Beings / Johor Bahru

"The very being of human nature."

[canstudiojb]

Kicau Bilau / Tokok Tumbuh, Musicians

Please introduce yourselves!

Sejahtera! We are a husband-and-wife soundscaping duo called Kicau-Bilau. In our sessions I (Ngerfan) play a guitar which is accidentally engineered to sound like a sitar and a tenor recorder accompanied with an angklung, a Southeast-Asian traditional instrument made of bamboo, played by Jihan.

Our sessions are site-specific, which means without compositions or arrangements. That makes every performance different and can't be repeated.

"Kicau-Bilau" is a wordplay intended as an opposite to the Malay reduplicative word “kacau-bilau” which bears the similar meaning and linguistic trait of “helter-skelter” or “topsy-turvy”. Kicau-Bilau literally translates as ‘arbitrary chirping’.

Here's our website: www.kicaubilau.wordpress.com

How did you meet?

The year was 2014, Jihan met me when I was performing with my other band called Panklima in the streets of Johor Bahru, then we went to Penang to gain more experience and knowledge in the arts sector. Out of a sudden we got married then decided to form Kicau-Bilau in the year 2017.

How did you get into music?

At my family's home where I spent most of my childhood, there was a guitar and a keyboard too. Maybe I thought "hey, those instruments aren't gonna play themselves". Around the age of nine, I started learning few tunes from my brother which then sparked the curiosity to know more about the mechanisms of music. So it developed from there since.

Tell us about your current project (the land)?

It's a two-acres playground! Tokok-Tumbuh is a place to experiment with permaculture, homesteading, off-grid living and primitive methods! We are running this project with Wak Kang, a performance artist, activist, permaculture practitioner and also a harmonicist for Panklima. It is then joined by few friends from various backgrounds. We are hoping that Tokok-Tumbuh can be a community-driven space where people can gather and collaborate. We are currently building a 30-feet canopy with timber and digging a well which is already 10-feet deep but groundwater is yet to be found.

On the 1st of May, we launched Tokok-Tumbuh with an event called Hutan Jimba, where participants came to help set up and organize together.

Hutan Jimba: https://youtu.be/P-au652UepY

How did you learn about primitive practices?

We watched a lot of videos around the internet embracing the methods our ancestor used. Having the chance to utilize a big piece of land then made us furious to apply the techniques. But honestly, it isn't fully primitive. We also use some conventional tools and machinery such as chainsaws, wheelbarrows and others that are bought from stores to make the process more convenient.

Tell us a bit about some of the skills you use for building/cooking/surviving/living?

For structures, since it is an agricultural land, we aren't permitted to build a permanent building. But it's cool because we're only using mud and timber from the trees we have there to build.

Cooking will be made on stoves built with mud but right now we don't have water resource so we plan to harvest rainwater for cooking purposes because applying water from SAJ seems like a hassle for the time being. But the best thing is, the food are grown there. We've sown many seeds and transplanted many types of plants. Soon there will be free-range chickens!

Bantai Event at 11F

11F, Jalan Mariamah, Johor.

11F, Jalan Mariamah, Johor.

Where is your favourite place to travel?

We love Europe, because of the winter season. We're planning a three months tour there this October!

Whats your views on Johors creative scene?

Well, we just moved back to Johor few months ago after spending many years in Penang and a year in Melaka. The reason is because we felt a call and it's FINALLY safe to say that the scene is currently starting to grow healthy. It's not just us, many others who left Johor had also came back! As long as we keep on doing things together wholeheartedly, good things await.

Whats your plans for the next few years?

Right now we are just gonna focus on what we have in the present and make it an ongoing process. But we're sure there will be more amazing things ahead. We have never planned the projects we're doing right now but they came as a last-minute plan. Life really is full of surprises.

FB: 

Kicau-Bilau

www.facebook.com/kicaubilau

Tokok-Tumbuh

www.facebook.com/tokoktumbuh

Instagram: 

Kicau-Bilau 

www.instagram.com/kicaubilau

Tokok-Tumbuh

[canstudiojb]

Charlie Withers / Gamekeeper, England

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I’m a gamekeeper, on a traditional English shooting estate in East Sussex, I’ve been here for three seasons now. I started off as an apprentice 8 years ago and have since worked in the East Midlands and the Scottish Borders. 

What exactly is a Gamekeeper?

The roll of a Gamekeeper is to simply ‘keep game’ on an estate by the means of feeding gamebirds into certain areas, introducing and controlling the right habitats to encourage pheasant and partridge to thrive as well as controlling pests and predators which destroy habitat, eat surplus food and predate on the game birds.

