Browse Tag

KajoAsks

#KajoAsks: Turning memories into embroidery portraits with Olumis Thread

Published on

Looking back at the historical applications of embroidery, this form of needlework was often seen as a mark of wealth and status.

For example during 18th century England, embroidery was a way for women to convey rank and social standing.

It was also a sign of high social status during the 17th century in cities such as Damascus, Cairo and Istanbul.

However, when machine embroidery and its mass production started to become famous, the need and skill of hand embroidery became rare.

Thanks to visual media such as Pinterest and Instagram, there is a brand new interest in hand embroidery

These contemporary embroidery artists have given this art once a breath of fresh air by allowing the younger generation to appreciate this particular art form.

Embroidery is no longer just a pastime for grandmothers to kill time between chores.

One of these young embroidery artist is 23-year-old Judith Liow Su Mie.

She is the brain and hands behind Olumis Thread, an Instagram account showcasing embroidery work and offering customised services.

This Sandakan-based embroiderer turns human portraits into embroidery, giving people a fresh and unique way to preserve their memories.

Olumis Thread 5 1
Let Olumis Thread helps you to preserve your graduation memories.

She is also an inspiring example of how young people nowadays creating their own paths when there is no opportunity available for them.

Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to ask Liow a few questions about her work on Olumis Thread.

KajoMag: How and when did you learn embroidery?

Olumis Thread 1

Liow: I started sewing since I was 13 through cross stitch. After that, I continued my studies in fashion design at a vocational college.

From there, I learned the basic ways of sewing embroidery like french knots, backstitch, bullion and so on.

Unfortunately, I had to drop out of school and go back to normal schooling until after SPM.

I stopped sewing embroidery until I decided to continue my study in fashion design again.

Throughout my journey as a fashion design student,I learned basic sewing embroidery again.

However, I didn’t think of being an embroidery artist at that time until I graduated and returned to my hometown.

It was difficult for me to find a job in fashion here in my hometown, Sandakan.

This made me decide to start my career as an embroiderer so I started sewing full time since November 2019 to this day.

KajoMag: How would you describe your embroidery style?

Olumis Thread 7

Liow: My style of embroidery is more to design texture. I’m more interested in making embroidery that involves texture so I use french knot technique.

However, I also want to make my designs different from other embroiderers.

I was thinking besides using my skills in Photoshop and editing, I want to try out in portrait embroidery.

At the same time, I didn’t want my portrait embroidery to be ’empty’. So, I added a little floral design to it to make it look more attractive and unique.

Besides that, I make sure that none of my clients will have the same flower designs. Hence, my every creation is specifically designed to each client.

KajoMag: Walk us through the process of making a commissioned work from a client? How long does it take you to finish one project on, let’s say, a 23cm hoop?

Olumis Thread 8

Liow: I will first edit the pictures that the client wants me to sew.

When they are happy with my edited picture, I will ask them what type of frame and design decoration they want.

This is also subject to availability of the frame or threads. For the design decoration, the majority of my clients gave me permission to use my own design.

However, there are clients who provide their own designs that they like.

If they want to follow my design, I will do a review first before making a mock-up for their reference.

After they agree, I will provide a price as well as the payment process. I start sketching on the fabric only after the client makes the payment.

To start, I will trace the portrait I edited on the fabric and begin sewing the outline.

Usually, it takes me 150 hours to make a 23cm diameter hoop. If the design is complicated, it will take a little longer.

KajoMag: Tell us about your most favourite embroidery work you have done for a client so far?

Olumis Thread 6

Liow: My most favorite embroidery work is of course the portrait embroidery.

This is because the different combinations of textures make me feel excited to get the work done. Even though, editing client photos is one of the challenges I face because each of their pictures is different in terms of light and the picture they provide.

KajoMag: Are there any embroidery artists you look up to in particular?

Liow: Yes. I’m interested in Shimunia who does scenery embroidery. Her work is amazing with different textures by using very striking colours.

I also look for Charles Henry’s Instagram because of his very inspiring works. The portrait embroidery that I made today was inspired by him.

KajoMag: Do you have any dream embroidery project you want to do in the future?

Olumis Thread 4

Liow: Yes. I would like to have workshops for children between the ages of 6 and older who do not have enough money to learn sewing especially in the rural areas.

But before that happens, I plan on doing workshops in a few different places to further my brand and recruit some people to help me reach my goals.

