PURPOSE, PASSION, POISE - getting fame & fortune.. by doing what you LOVE doing in life.
The Art of Batik has come a long way from a mere handicraft, and today, it is in the forefront of my art world.
I consider myself to be an artist, a designer, and a “connector”. I enjoy working in both the art and textile industry. Presently, many people call me a Batik artist, textile designer and an entrepreneur- all in one package. I am a full time artist who run my own Batik business.
I began as a Batik painter after graduating as a matured student from Malaysian Institute of Art (M.I.A) in 2003. I have been working from home and have since developed a studio in my house. However, it was my dream to own a Batik gallery that would bring creative people together. Hence, I always feel good and satisfied with the work that I do each day, which is a measure of my success.
In 2004 and 2005, I brought together the traditional art of Malaysian Batik and Australian Aboriginal design, as well as the contemporary art of impressionism and abstract painting. I exhibited this mixture throughout Malaysia – shopping complex, hotel, art gallery, school, club, etc. The Media looked for me, featured me, announced me, and made people recognise me. Thanks to the media for that.
… To promote, encourage and support excellence in contemporary Batik Art.
…. To raise public awareness of modern Batik Art
I was fortunate to have a lot of help from my family and friends. Word of mouth or rather verbal advertisement is my best form of advertisement. I mentor people, teach classes, conduct Batik workshops and have Batik exhibitions. I like to look at different styles of art, see what colours they use and how they handle certain ideas. I go to local art shows to gain ideas from different people. I love this job very much because it allows me to be creative, gives me the flexibility to be mobile. Success for me means being happy and also doing something I love. In other words, my hobby has become my career.
I believe that being an artist and an entrepreneur is not an exclusive club. All it takes is passion, creativity and good old-fashion self-confidence. Once again, I challenge myself to improve and grow. This time, no more Australia and no more Asia, but it’s Europe. I tell myself, I have to be BRAVE and if I don’t try it, I will never know about the outside world. As for me, that truth seemed unattainable but the nagging feeling of having to look back in the later years and regretting the fact that I had failed to pursue my dreams kept me going on. The date, 27th March 2005, is still fresh in my memory because that was the day I packed my luggage; dumped all my art works behind and left Malaysia. It was the time when I finished my solo batik art exhibition and workshop in Grand Seasons Hotel K.L.
“ Emilia is also a courageous traveler; her adventurous trips include Europe, Asia and Australia. Undoubtedly, her interest in art is nothing but deep, profound and sincere” Soka Gakkai Malaysia monthly magazine COSMIC.
I had no plan in mind when I set off on my journey. The flight that I took stopped at Frankfurt, Germany the biggest airline transist stop in the world. Yes, that was when I set off on my Europe journey.
>From Frankfurt, Germany, I went on to Berlin. After that I arrived at Poland, where I found plenty of attractive and fascinating church buildings and I fell in love with the architectures of the ‘old town’. My journey took me to Warsaw, Poznan, Gnask and Crockow city. I was saddened by the news of the passing of Pope John Paul ll but considered myself fortunate to be there at that time... What I loved most there was the Polish architecture and the World’s Largest Salt Mine as well as the Poznan, Wraclow and Warsaw “Old Town” night lifestyle - the pub, the disco, polish beer, etc.
>From Wroclaw, Poland, I took the Ryan Air to London. I had one week to visit London’s museums and galleries. There was plenty to see there A great variety of races and cultures existed in that big city. I just could not get enough of the place but my time and pounds were running out so I left for Italy.
Milan is all about worldly pleasures. Shopping is almost a religious significance. Theater and cinema flourish in this fashionable milieu, so does a shopping hub scene and a slew of tempting restaurants. I spent my time in Duomo which is the worlds’s fourth-largest church. I arrived there early morning and left in the evening by train to City of Canals – Venice.
Italy is at its best in spring (April to May) and I was lucky to arrive on time even though the accommodation was a bit expensive as compared to during other seasons. The clusters of sights around the Piazza San Marco were heart-clutchingly beautiful. I was so impressed with the Murano glass paint and Venice’s masks art. Surely one day, I will come to Murano to learn glass painting and incorporate it into Malaysian Batik Art.