My job role changes as the year goes on, the purpose of the gamebirds are to provide driven pheasant and partridge for clients through the shoot season (Partridge 1st September/1st February. Pheasant 1st October/ 1st February) although the preparation goes in months before.

Jobs include shooting and trapping foxes as they can easily kill hundreds of pheasants and partridge when they are young costing the Estate thousands of pounds.

I spend a lot of effort preparing and maintaining release pens for pheasants, as this is where they will be realised at 7 weeks old.

Maintaining woodland and game cover gives the birds somewhere safe to eat and most importantly drink throughout the summer time where natural and clean water is hard to find.

The best part about my job is having the freedom to do it my way, although the job is very time consuming and I work seven days a week it’s very rewarding.

Run us through a typical day in your shoes:

Every morning at first light I go off on my quad bike and drive around the entire estate boundary and push back the pheasants and partridge by running dogs, trained to fly the birds back home to where they were released and again in the evening before checking that the pheasants have successfully gone to roost and are not sleeping on the ground.  

I spend most of my time feeding pheasants, this is the main way of concentrating the birds into specific areas of the estate. we use hoppers strategically placed on the estate as well as hand feeding the pheasants by scattering wheat on the floor for the birds to pick at. Whilst the birds are entertained looking for food they’re not wandering off.

As part of my job we must also control the deer population on the estate, Sussex has one of the largest fallow deer populations in the country. Most of the deer that are shot end up being sold to the Game Dealer who buys and sells game all over the country, we provide to local pubs, putting venison on the menu.

What vehicles do you use to get about the estate?

When I’m working there are a wide variety of vehicles I use, predominantly the quad bike as it has the ability to go almost everywhere without leaving a mark on the ground. There is also a John Deere Gator  and a selection of different Landrover Defenders.

Do you have any hobbies outside of work?

When I have time away from work I make the most of it and spend it with my family. It’s important to leave the estate when possible as you begin to feel excluded from the outside world.   

I also have a project bike that I have been working on over the last few years, I picked up a late 80’s Honda 250cc twin that I have modified to suit my style, including shaved subframe and scrambler style seat, updated suspension, and custom two-into-one exhaust and new lights all round, braced handlebars, custom paint job, updated air intake system and handmade side panels. But still lots to do!

[canstudiojb]

Sam / SALT STUDIO / Hairstylist

Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m just a man who enjoys craft work , hiking and collecting memories.

above photo - flyer from one of 11f event : SELEPAS 12 TAHUN

Apart from your day job as a hairdresser/hairstylist, you’ve designed and built your whole salon from scratch. When and why did you begin to explore interior design? 2 years ago a couple of my best friends, Khang Yong, Jiun Kang and I began the renovation of 11F. The house was abandoned 12 years ago and was only left with the walls and roof. Almost 50% of the revolution work was done by ourselves. We completed the project in in one and half years. I learnt a lot renovation skills in that period.

I spent 2 months designing and renovating Salt Studio, all the renovation work was done by myself and friends; Khang Yong , Ernest and Alan. Only the Air-con was installed by professionals.

Tell us about your space, as it’s quite a different location/ vibe from the usual salons? Wood furniture, plants, natural light and vinyl always bring the good vibe.

How does your space reflect your personality/ creativity? Just come to visit my space and you can feel it...haha...

What has the response been from customers, new and old? Mostly all of the customers like the old furniture and decorations, old stuff brings up a lot memories for them.

Are there things you don’t allow in your space in order to be more productive? No....

What is your favourite music to work to? Stay alive by Jose gonzalez https://youtu.be/NucJk8TxyRg

流浪者之歌 by cheer chen https://youtu.be/SygkJv51Ixs

70X7 by Mateus asoto https://youtu.be/gr1T4kDaSjM

What’s your favourite area/ item in your space and why? The single vintage sofa below the hanging plant, the attic and the copper made standing cat.

Tell us about Repurposing old furniture, recycling etc? Where do you get your ideas? In the past, many people had skills to repair rather than repurchase, they didn’t used to throw it away, they'd fix it. Nowadays people just throw things away unnecessarily, like relationships too?! For me, all the old furniture is like gold. "One mans trash is another mans treasure!"

What is your favourite city/ Country and why? Has it inspired any of the design in your salon? New Zealand, the place changed my life (I’m did a working holiday there for 1 year) Also Himalaya, Nepal, the place let me feel how small I am in this world. Lastly, of course Jb Malaysia, my roots.