KajoMag: Any advice for those who want to earn income through embroidery? 

Olumis Thread 3

Liow: It is not easy to make money from doing embroidery business, but at the same time it is not hard to do it. Try to find your own style and identity. Yes, it does take years to achieve your goals and it is okay if your sewing is not perfect as a beginner. Keep practicing and you’ll get there one day.

Olumis Thread 2

Follow Liow on her Instagram Olumis Thread and Facebook Junni-lynne.
Check out other stories for KajoAsks here.

You might be interested in

#KajoAsks: UINAH Ginger Beer, the beer that won’t get you drunk

Published on

With just 1.1% alcohol content, UINAH Ginger Beer does not qualify as an alcoholic beverage, according to the Non-Alcoholic Beverages regulations 362 to 384, 386 and 386A under the Food Regulations 1985.

So, this beverage is the perfect drink to be enjoyed in copious amounts especially now when the weather’s slightly warmer.

‘Uinah’ is Sabahan slang for ‘wow’. UINAH Ginger Beer was first launched in 2018 at Jesselton Artisan Market in Sabah.

It is made from ginger from Tambunan valley in Sabah and its other key ingredients include filtered water, citrus lemon, sugar, probiotic yeast and carbonation.

This ginger beer does not contain artificial flavouring or chemicals and has probiotic properties – which means it is good for digestive system.

KajoMag got in touch with UINAH Ginger Beer as we are curious about this thirst-quenching product.

KajoMag: When and how did your interest in brewing ginger beer start?

Uinah Ginger Beer
UINAH Roselle Paradise (Picture source: UINAH Ginger Beer)

UINAH: Our founders, James Wong and Matthias Liew, are Sabahan boys with a love for quality craft beverages. A few years ago, they started brewing ginger beer as a hobby and found they had a knack for it; wherever they went, people loved it!

So, in 2018, they started UINAH Premium Craft Beverages, and we offer two products: UINAH Ginger Beer and UINAH Roselle Paradise.

KajoMag: Can you tell us what makes UINAH Ginger Beer different from other ginger beers?

DSC8007 2
The ginger is from Tambunan, Sabah (Picture source: Uinah Ginger Beer)

UINAH: Our flagship beverage, UINAH Ginger Beer, is unique because we use some of the spiciest gingers in the region found in Tambunan, Sabah. This gives our ginger beer a spicy zing with a Bornean twist that sets it apart from other brews.

KajoMag: For those who have never tasted it, how would you describe UINAH Ginger Beer?

Uinah Ginger Beer
Enjoy the beverage on a sunny hot day! (Picture source: Uinah Ginger Beer)

UINAH: Our ginger beer is spicily refreshing! With a crisp and cool finish, it’s not overly sweet and the tartness of lemon balances well with our ginger’s strong kick, making it a great choice for Borneo’s sunny days. What may surprise you, though, is that our ginger beer is also sought after on cold, rainy days because ginger warms the body.

 KajoMag: What was the most memorable comment you received when you first launched?

UINAH: James remembers a time back when we first began. We had run out of stock when he received a phone call from a lady who was in confinement after having delivered her child.

“Where’s my ginger beer? I need my ginger beer,” she was saying, because apparently our ginger beer had been keeping her body warm and she was relying on it. Of course, it is a tasty drink too. That opened our eyes to the fact that there were other markets we could reach out to, like mums in confinement!

KajoMag: What dishes or flavours would you recommend to pair with UINAH Ginger Beer?

happy06
The ginger beer can be paired with a variety of delicious food (Picture source: Uinah Ginger Beer)

UINAH: UINAH Ginger Beer pairs extremely well with what we call pusas in Sabah: finger foods such as barbecued chicken wings, fried dumplings, satay, roasted wild boar (sinalau bakas) and grilled fish (ikan bakar).

We’d recommend it with some of Sarawak’s favourite dishes such as ayam pansuh or tomato mee. Our Ginger Beer goes well with Asian flavours, so wok-fried noodles with all the finishings or a hearty curry would be yums. For a Western palate, we’d recommend pub grub like burgers and fries, crispy-skin fried chicken and good ol’ fish and chips.

KajoMag: Where can one find Uinah Ginger Beer?

UINAH: You can find UINAH Ginger Beer at most supermarkets as well as at select cafes, restaurants and hotels in Sabah. We’ve also expanded to West Malaysia, so you’ll be able to find us in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang or Malacca.

