Hati Malaysia

Q1 : Please Introduce your hometown, Cameron highlands. It must be such a beautiful place rich in flora & fauna.

A1 : Cameron Highlands district situated in Pahang State, bordering Perak and Kelantan State. It is surround by beautiful greenery jungle and  yes, it is  rich with bio-diversity natural heritage. The plateau are highlands famously known for it tea grower here, and 2 main tea company are BOH estate and Bharat Tea Estate. The cool weather here are enriched in farmland, nurseries, lakes, river, wildlife, jungle trekking,  mossy forest as well aborigine settlement.  Since the early discovery by British surveyor William Gordan Cameron, the highlands are known as cooling resort  for British officer at colonial era. Therefore, most bungalow and private property have a distinct look of English architecture namely the Tudor style. One that stood out and tourist spot in Cameron Highlands are The Smoke  House Inn. It still a boutique hotel and still continue tradition of English tea drink.

 Q2: Can you tell us about the drawings you shared with us. What kind of flowers/plants? Are they famous and unique to your hometown.

A2: The drawing are collection of different plants and species that uniquely can be found in highlands. The symbol flower of Cameron Highlands are roses, as it grow well here. Another well known  flower are Raffelesia,  largest flower in the world that can be found in SE Asia. My favorite flowers are the Slippers orchid. The common that can be found in the wild are Paphiopedilum Barbatum. There are quite a number of cases about deforestation here in highlands mainly illegal farming. Several wild species begin to decreased in its nature habitat.  I often include slippers orchid as subject in my drawing to help awareness about this beautiful orchid. Two of other slippers orchid are paphiopedilum insigne and paphiopedilum lowii. Fern are diversity in highlands. Of many shapes and size , it intrigue me to sketch different type of fern here. Most common to be seen are False staghorn fern - Dicranopteris linearis. If you travel from Ipoh city to Cameron Highlands via Simpang Pulai highway, along the route up to  the hill, these fern can be easily spotted as it grew abundance . Another common and can be easily found at the hill are monkey cup or pitcher plants  - Nepenthes. Passion flora – the vines plants are another my favorite subject to draw. Most common to be seen and there are grew wild are Passiflora ligularis. 

Q3: When did you start drawing? When did you start making postcard?

A3: In 2009 , I start exchange postcard thru mailart community . Mail  art are movement centered on sending small scale works through the postal service ( postal art or correspondence art). I begin to draw for my mail art. I needed to learn better – and found a book about drawing on postcard by Japanese artist, Takako y. Miyoshi . I love it so much, and learning to paint thru the book. With mailart  I begin to do experiment of postal service , trial and error, more drawing and more correspondence . In 2010, thru online , I came across a non profit organization global community of artists that practice drawing on location in cities – Urban Sketchers (USK) . By 2011, I join the urban Sketching Penang. I enjoy and love sketching on site  with this community.  I will travel 5 hour from Cameron Highlands to Penang island so I could join the group sketchwalk that often be on Sunday morning. Every sketching  gathering or event , I sketch on postcard and  sketchbook. It became my medium to sketch on postcard and mail it back to myself. Just as sketchbook or drawing, my postcard sketch are a record of  subject I draw , a collection of stamp I used, and about the postmark the post office it get thru. It about communication and connection.  In a way, my postcard became a ’ moving gallery’. It may take a long time to reach to me back, so is learning about something. It takes time, make it most memorable in life thru the process of it.

Q4: What are the themes of your postcards?  Flora and fauna, town, building, people?

A4: My most main subject in postcard (print) are flora and fauna. I love sketching anything botanical. I’m  fascinate about the flower cultural. Another subject that I draw are memorable or recognize building , heritage site or anything about tradition and cultural.

Q5: Where can we get your postcard?

A5: Most of my print postcard  are in Penang Island. Few places such as The Tropical Spice Garden, D’Habitat Penang, Hikayat Bookshop, Gerak Budaya Bookshop and The Postcard Shop at Lebuh Chulia.  As well my postcard page FB: Marni Zainodin.Poskad

Q6: Please provide us your brief profile. You have an experience staying in japan under Air Program ya?

A6: I am a Illustrator , and postcard sketcher.

In Sept 2018, I was accepted  for art residency in Kofu City, Airy Yamanashi. My residency are a month long. It was very memorable and great experience of residency. My main subject are  postcard with Japanese postal . I sketch everyday on postcard , buying stamp , visit post office and mail it back to art residency. A moving gallery Japan edition ! The subject are various from building, food, flower I found in walk pavement, or even tea box I buy at supermarket! There always something to sketch in everyday life.   

https://zafigo.com/stories/zafigo-stories/month-as-resident-artist-in-kofu-japan/