What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? It’s getting better and better....good thing take time....

What’s next? Only god know.

@saltstudio_11f

@sam_saltstudio_11f 

@11f____

[canstudiojb]

Ash Chan / Unique Expired / Hairstylist

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I’m a hairstylist, at Unique Expired which I set up with 3 other partners in 2013. I also set up Sea & Saw cafe with other friends. My passion is also horticulture.

我的工作是 hair stylist 在2013年和三位朋友创立了unique expired 之前也有和朋友开过 Cafe Sea & saw 喜欢收集植物品种 succulent, air plants, ferns, monstera, bonsai都喜欢

(Above - Unique Expired Logo - Below - Sea & Saw Cafe)

Who influenced you to explore interior design outside of your day-job as a hairdresser?

Many years ago my friend Sea Wong introduced me to vintage styles and furniture, and I started collecting as I began to know more. Gradually I developed my own sense of what I like in design.

很多年前通过（seawong）接触到vintage家具，就开始兴趣收集，也开始上网观察研究，就这样慢慢有了自己喜欢的设计概念

Tell us about your home and how you grow your plants.

Different plants need different environments to thrive, light, temp, moisture, ventilation, conditions always vary. That’s why I divided my space into three “areas”; indoor, semi-indoor, and outdoors in strong sunlight, and I plant seasonal plants accordingly.

不同植物需要不同生长环境，光照，温度，水分，通风，都不一样，所以我分三个区城，室内，半室内，和暴嗮，三个地方种不一样属性的植物

How does your home reflect your personality and creativity?

I love the sun, nature is comforting to me, that’s why I prefer vintage wood furniture, plants and sun. A lot of butterflies will come to my indoor patio during the butterfly season.

我喜欢阳光，自然，舒服，所以用了很多木制vintage家具和植物，还有大量阳光

 What kind of music do you like to listen to at home?

Depends on my mood. Mostly indie music like kings of Convenience, David Bowie, Yellow Days.

看心情 Indie 为主 Kings of Convenience,  David Bowie，Yellow Days 都喜欢

 Whats your favourite item or area in your home?

My semi-outdoor patio, where it’s cool, I can hear sounds of water flowing, watch the rain, and sometimes even birds will come visit. It’s very therapeutic.

半室内的地方，通风，有水声，能看见下雨，有小鸟到访，坐着很疗愈.

Whats your favourite country and why?

Japan, Thailand - I love their culture and friendliness/attitude.

日本 ，泰国～喜欢它们的文化和态度

Whats your view on JB's creative scene?

Needs more people who are focused and determined.

需要更多执着的人

If you could spend the day with anyone who would it be and why?

With loved ones. Because I can be happy anywhere with them.

心爱的人，因为到哪都开心

Whats next?

To start a family 成立家庭

https://www.facebook.com/uniqueexpired/ @uniqueexpired 

https://www.instagram.com/uniqueexpired/?hl=en

@ash.lifeofplants @uniqueexpired.ash

[canstudiojb]

Jarrod & Tanya: Sailing Chantilly

Tell us a bit about yourselves.

Tanya:  “I love travelling, and had been for the past 2 years before I met Jarrod. In Australia I travelled across the country working at music and food festivals, I have a great passion for live music! My background studies include tourism, event management and hospitality. Jarrod and I met in Darwin 2016. Before we met I got a job living on a sinking historical vessel called Alfred Noble. My job was to pump the bilge to keep the boat afloat after it had been refloated. Meanwhile, Jarrod was looking for crew to join him on the Darwin to Ambon, Indonesia... yacht race. The funny thing is... We met online on a dating site called ‘Plenty of Fish’.  After 1 week I moved onto Chantilly, his yacht, and never looked back.

Jarrod: “I've had Chantilly since 2011. In 2013 I sold my company, rented my house out, and moved onto Chantilly fulltime. I then began my travels, leaving the Goldcoast Queensland, Australia I head north sailing around Australia heading for Darwin. It took about 2 & a half years to get there. I stayed at some really amazing places like Whitsundays, all along the Great Barrier Reef and Cairns. I then settled in Darwin. Where I met Tanya. Apart from sailing my other hobby is motorcross. Before we left Darwin, we travelled to Alice Springs in the middle of Australia as I contended in Tatts Finke Desert Race, the largest motocross race in Australia, which is a 1500km race in harsh desert country. Two months later we sailed away from Darwin Australia in a yacht race called Darwin to Ambon Yacht Race in Indonesia.”

