My Still Life Fantasy

You've seen samples of my painted flowers and gardens...here you'll see my still life paintings. I enjoy doing them most after trompe l'oeil. They post me a challenge for I want them to look real....sometimes I succeed sometimes I don't. When I don't... that means they don't get completed...until I get inspired... which is highly unlikely hahaha like this sample for instance... I failed to do the folds on the doily... and it has remained as such since Jan '04!!

Then I tried a similar concept this time omitting the supposedly gingham doily with a simple lacy one. Now.... that one I'm happy with. These two paintings were inspired by Lynda Derby.

Here's another favourite. Had some trouble there trying to create the metallic shine on the pail...fortunately I did it after many many many frustrating tries! This is a Mary McLean original

The tea-pot clock I made for the kitchen... but I've yet to hang it on the kitchen wall. Why is it not on the wall you ask? That's because I have yet to fix the mechanism ;) ...so it remains standing on my display shelf hehehe

The candle on its brass holder was a huge challenge but I am extremely proud of my work here. Again it's not my original. I was inspired by Kathye Begala. I just simply adore her paintings... absolutely gorgeous!


**I am a decorative artist not an artist in the real sense but because I learn the techniques to paint...I am able to produce presentable works. I am proud of me!

My Painted Garden

Until I learn how to do the album...the language is still greek to me *sigh*... I shall have to be contented to show off just these few first....

I've always loved works by Ros Stallcup. Her free style is MY source of inspiration. What you see here in my first 3 paintings is styled against her works.

Painting a scenery is very fulfilling. Somehow the overall finished product usually looks good :)

Below are samples of other scenic views....

Painted this pail based on a kitchen towel set that Junaidah commissioned me to do. It now happily sits in her kitchen....together with the kitchen towel and oven gloves of same design

This was commisioned for a golfer. Had hooks fixed onto the plaque for him to hang his knick knacks.

My Painted Flowers

I have tried various styles and techniques...from flowers to sceneries to still life to intarsia to trompe l'oeil to 3-D effect with texture paste. Loved them all. Have a look-see at my flowers first ya

For some reason, roses are always a favourite. I'd painted roses the most and along the way I'd developed my own style. My teacher, Sandie, once told me that I have to paint at least 500 roses before they'd look any good. I can definitely say I'd done more than that now... and I do declare I'm satisfied with my roses *blush* Anyway... here are some of my favourite pieces painted on a tea box, a tray and a huge dino picnic hamper

Somehow, hydrangeas are also a favourite. I'd done countless hydrangeas on various surfaces. I'd done matching ones on a utility carrier and a tissue box . Wood is not the only surface I'd painted on. The tiffin carrier is a testimony to that. The cigar box below is another of my favorite piece.

I wish I could show you a lot more samples of my work but I'd not yet learned how to do a gallery. To show just these few had taken me more than 2 hours to set *sigh*

Seen here are some samples of the other flowers that I'd tried my hand at. On the candle sconce is a sprig of Cherry Blossoms. Below is my Forget-me-nots. Lilacs was fun and fast to do but Hibiscus was a challenge.

I have other flowers to show...I'd done the classic Daisies, the elegant Iris, Geraniums, Pansies, Wild Roses, Tulips, Sunflowers, Poppies to name a few. Unfortunately I can't do that yet. Why? That's because I don't seem to have them in my picture folder!!!!

So... bear with me for a little while longer yes whilst I go searching for them?

My Cluttered Studio

Have a peek at my cluttered studio. It's an organised mess hehe and it suits me well. This is where my students and I spent countless hours painting our hearts away.

Here is also where you will find me at any hour of the day...when the going gets tough... the brushes get tougher haha. My family know that this is my sanctuary and a forbidden zone for them!!! Don't anybody dare remove anything from here... or all hell will break loose...yup!yup!yup!


Another corner of my organised clutter. Here sits all my UFOs waiting patiently for me to complete them....some of which have been there for ages!!! Oh well... one fine day I'll get back to them... when the mood and inspiration comes (which incidently is hard to come by nowadays *sigh*)

Aah...here in this corner is where all the finished projects will sit...waiting patiently for their rightful owners to claim them. It's kind of empty now...because I've been busy being lazy!!!

From then on it continued

So to continue the story...

From the first brush strokes...from the agony and frustration of wondering why my strokes don't look like how they are supposed to be... up to now....I do believe I have evolved and bloomed and is actually very proud of my work. I now teach from the comfort of my home from a little corner of my dry kitchen to anybody who is willing to learn... may it be just for fun or otherwise. It is a forbidden area for the rest of my family. Don't anybody dare touch my 'organised' clutter!! haha You know what I mean.... hands off my organised mess!!! hahaha

Anyway... I was encouraged to sell my work and though I didn't have much faith in myself then, I took the challenge my friends gave me..."Nora, sell your pieces la!!" I'm glad I took the challenge. I set up stall at Mont Kiara Craft Market on Sundays for a whole year in 2000 and from there I met and made new friends. Needless to say I managed to create a network of friends and clients, many of whom have become firm friends for life. Love you all.... your presence complete me.

It all began one fine day

I was a school maarm, teaching Biology for 18 years before I decided to call it quits. A long story there but to cut it short... with so much free time on my hands, I started to pamper myself with doing nothing! Hey! I am now after all a lady of leisure...don't need to get up early to beat the jam just to be in school before the bell rings! But that didn't last long. I've been kept busy doing God-knows-what all these while that I felt I was going bonkers with doing NOTHING!! Nope... I don't think I can ever be a lady of leisure in the true sense haha.

I've always loved crafts...any kind... and I dare say I'm well adept at most handcrafts... you name it... I may have tried it. Cross-stitch, silk and ribbon embroidery, patchwork and quilting, applique, floral arrangement, mosaics, paper-clay modelling, smocking, designed and sewn children's clothes to name a few. I'd even done all the interior finishings for my own home. However, nothing gave me as much pleasure as decorative painting did since the day I tried my hand at it.

I'm a scientist, trained to be observant and accurate. I never knew I'd the flair for art but believe you me once the bug gets you there's no stopping to all this. I'm still learning and searching for new techniques. To this... Sandie... thank you....and to you my friend... as you read this, it simply means that you are now a part of my world. Welcome to my world of colours...

Nora says Hi!

I'm not even sure how this works but I'm game to try. This is for all decorative painting lovers....esp my students and friends.

I seem to be typing for ages haha... thought I'd saved em all...but after previewing and apparently satisfied... started clicking to what I thought is a safe button... but haha... hey presto.. where did all my typing go huh??? *sigh*

So hang on there ya... I'm still trying