in January 22 last yearon the 11th floor of Kompleks Karamunsing.
Many may be unaware of the existence of the art gallery, according to managing director Ellie Hwong, and the gallery's purpose was to provide a comfortable environment for the art pieces to be showcase in a proper setting.
" I think the ambience of the place is very important to reflect the art pieces and to reflect them with dignity, that's very important to me."
Hwong has been collecting art pieces by local painters since six years ago.
" When I first explored into this idea six years ago, my father suggested that i set up a big souvenir, arts and craft centre.
" But I found there was not enough artist to produce sufficient work for a big place."
Hwong chose a quiet place instead, away from the hustle and bustle of the commercial shops and crowds in the mall.
" Maybe sometimes this setting would be a little intimidating to the people, but I want them to enjoy it the way it's supposed to be- in a quiet place.
" They can take their time, nobody is going to bother them, nor chase after them. It's open and as long as they want to come in, they can spend as much time as they want here."Hwong reassured that the price of the art pieces were reasonable compared to those offered in West Malaysia. The prices of the art pieces at the gallery range from RM2,000 to RM10,000.
What Hwong attempted to do was to provide a place for local painters to showcase their works, and to encourage the public to appreciate the art pieces produced by the local artist.
Hwong is not a painter, but she does appreciate artworks and her love for the art was perhaps influenced by her father, who is an avid antique and art collector himself. Whenever she went oversea, she would visit museum and art galleries where she found peace.
maryjames art gallery features the collection of three main local artists - Sia Yek Chung, Muhammad Amin Muhidin ( a batik painter) and Awang Fadilah.
Whenever the artist produced new works, Hwong would purchase them and show them to her friends. She currently owns around 160 art pieces, while the gallery exhibits around 35 pieces at any one time on rotation.
" My wish is for people to collect original art pieces, to have pride to have pride to have bought a Sabahan art piece to support the local artist."
" The quality of the local artists is on par or even better than those elsewhere," she pointed out.
During the interview, Hwong lamented that there was not much opportunity for local artist to feature their works here. Demand was more from tourists rather than locals, as the people here were still relatively unaware of the art gallery nor the appreciation of art.
" I think it goes with education as well, how we view creativity, a person's creative artwork. It's very organic, it's unlike a computer which can print thousands of copies.
Ellie and Sia pose next to an latest art piece which took him three weeks to complete.
Watercolor painting
MJ05/S0001 - Borneo Nepenthes - 39.5" x 42.5" sold---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0002 - Borneo Nepenthes - 21" x 29"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0003 - Borneo Nepenthes - 21" x 29" sold---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0004 - Borneo Nepenthes - 27.5" x 20"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0005 - Borneo Nepenthes - 21" x 14"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0006 - Borneo Nepenthes - 21" x 14"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0007 - Borneo Nepenthes - 14" x 10"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0008 - Borneo Nepenthes - 14" x 10"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0009 - Borneo Nepenthes - 19.5" x 13"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0010 - Borneo Nepenthes - 17.5" x 13"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0011 - Borneo Nepenthes - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0012 - Chinese Koi Fish - 33.5" x 42.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0013 - Chinese Koi Fish - 34" x 42.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0014 - Chinese Koi Fish - 35" x 27.5" sold---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0015 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0016 - Chinese Koi Fish - 27.5" x 19.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0017 - Chinese Koi Fish - 35" x 27"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0018 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0019 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0020 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0021 - Handicraft Sabah - 18" x 37"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0022 - Handicraft Sabah - 18" x 37"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0023 - River - 22" x 27"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ05/S0024 - Mount Kinabalu Trail - 30.5" x 38"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0025 - Mount Kinabalu - 30" x 20"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0026 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0027 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0028 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0029 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0030 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0031 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0032 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0033 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0034 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0035 - Borneo Nepenthes - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0036 - Chinese Koi Fish - 33" x 23.5" sold---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0037 - Chinese Koi Fish - 33"x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0038 - Chinese Koi Fish - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0039 - Chinese Koi Fish - 33" x 23.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0041 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0042 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0043 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ07/S0044 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ10/S0045 - Chinese Koi Fish - 30" x 22"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ10/S0046 - The Summit of Mount Kinabalu - 32' x 22.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ10/S0047 - In The Wild - Polar Bear - 32" x 22.5"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MJ10/S0048 - In The Wild - Grizzly Bear - 32" x 22.5" sold---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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