Tell us about your boat

‘Chantilly’ is a 42foot Lagoon catamaran made in France. Living full-time on a live-aboard boat is the most freeing experience anyone could endure. Our boat is like our own country, we can travel all over the world and take all our possessions along with us. We make our own power and fresh water, the only real expenses we have is food, fuel and maintenance on the boat, believe me it's not all cocktails and sunsets! There is a lot of hard work that goes into owning a boat. All the hard work pays off when you arrive on an uninhabited island in the tropics with crystal clear water, soft white sand and an underwater world full of bright coloured coral and amazingly beautiful fish. We love snorkeling, diving and spearfishing, yet we only catch what we can eat. Sometimes we are out for hours in the water, it's such a peaceful and relaxing place to be, it's like another world down there.

While we were with you, after a long night of drinks and a huge bonfire on the beach, we found ourselves caught in a storm where we became unanchored in an empty bay, it was very impressive to see you both get the boat back to safety. Tell us about how you deal with the ever-changing weather conditions.

The weather does play a big part in our daily routine while living on Chantilly. We usually watch the weather patterns in the region we are in and make a decision to pull up anchor and move to a calmer anchorage if the weather gets rough. However, sometimes you may not have a choice but to stick out a storm and sit tight. At the beginning of 2017 we were up on the border of Myanmar and Thailand and we got hit by lightning while we were on Chantilly, a very scary experience, the damage done was expensive and extensive. We had to sail for 3 days down to Phuket to get the boat fixed as all our navigation equipment blew up from the lightening. Repairing the boat took a lot of time and money to fix. Insurance is important when owning a boat, it is important to have it.

What kind of music do you like to play whilst sailing Chantilly?

Usually while we are sailing we love listening to reggae island music or old school classics. We love laying on the trampoline mats on the bow of the boat with a cold beer and cruising tunes while the sound of waves splash through the hull of Chantilly, sometimes we even sleep there under the stars.

What do you get up to when you’re not on the boat?

When we do get to an island or mainland of a country we also love doing land travel. We have a Yamaha wr450 motorbike on board Chantilly that Jarrod recently got sent over from Australia, it's a road and trail bike so we can do a lot of off road travel too.

Whats your favourite item on The Chantilly?

Tanya:  “Apart from the trampolines, ducky is our favourite toy on the boat!”

Where’s your favourite place you’ve sailed to? (so far).

Our favourite place that we have sailed to would have to be Indonesia, we have been back 3 times now. When we left Australia we spent 3 months sailing through the Indonesian Archipelago, from East to West. In 2017 we sailed to Sumatra and now this year we have made it to the island group of Anambas which is in-between Malaysia Peninsula and East Malaysia/Borneo. There are around 250 islands here, and no tourists, so we are loving it. Most islands are uninhabited and the water clarity is unbelievable, best we have seen so far! That's what we love the most, dense jungles, white beaches and clear water.

(Above: Jarrod & Tanya hanging their hammock under the boat.)

Why were you harboured in Puteri Harbour, Johor Bahru?

When we sailed back into Puteri Harbour it had been 2 years since we were there last. We contacted our friend Aarti and spent about 3 months there organising a website and preparing videos from our years of sailing edited for our new Youtube sailing channel which should be launched in December this year.

During our stay we met so many people, mostly expats who work in the region of Johor Bahru, we have made so many great friendships there, friendships that will last a lifetime. We also met a few sailors from around the world doing what we are doing now.  It's interesting to find so many people buying boats and sailing the world, we usually meet each other in marinas and then again somewhere along our travels. The sailing community is such a vast community, we learn so much about sailing from each other. A lot of sailors who buy a boat when young never look back at living in a house again, some have been sailing for more then 30 years.

(Above) Certificate from Tanya’s mother’s sailing days. Tanya received the certificate from her mother when she past away in 2016. Her mother was Russian but was born in China. The family had to migrate as the Japanese where invading, she sailed to Australia in the 60s. Chantilly will someday sail to China to where it all began.

Where are you sailing to next?

So after we sail around Anambas we will sail over to East Malaysia, stopping in Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Labuan, and finally Kota Kinabalu. We will also take our motorbike across country too. After Malaysia we will sail over to the Philipines. All of these destinations will all be new waters for us, we are really excited to sail and explore these fascinating destinations.

Jarrod & Tanya are working hard with their editing team to bring you along on their journey by launching their Youtube channel later on this year. 

