Lecturer's schoolboy passion for painting sees fruition
BACHOK: A lecturer's passion for painting since he was a schoolboy has seen fruition in the opening of his digital art gallery at his ‘hut' in Beris Lalang, here, since March last year.
Associate Professor Ahamad Tarmizi Azizan, the founder and owner of SENDI Studio & Gallery (SSG), said his efforts to use the digital platform paid off when the gallery he set has managed to exhibit not only 500 of his personal digital works but also of local and international talents as well.
Ahamad Tarmizi, who is currently a senior lecturer and also the former dean of the Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), said the artworks on display involve 35 artists from 14 countries – Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Senegal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, the Philippines, Ukraine, Hungary, Mexico, Ecuador and Turkey.
“I have long wanted to have my own art gallery but prior to this it had to be postponed due to some constraints including work commitments.
“However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic since last March which affected all community activities, especially in the field of arts, it prompted me to take full advantage of the digital platform as well as to set up the first digital art gallery in Kelantan,” he said when Bernama met him at his gallery in Kampung Beris Lalang, here.
Elaborating further, Ahamad Tarmizi said he invested more than RM50,000 to own and build his own art gallery in the additional space of his residence including digital equipment to pursue his dream in digital art.
“Among the advantages of this digital artwork is that I can work anywhere and anytime, and no longer have to carry a brush or canvas as in the traditional way. Now, I only will need to use digital devices such as the iPad by downloading editing applications like Procreate to work.
“In addition, digital artwork can also be produced in a short period of about two to three days depending on the resolution and visual size to be produced compared to traditional art that takes longer to produce depending on the intricacy of the work to be produced,” said Ahamad Tarmizi, who also produces works in the traditional form to meet the demands of art lovers and collectors.
He said digital art is interesting although it is not exclusive, but each work can be repeatedly printed on a quality canvas as well as it can provide a double source of income to artists in this field.
“Every digital art produced can be sold for as low as RM200 but it can reach up to RM1,000 depending on the aesthetic value and theme of the painting, and also visual difficulties involved,” said Ahamad Tarmizi, whose work focuses on cultural heritage themes and portraits.
Ahamad Tarmizi said that during the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the Conditional MCO, he also actively carried out creative activities and organised international exhibitions virtually and physically including the ongoing SENDI International Art Exhibition Serie 1, from Feb 1 until March 30.
He said the inaugural international art exhibition, in conjunction with the opening of SSG, also involved some of the existing works on display at SSG, apart from all those exhibited virtually via SSG's social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and at Maya Art Space Gallery.
Interestingly, these works are also sold to artwork collectors, government and private agencies as well as private individuals.
“As much as possible, this exhibition aims to cater to local and international artists in order to remain active during these challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic and MCO. In fact, this exhibition is also expected to serve as an eyeopener for the local community and Malaysians that one is able to generate a lucrative income in artistic abilities if implemented seriously.