Art on the cards Hari Raya cards by Khainifa. Khainifa with her artworks.
Khainifa created her own designer cards because she felt that people have missed out on sharing many special moments following the Covid-19 pandemic last March.
I have not seen my close friends and I miss our usual meet-ups,” she said.
“I want to share the missed moments through writing (to each other) on a Hari Raya card,’’ said Khainifa, who started crafting cards in 2008.
She has also released art-inspired “Duit Raya” packets.
“It’s like writing a love letter. We spread the love to our loved ones through our words.’’
THE first lockdown in March last year inspired Dinesh Rao, co-owner of Tray Cafe, to start exploring popular Asian recipes. On his Instagram account, .
Lau is an artist and a part-time lecturer. - Picture courtesy of Puah Chin Kok
ART heals both the creator and the viewer. True to these words, Alicia Lau finds a sense of healing throughout the creative process of making her abstract art and fascinating sculptures.
Art is a perfect medium for self-expression for Lau, whose artwork reflects her inner emotions.
“I like the idea of being able to express myself and my very personal thoughts through the journey of artistic creation,” she said.
In her artworks, Lau accentuates vertical and horizontal lines, gaps and colours on the canvas to communicate her emotions, feelings, point of view and her state of mind through artistic expression, using mediums such as strings.
A rare talent Hongyi with her artwork titled ‘Fish Imprints’. – Picture courtesy of David Yeow
MALAYSIAN-BORN international contemporary artist Red Hongyi conveys social messages through her artworks. Last May, she created #SeedsOfHope – a series of portraits using seeds to honour people who have brought hope, and “I am not a Virus” that highlights racism against the Asian community during the pandemic.
Known as an artist who paints without a paintbrush, she pushes the boundaries by experimenting with materials one would never have thought of using or incorporating in an artwork, while challenging herself to explore the different types of art – from painting to photography to food art.
Creative inspiration Santhi with some of her homecooked dishes. – PICTURE COURTESY OF SANTHI RAJBARR
CHEF Santhi Raj Barr makes it look simple, whether she is cooking aromatic Asian or Western cuisines.
The home chef (with a TV show) can whip up a dish within minutes, but when she cooked for the first time, she took five hours to complete one dish – sotong sambal.
Now, self-taught Santhi has become a cooking guru to many. – PICTURE COURTESY OF SANTHI RAJBARR
Who inspires you in terms of cooking?
It’s without a doubt my amazing mother, Pushpa Rani. She’s a traditional cook who whips up some of the most amazing and hands-down best-tasting dishes that always gets me craving for more. She has always encouraged me to add a twist to her recipes. Honestly, after having my home-cooked meals, I always crave for her cooking, which warms me up from inside and makes my day better. I must say that her consistency to shower love and care through the meals she prepares has ta