For now, you can follow them on instagram @sailingchantilly and look out for them on your travels! 

[canstudiojb]

Tim Sharp: Radio Presenter & Co-Founder, Botanic Records

BFM.MY, www.botanicrecords.com

Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m originally from New Zealand, grew up mostly in Australia (both countries are ‘home’) and have spent the last five years in Southeast Asia.

Outside of my day job, I’ve presented a weekly new music radio program for the last eight or nine years - including Into the Blue on BFM 89.9 since 2014.

Another current project is Botanic Records: an independent record label I run with Zulamran Hilmi dedicated to championing and cultivating new music from around the region, and which we launched in 2016.

How did you first get into radio? There’s a phenomenal community radio station in Sydney called FBi 94.5. After a couple of unsuccessful applications I started volunteering as a breakfast radio producer and was really just thrilled to be there doing anything at all. Eventually I began hosting the infamous ‘graveyard’ shifts from 1-6am, drank a lot of Red Bull and then one day received a call asking if I’d like to take on The Bridge – FBi’s longstanding Sydney music program - which I then hosted twice a week for the next few years.

FBi is an amazing station with a mandate to play 50% local music and I loved every minute of it. When I moved from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur I was determined to keep a foot in radio and eventually the dial landed on BFM 89.9, which is itself an inspiring current affairs-based station operating in a very different socio-political climate but with strong local ties and a desire to move Malaysia forward. As great radio should.

Independent radio can also be a vital contributor to a city’s cultural pulse and so I pitched an hourly music program focused on putting local talent on the same stage as cutting-edge new music from the rest of the globe. That became Into the Blue and several timeslots later is these days a two-hour weekly show running on Saturday nights. We’ve welcomed some major guests (including the likes of Thundercat, Tycho and Philip Selway of Radiohead) but the end-game is still to support new Malaysian and regional music as much as possible.

Every minute on radio is a responsibility and using these platforms to support independent musicians is one of the most meaningful things an FM station can do. There’s enough Top 40 out there!

What is the purpose of your studio? It’s funny because it’s quite literally a studio apartment. The essential task was to house my record collection and to create a space to record from when I couldn’t get to a radio station in person. The key parts to it are modular; things plug in and out and I can scale the setup right down into a backpack if I need to record an interview or a show on the road.

How does your studio reflect your personality? One of my favourite concepts is the idea of a feedback loop where learnings and experience from one project inform the next and so on until you are able to balance multiple jobs or roles in a relatively natural way. Which I think is something you’d hope to see anywhere you need to work, live and play in the same space.

Because space is a luxury, there are certain layout decisions that create a sort of puzzle where everything does seem to fit together in that feedback loop sort of way. For example; I will often write a report for my day job while auditioning music for the radio show in the background, or try and practice an idea for a DJ set as a sort of study break from the depths of a spreadsheet. I can’t quite make a cup of coffee from the turntables, but it’s pretty tight!

Are there things you don’t allow in your studio/space in order to be more productive? Over time I’d hope to learn to own less ‘things’, which does seem odd when you’re lugging something like a record collection around. But space is at a premium, for sure, and so new additions to the studio do stand out if they don’t have some sort of utility.

What is your favourite music to work to? I’m always reviewing the next week’s radio show and try not to feature individual tracks more than once, so there’s a lot to get through each week to program two hours of new music.

One quirk of the space is that there’s usually music playing, but rarely from the same source. At the moment I’m really loving Mary Lattimore’s new album on cassette tape (‘Hundreds of Days’ via Ghostly International), Jimi Tenor’s new LP on vinyl (‘Order of Nothingness’ via Philophon Recordings) and a long Bandcamp Wishlist streaming through my phone. There’s a Jamaican dub poet Nazamba with a new release on there and I'm also enjoying the new Seven Davis Jr EP. It’s all happening.

What’s your favourite area/item in your studio and why? My turntables: a pair of 1997 (approx) Technics SL-1200MK2 which I bought second hand from a Malaysian wedding DJ who’d had them spray-painted white at a car body shop. Eventually he'd hung up the headphones and parked them in his dad’s basement for what seems to have been a long time. They're being put to good use again now, but recounting the whole process of finding, dusting them off and now the odd DIY repair makes me chuckle everytime.

What’s your view on Malaysia’s creative scene? Malaysia has incredible creative talent across a stack of industries from design to music to film and beyond. I think we can improve on connecting the dots and forming communities instead of waiting for recognition or some sort of taste-making approval to keep pushing boundaries or innovating. Which is a trap we all sometimes seem to fall into.  