The history of Rome really impressed me! When the Rome Empire existed, where was I? That was what inspired the Batik Mosaic series. The series were done by adding the essential structural and skeletal elements of mosaic into Malaysian Batik where breaking marble into bits and placing the pieces onto brown paper has been replaced with breaking wax into pieces and placing them onto fabrics. All the art works are based on original designs concept and are very unique. People’ first reaction to my Batik + Mosaic art work is often to touch it, and I am always delighted by this response.
Vatican City, the world's smallest city, and here I come. I was lucky enough to catch the moment of the new Pope installation. People from around the world, gathered together. The small city was so crowded. The language, the dressing, the skin color, the hair style……even though this is the smallest city, I still felt myself as too small.
Spain Barcelona, the next interesting city. I am fascinated by the creative tension of using ancient techniques and traditional materials to make modern art. Yes, it is a very good example, Gaudi’s buildings and our Twin Towers. I have been inspired again.
3 weeks in France were not enough for me to completely visit all the museums and galleries. I really gained a lot of inspiration. Here my inspiration was bloomed and inspired me to do the Nature Touch series when I was visiting the French Garden.
Nature Touch series is strongly related to a sense of place and a connection to the land, seeing terrain in terms of its geology and topography. Nature Touch series reflect my fascination with an altered view of the earth on which we live, landscapes both familiar and unreal.
“I create Nature Touch series to express the way I see the world, how it is and how it could be.” Explained Emilia Kuala Lumpur 2006.
Besides traveling, being inspired and enjoying people’s country and city, I also had the opportunity to promote our Malaysian Batik by giving out my batik postcards, name cards, etc. I was lucky enough to get the attention of the Warsaw Poland Culture Centre, and was offered a contract by them to teach batik there after the journey. After the France trip, I flew back to Warsaw, Poland to meet up the Warsaw Culture Centre Exhibition Director Mrs. Qabriela Milowske Milowska. There I got an offer to conduct a batik workshop.
Later I set of my journey to visit to the Czech Republic, which is located next to Poland. Amazing architecture in Prague. Of course, I have not forgotten to pay a visit to my favourite Czech artist, Alfons ( Alphonse ) Mucha ( 1860 – 1939 ) museum. Mucha’s Art Nouveau style often features beautiful women and in giving recognition to Mucha, my Butterfly Lady series were inspired by Mucha’s painting.
Last but not least my website, www.tmsart.com is really helping me a lot. Just a quick tip to share with artists, designers and photographers...Build your personal website today if you don’t have one, it is the fastest way to let people reach your artworks and purchase your creativity. It is the most useful way to promote yourself, to tell people what are you exactly doing and also it is a cyber-based portfolio to reach every corner of the world.
To all the friends I met along my journey, I will never forget you!
“ it is not what I paint, but how I create it,” say Emilia, “so that it will belong to me and lead off to my own style.”
“in each work, she attempts to be original in concept, imaginative in treatment and brimming with action and life, characterized by rich and vivid colours of strong contrasts. Working with a heart intent on pure and true expressions, intuitively and spontaneously, she alternates between realism and abstraction, unifying her works by design ” Soka Gakkai Malaysia monthly magazine COSMIC 2006.
"To find a Chinese lady taking interest in batik painting may be hard, but finding a talented one who is naturally interested in using batik as a medium of fine artistic expressions besides being keen on bringing it to the world stages is nearly impossible. One such lady, though, is Emilia Tan " by Soka Gakkai Malaysia's COSMIC Magazine, 2006.
“Creativity stems from one’s innate ability to envision a whole new concept, and in putting her thoughts to work, Emilia Tan has shown that creativity is a wonderful gift to be born with.She used batik prints, weaving fine lines and dots by outlining them on fabric to create a new style by incorporating Australian Aboriginal Art.” Malaysia Newspaper STAR 2006.
