Dead Man's Tales Chapter 9 I am Also an Artist

Art was never my cup of tea.It never was.I was never known to be able to draw or paint.I only discovered my ability when I was recovering from my bout of cancer.

Dating back to the days when I was a child I was never known to be an artist.Or for that matter had any interest in it.On the other hand it was my brother who showed his gifted talents and interests  from a very very young and tender age.

I think he was known to have started drawing on the saand as early as when he was three years old.Drawing on sand at the back of our house along Anson Road.He had neither pencils nor drawing papers only on plain sandy floor.As pencil he had only a tiny stick.

He liked to draw those opera painted characters on the sand.Those actors with decorative long feathers attached to their head gears etc..Those heroics or heroines figures actually from the Cantonese operas who were in town then All of us wee actually exposed to all these operas from young. by our mother as well as paternal grandmother.

Our paternal grandmother was a great fan of the operas She and another old friend always occupied the very front seats when ever there were Cantonese operas in town.All of us just tagged on.That how we all developed an interest in all these operas.My brother can sing the operas whenever he drew those pictures on the sand.No joke.

But unfortunately only the drawing developed and grew with him but not the singing of operas.I think he was gifted in one only not both.I on the other hand had neither of those interest nor talents in art.It was only in retirement years that I discovered that I too had the inert talent within me.But then of course,I came from a family of artist so no surprises.

Going back to my school days I hardly showed any interest in drawing and should there be any I could hardly draw.In fact I never took  up that as a subject for all my examinations because I knew I was no good at it.It was in Senior Cambridge where I was forced to take that as a subject because that was in a group by itself.It was the simplest subject to obtain a passed and that was what I actually got. A poor  passed but it meant  a lot for my sagging results. 

Some how I did showed some hidden skills in carving  on wood once, when I simply took a piece and carved out a figure of a woman with simple student tools.It  was quite simple work actually and it took some patience that was all.But then with that I knew I can carved properly with better tools.Many who saw my work were full of praises for it Now there after I knew I had some talents in art.Other than that I never attempt on any other things.Maybe it was then not time to review my inert talents. 

I came from a family of artists.Our father could draw his on portrait actually but never continued to do anything better.So we had not much records of his drawings.My sister took up painting when she as at the teachers Training College,Brinsford Lodge,U.K..She had some painting to her collection and had held exhibition with her college mates.Somehow she never made any impact with her painting or pottery that would aroused the world.

Whereas  my brother showed his mental at a very young age and his talents shown during his schooling days winning many of the completions.He taught art as a temporary  teacher at school for some time before joining the private sector of the advertising world.

Later he left them to join the Government service as a graphic artist with the Ministry of information.He was with them until retirement.Privately, he has done a number of drawings, paintings and specialized in cartoons which I think he made some impact.On records he had many drawings and cartoons attached to his name.Well,what can I say as his earnings were all from his own talents and work.

I was never an artist but an Oil Palm planter . I only discovered my talent by chance, accidentally.It was after a bout of Luikaemia (AML) .The cancer and Chemore therapy robbed me of my working abilities.When left under remission I had noting to do that.Instead of wasting the precious hours away doing nothing  I  simply took out some pencils and began drawing on wasted "mahjong"papers..

It was a bad beginning though,but nevertheless to my amazement I discovered that I actually could actually draw.Initially I began drawing anything I saw but  developed an interest in drawing beautiful people especially women.

So I went on drawing beautiful actresses and people printed on our daily newspapers.Of course, my drawings were no good at a start.I had no coaching from anyone but my brother came in later and somehow guided me with many useful tips.With that my drawings took a drastic change for the better.

Artists were artists,somehow I and my brother do not agree on many drawing points.Each wanted to develop his or her own style that was the difference.We may differed on many things about drawing but somehow many points were worth a second look before any action or changes done.

My initial drawings were on mahjong papers but later switched on to drawing blocks.To date I have thousand of drawings with pencils.To me all these sketching and drawings were valueless.Maybe to others they maybe rubbish.Perhaps someday somebody might take a liking to them.If does not happened so be it allow it to be rubbish.At least I had proved a point that I can draw.

 I had also done some paintings with oil paints.But I found that was quite expensive to paint with those paints from small tubes. Actually that need not be so because I can always used cheaper paints from the hardware shops which were available locally.They are just as good.

The cost of which were much cheaper.It was only a matter of learning how to mix those paints properly to achieve the  required colors.Another thing I stopped painting was because I also found out that my hands are shaking vigorously from suspected Parkinson.With that I could hardly paint a thin fine line.

 No big deal really ,because medication are readily available for treatment.Guess I got to wait a little longer before I start to paint again.My hands may shake.uncontrolebly but my sketching and drawings still continued.Staborn of me???. With it or without I think I still can draw reasonably well.My brother had his drawings in pencil in the facebook,wait till you see mine.It is good if not better,I assure you.

There were so many ting I wished I could had done in art.I had a small collection of old half burnt and rotting hard wood jungle stumps.In the last estate  I was in,I had many of these old stumps lying all round the fields.So with the qequipments available I easily established a small collection of them,all stacked within my bungalow's compound.

Unfortunately my sickness took a better of me and I had to abandoned all those for good.Right  now, all I collected were already destroyed if not burnt away for good.Well it was a pity.For with them I could had created many beautiful items or figures,depending on the shape and sizes   of those stumps.

So sad  as it began as a dream but ended as a dump.Many things could be worth a fortune to some one, but to others just worthless rotten pieces of wood.I think that was how some peolpe could easily become  rich and famous on a spur of moment at the right opportunity The "Midas" touch can cross your path anytime.Should you failed to catch or meet it you missed the golden chance to be one of the elites..That is life,is that not so???..

 I think my children especially my second daughter, she took after me as she is an artist in her own rights.She has made some impart with her works and it must be a matter of time she established herself.The others have yet to show their abilities.Maybe in due course they will.So it was similar with my brother.His children had taken after him as established artists.Not surpring actually as we are all artists as it were   all in our blood..                  





to be continued