All the ingredients are here to set innovative, creative agendas; but it would be such a shame if we don’t connect the dots. Whether you’re making music in a bedroom in PJ, painting out of a garage in Ipoh or shooting photography in JB, there’s literally nothing to lose by sending an email, or reaching out to someone doing something inspiring. Personally, I’m really excited about the next few years of creativity in Malaysia.

What’s next? We have one more release on Botanic Records for 2018, which I’m very excited about. I’m also working on something exciting in radioland. Watch this space!

Hear more from Tim here:

Into the Blue airs Saturday nights 9-11pm on BFM 89.9 Kuala Lumpur or online at BFM.MY. 

Weekly podcasts are available on the BFM website and app.

https://www.bfm.my/podcast.html?qseaid=&pseaid=17778&iseaid=all&dsseaid=&deseaid=&tag=&prg=

[canstudiojb]

Linda Hao / Designer / Yesah

Tell us a bit about yourself. (background/ studies/ hobbies ....) I was born in Shanghai China and have moved to Singapore since the age of 8. Having a creative family background, I grew up being curious and intrigued about all things hand-made using traditional skills and techniques. Upon graduating from Apparel Design, I decided to start my own fashion label - Yesah.

Art, music and design are the main constants in my life and I take on different roles working on anything allows me to express myself in any of these mediums.

Who influenced you to explore the creative path? No one in particular. I just knew what I wanted and I’m very thankful to have a family who supports me of anything that I do.

What is the purpose of your studio? Creating a space to live, love, create and breathe. Essentially it’s like my secret cave where I can spend days exploring/experimenting my ideas without getting disturbed or spend nights gathering with my favourite people and share intimate moments with.

How does your studio reflect your personality/ creativity? It’s like a collection of everything I love and created. Literally, my studio showcases how much I love life and it’s spectrum of colours.

Are there things you don’t allow in your studio in order to be more productive? No, but I do have my specific set of routine before I start working on anything. Like…putting on hot water to make a nice cup of tea and clearing up my workspace to start everything fresh! To be productive is to be undistracted in a calming state for me.

What is your favourite music to work to? It depends a lot on my mood and the type of work I’m doing. Mostly chill vibes like Engelwood or slightly dramatic like The Olympians. Basically any music that allow my imagination to flow.

You can check out all my Spotify playlists here:

https://open.spotify.com/user/1195255053?si=_eftlAaySC-mE2fr3vAzfg

What’s your favourite area/ item in your studio? My sofa, plants and the external living area.

What is your favourite city/ Country and why? Shanghai China cos that’s where I’m made 😊

What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? It’s getting more and more exciting with a new generation of youths getting more and more creative, starting to express themselves through various platforms. It’s fresh and young and got a lot of potential for the years to come!

If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why? I always want to spend a lot of time with my grandparents as they’re getting older and older, so I’m actually going back to China very soon for a long visit!

What’s next? Life and it’s surprises!

http://yesah.net/

https://www.facebook.com/yesahhyesahh/

@lindahaoliyuan

[canstudiojb]

Ireen Tan / Creative Soul & Wanderer

Tell us a bit about yourself: I majored with a multimedia diploma, but somehow I realised it is not my correct life path, so I choose to follow my voice of inner-self, and let my imagination run wild and create handmade-craft.



Who influenced you to explore handmade arts and crafts?
 My mum, she used to be a tailor when I was kid. I was amazed by her skills to create things at home.



What is the purpose of your studio?
 I like ‘togetherness’; to do things I like with others, and to have a space to interact with them at the same time. Another core target is to let the public know the actual value of handmade art compared with the mass production.


 How does your studio reflect your personality/ creativity? If I have to categorise, it might be considered ‘urban bohemian’ which reflects my crazy, wild spirited character.



 Are there things you don’t allow in your studio in order to be more productive? 
My ultimate laziness.



What is your favourite music to work to? 
King Krull, Sales, Willow, Ella Fitzgerald. 



What’s your favourite area/ item in your studio? 
EVERYTHING hahaha

!

What is your favourite city/ Country and why?
 There's a small town up on a hill 2 hours away from Chiangmai, named Pai. It’s a beautiful place to go and fulfill my ultimate laid-back lifestyle.


 What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? 
It is still in progress towards maturity.

 If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why? 
My mum, I miss her everyday since she passed away.