"Substitute Art for beauty, and you understand Emilia Tan's approach to art. She is a truly talented Renaissance artist and also the exceptional one who is able to work in many mediums, including fabric. Her art is showcased, not only on someone 's wall, but on walking people all around us. The flow of her unique designs and the starting hues of her invented colours are available for all of us to delight in. She is a painter, a fashion designer, a clothes label for the elite, a friend of the PM's former much beloved wife, Endon, and most importantly she is unique. She is Emilia Tan" by The Expat Magazine Malaysia, 2006
"In a complex process of trial and error, Emilia Tan layers colour upon colour, material upon material, using wax and dyes to create luminous images of great depth and mystery. The drips and pools of color in Tan's dream-like imagery are the mark of an unpredictable medium; yet she maintains a superb balamce of design, fluidity of movement and expressiveness of form. With spontaneity of emotion, the shapes in Tan's work are in continual motion, sweeping upward in vigorous ascent, or falling brightly in delicate descent." by Agora Gallery New York Lyrical Abstraction Exhibition Press Release, 2006
"Emilia Tan, a young Malaysian batik artist, whose work is contemporary and multi-culture, successfully fusing Malaysia batik techniques with influences from Australian Aboriginal Art" by Malaysia Garden International School ACCESS Magazine, 2005
"Conservative no more! Batik designs have undergone a transformation in the hands of Emilia Tan, who incorporates Australian aboriginal and other abstract motifs in her works of art" by The Sun Newspaper, 2005
"Emilia Tan, a motivation, confident and enthusiastic batik painter, as a leader of the young artist nowadays" by Guang Ming Newspaper, 2005
"Emilia Tan who has a modern interpretation of batik. Her batik comprises a mixture of aboriginal art styles and batik. No one can predict the future, but one can sure that the future of batik will be as bright as its colours." by Batik Inspirations (featuring top batik designers) coffee table book, 2005.
"In vivid colors and organic abstractions of form, Malaysian artist Emilia Tan brings together the traditional arts of Malaysian Batik and Australian Aboriginal design, as well as the contemporary arts of impressionism and abract painting” by ART-MINE.com Art Resource New York, 2005
"Emilia's batik paintings alternate between realism and abstraction and naunced by impressionism and expressionism. Skillfully executed, the work achieves poignancy through a unique perpective that resonates throughout the cohesive presentation. Wonderful Work." by Ms.Angela Di Bello, Director of Agora Gallery New York and Editor-in-Chief of Artist Spectrum Magazine New York, USA 2004
MY EXPERIENCE AND AIMS
During the months of February and March 2006, I was in New York. That was when I began to make all the preparations to get involved in the exhibition. The exhibition was entitled “Lyrical Abstraction” and it was exhibited in Agora Gallery, New York, USA. I brought all my batik paintings along and displayed them in the exhibition. This mix-media of batik was a success story for me. However, I noted a lot of difference between European, American Art and Malaysian Art. The trip turned out to be an exhibition cum research trip for me. I observed and discovered various types of art in these countries. The cities of Chelsea and Manhattan were a huge eye-opener for me. Every part of the areas in those cities were very modern in nature. From the flight itself, it seemed that Chelsea and Manhattan looked like a never-ending ride..
August 2006 was like an achievement month for me. I started TMS ART GALLERY in Jalan Ampang AMP Walk Shopping Mall, in a joint-venture concept with Mustard Tree Restaurant. In August 2006, I also joined YTL Platinum in Star Hill. I am very proud of Star Hill galleries over there. Star Hill is filled with art and promotes art in lifestyle. The building concept and interior are amazing. Tan Sri Dato' (Dr) Francis Yeoh Sock Ping is the Star Hill gallery’s Managing Director and he is my idol. I am truly impressed and proud of his work and ideas in Malaysia. This makes Malaysia look diverse in the arena of art and lifestyle. It also makes others see Malaysia from a different eye point. I am keen to do the same and achieve standards such as Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Francis Yeoh’s, so that this will boost Malaysia's economy in the trade of art and lifestyle. A new and different approach into my journey was looked upon ever since.
The art in Europe is quite diverse as compared to Malaysia, as it includes a lot of contemporary art. I felt very small when I was there because of the vast art industry. I know for a fact that I have a long way to go as far as Malaysian art is concerned. There is a lot of catching up to do in the Malaysian art scene. United States is number one in economy as well as in Art, whereas, Europe is of excellence in the field of art. Thus, when I was there, my heart was very eager to explore and churn out ideas Malaysian Batik to stand at par with these countries
Breathing and living Batik..Greatly inspired by nature, Australia Aboriginal art and my own life experiences, my greatest wish is to open the eyes of others so they will view batik from different perspectives, not purely as art, but also something which they could live with..Batik, a process which leads to art..Art is life..
To learn more about my Batik Art, feel free to visit to (http://www.tmsart.com)