 What’s next? No plan is a good plan.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/missireenhandmade

https://www.instagram.com/msireenhandmade/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Ireen-Craft-Vintage/319143138606315

[canstudiojb]

Mui - Chef

We caught Mui at his second restaurant BAM, in the last few weeks of service (photos below). This year Sprout has appeared at ‘pop-up’ locations all around Johor Bahru, you might have caught him at Senibong Cove? Much to our delight, he is focusing on reopening Sprout, by the end of the year with a new contemporary twist. 

MUI

Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Mui and I come from Kulai, Johor. I studied culinary arts at Taylors University at Kuala Lumpur. I spent 5 years cooking in Singapore, 5 months training in London and Oslo and the latest project that I have been doing for the past 2 ½ years is my restaurant Sprout, in Johor Bahru.

Tell us about your first restaurant, Sprout? Sprout is a contemporary restaurant that has a strong influence on Asian cuisine using modern cooking techniques and presentation.

(Photos above from @sprout.jb instagram)

Who influenced you to explore in the kitchen?  I love reading cookbooks from different great chefs on how they run restaurants in their own ways and of course through social media. Reading about different chef’s and their kitchens truly influenced me, and I felt motivated when I got to know more about their stories.

How does your kitchen reflect your personality/ creativity? The kitchen is almost like a home for chefs like us, its the place we feel most comfortable, relaxed and excited at the same time. We like to show our concept to our guests through our food, beverages, and service, to create memorable dining experience.

Photos below taken at Mui’s second & more casual restaurant, BAM.

Flipping burgers at BAM

This is Joseph, Chef and business partner.

Is there anything you don’t allow in your kitchen in order to be more productive? No, there is such rule in my kitchen, we are working on a daily basis and try to improve ourselves from tiny details such as the taste, the presentation, the temperature of the foods, etc.

What’s your favourite kind of music to work to? Soft music that allows me to stay focused and quiet while working in the kitchen.

What’s your favourite item in your kitchen? Bbq griller

What is your favourite city/ Country and why? Kyoto, Japan because its has amazing scenary, amazing foods and culture.

What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? JB has great potential on the creative scene but it takes time for people to stand together to show how great the city is and it just might take some time.

If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why? Wenny, my girlfriend and also my best friend to talk to, best companion to travel with, and has some of the best taste buds I’ve ever known.

What’s next? Get Sprout on the right path, and showcase our creation to JB.

*Photos taken at BAM, which has now been closed to allow Mui to focus on reopening his first restaurant, Sprout. 

[canstudiojb]

CURLY / BAKER

Tell us a bit about yourself. I feel like I’m from somewhere beyond time. I failed every subject in high school. I like to bake, have plants, and collect retro and unusual household items and furniture. Sleep is the best meditation.

Who influenced you to explore baking? My cousin.

What is the purpose of your studio/kitchen? I love to have friends over and cook for them something I enjoy to eat. My space is an open-concept kitchen. Open for anyone to come and share their skills with others and to enjoy flavours and stories from around the world.

How does your kitchen reflect your personality/ creativity? Always go with the flow.

Are there things you don’t allow in your kitchen in order to be more productive? No, it’s an open space to share ideas and creations with others.

What is your favourite music to work to? Toxic - Britney spears, Sammi Cheng － mei fei se wu (眉飛色舞） What’s your favourite area/ item in your kitchen? Definitely the orange microwave and the black and white checkered tiled wall.

What is your favourite city/ Country and why? Johor Bahru.

If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why? His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama

What’s next? Who knows?

@bonbonbakerycafejb_, @thenameisbon11,@11f___

[canstudiojb]

Ernest Goh - Artist / Photographer

Tell us a bit about yourself. (background/ studies/ hobbies ....)  I started out as a newspaper photographer covering news stories ranging from crime scenes to food reviews. It is one of the best jobs in the world to learn about the crazy world we live in. After that I freelanced for various international news agencies and publications before focusing on making visual artworks about the natural environment. That led me to explore the art of taxidermy which had fascinated me as a child. It was my time living in London that I decided I wanted to learn the art form first hand.

Who influenced you to explore taxidermy? The natural environment. Specifically my fascination with looking at the details of the natural world. Taxidermy offers us a unique opportunity to study a specimen up close.  

What is the purpose of your studio? A refuge to explore and create.

How does your studio reflect your personality/ creativity? It’s eclectic, nostalgic and irrelevant. It has bits of cultures of the world that trigger my eyes and hands into creating.

Are there things you don’t allow in your studio in order to be more productive? Narrow mindedness.

What is your favourite music to work to? Bob Marley - Three little birds Oh Calypso (我爱卡拉苏 - Wo ai ka li su) - Grace Chang (葛蘭 - Ge Lan)

What’s your favourite area/ item in your studio?  Polly and Wally, the two taxidermy ducklings.

What is your favourite city/ Country and why? Too many. Any city with good food and good company.

What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? Lots of hidden talent!

If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why?  Lonesome George, the Pinta Island tortoise of Galapagos. What better way to explore the Galapagos than with one of it oldest inhabitants.

What’s next? Ridding our natural environment of plastic. It’s great that the conversation of plastic pollution is getting heard but it needs to get even louder.

www.theanimalbook.com www.instagram.com/theanimalbookco

[canstudiojb]

VANSHA - Illustrator / Graphic designer

Tell us a bit about yourself. (background/ studies/ hobbies ....) I am a traveller. I have been hopping around places for the past 7 years being the irresponsible human being that I am. I eat more than I should. I watch at least one movie a day. I am agnostic.

Who influenced you to explore graphic design and illustration? I've always loved to draw, the decision was really a no-brainer. Having studied in both Fashion and Filmmaking taught me to be curious and explorative, so I am always in the quest for new stuff to do.  

What is the purpose of your studio? It's a place to work, read, enjoy a brew, chitchat with friends, and rest.

How does your studio reflect your personality/ creativity? My studio is pink, created in contrast to my personality. I am very black and white and grey.

Are there things you don’t allow in your studio in order to be more productive? I try very hard to avoid food in the studio, but friends are bringing in food daily and I have a housemate who is a pastry chef...

What is your favourite music to work to? Goldfrapp's Felt Mountain, Nirvana's Unplugged in New York, Sheena Ringo's Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana, Massive Attack's Mezzanine, or anything by Radiohead.

What’s your favourite area/ item in your studio? My books! And right now my favourite is probably the one I illustrated last year in Japan.

What is your favourite city/ Country and why? I've lived in Manchester and Kyoto, so they will always have a special place in my heart. And of course Johor Bahru, because it's home.

What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? I disagree when people say JB doesn't understand creativity, but we do lack the diversity and appreciation. In JB, commercial value and "public acceptance" reign over almost everything. People remain conservative when it comes to different art forms or styles. But we are definitely catching up fast, which is very exciting to see.

If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be and why? I've never really thought about that before. I like when life gives me surprises.

What’s next? Although my job title says graphic designer I never see myself as one. For me there is a clear difference between graphic design and illustration, although they do overlap sometimes. So what's next would be to focus more on my illustration work, and continue to learn and discover new things.

contact vansha - [email protected]

[canstudiojb]

PETALS & TWIGS, Ming & Sky

Tell us a bit about yourself. We are both graphic designers who met in New Zealand. In 2015, we made up our minds to return to Malaysia. We both wanted to share our experience and passion for floral and fauna. That was how it began, the founding of Petals & Twigs. Together with our experience in graphic design it helped us achieve a trained eye for colour, texture, form and balance in our floral and botanical styling. 


Who influenced you to explore floristry? My family.




What is the purpose of your studio? Our studio is a place where we get to escape from our usual chores, work and stress. It’s also the place where we can relax and do what we love.

How does your studio reflect your personality/ creativity? The surroundings reflect the greenery and foliage that we fell in love with and the studio’s natural light brings us joy whenever it touches on anything we are working on. 


Are there things you don’t allow in your studio in order to be more productive? No not really.


What is your favourite music to work to? We normally play our music through Spotify, but most of the time we listen to Folly & The Hunter, Lewis Del Mar and Bombay Bicycle Club.  




What’s your favourite area/ item in your studio? Our green marbled work desk.


What is your favourite City/ Country and why? There’s no place like home. I love being back in Penang, Malaysia where I can visit the botanical gardens and also Penang hill. I get inspiration from the landscape of colours from tropical plants and flowers. 

What’s your view on JB’s creative scene? I think JB lacks of its creative scene and I’m glad that Can Studio is helping us put together BEINGS so that we are able get to know all the creative people around JB and hopefully we will get to plan out something together in the near future.

What’s next? We would love to bring P&T to the next step ahead. Challenging the limits of being a florist. Soon we will be introducing what we’ve been planning.

@petalsandtwigsstudio

http://petalsandtwigs.co

https://www.facebook.com/petalsandtwigsstudio/

#petalsandtwigsstudio

#beingsjb