KajoMag: Will we get to see Uinah Ginger Beer in Sarawak?

UINAH: Yes, we’re definitely hoping to bring UINAH to Sarawak. We’ve got our eye on Kuching, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu in 2020, so stay on the lookout for both Ginger Beer and Roselle Paradise.

Fingers crossed, we’ll be hitting your shelves soon. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll even be available at your Rainforest World Music Festival!

You might be interested in

#KajoAsks: Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu, the online cooking class for those who struggle in the kitchen

Published on

When it comes to cooking traditional dishes, for most millennials, the struggle is real.

From struggling to identify the right ingredients and cooking traditional dishes a certain way, when cooking in the kitchen, there seems to be a lot going on when preparing food.

But for Sabahan Pison Jaujip, it is his love for his homeland and traditional food that first got him started on his own online cooking channel, “Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu” on YouTube.

Ropuhan Di Tanah Wagu
(Image source: Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu)

Pison started posting traditional and exotic local dishes on his channel, “Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu” in 2016 as an homage to his homeland and traditional Sabahan food.

Ropuhan Di Tanah Wagu
(Image source: Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu)

“Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu” means “kitchen for young men” in the Kadazandusun language.

Among his recipes are ‘ikan liking lada putih’, ‘ayam goreng tuhau’ and durian petal with losun (local spring onion).

At times, some of his recipes incorporate traditional ingredients with well-known – if not western recipes – thus creating fusion recipes which perfectly blend unique elements of both Asian and Western ingredients.

Examples include Sabahan Sago Crepe with pisang Sabah and melted Chocolate and omelette.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CK36rIczTk

Apart from traditional Sabahan cuisine, Pison also his own delicious line of premium traditional jams (buga kantan jam, bambangan jam and tuhau jam) as well as non-alcoholic drinks (sparkling tarap, sparkling bunga kantan, sparkling tuhau and sparkling bambangan).

  • Ropuhan Di Tanah Wagu

And since we at KajoMag love food, we managed to get in touch with Pison of “Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu” and ask him what happens behind the scenes.

Q: What inspired you to start Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu?

Pison: I wanted to reintroduce the food our ancestors used to eat to the modern Sabahan. It bothers me that there are so many youngsters that have no clue about our local traditional cuisine and how to prepare it. It also bothers me that our food scene in Sabah is pretty much influenced by other prominent community style of cooking.

I also wanted to share new and improved local tradition recipes with my fellow Sabahan and to convince them that our produce are on par with imported goods.  It is to let people see that Malaysian food is not just about the Malays, Chinese and Indians.

Our local food deserves equal attention and exposure too.

Q: Where do you learn all the recipes from?

Pison: Most of the traditional recipes I learnt from my late grandma, while the fusion recipes are from me.

Q: What was the first recipe that you made for your video channel?

Pison: Kinahut Sangop / Cucumber salad

Q: When filming your videos, did you first practise the steps in preparing your dishes or were they all done spontaneously?

A: They were done spontaneously because I’m very familiar with these dishes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiqbDhs5HTY

Q: To date, how many recipes have you posted online and do you have any personal favourite recipe or videos? If yes, why?

Pison: I think I’ve made more than 30 videos so far and my personal favourite is Pinarasakan Koruk because I grew up eating this dish. I remembered catching this koruk fish in the paddy field with my late grandma when I was a little boy. It was fun catching the fish in the mud. 

Q: What was the most difficult recipe to prepare and film?

Pison: The most difficult recipe is Butterfly pea chicken ceviche; I had to find the freshest of chicken in the market. I also shot this video handheld while my other hand was preparing the ceviche.

Q: I am curious about you ‘mayonnaise tuhau’. To those who only watch your videos (but haven’t tried cooking your dishes), how would you describe the taste and what were people’s reaction when you first posted about it?

Pison: It actually tasted like normal mayonnaise, sweet, creamy and sour but a little bit spicy with tuhau flavour. Many people were shocked at first with the tuhau mayonnaise video. Most of them were curious with the taste.

Q: Are there any traditional recipes that you want to try but yet to post online?

Pison: I wanted to try making smoked meat using traditional methods.

Q: If you have the opportunity, is there any local Sarawakian dishes that you would like to learn how to cook one day?

Pison: I would like to try cooking Kelabit nuba’ Sepi-ung (rice cooked inside pitcher plants) and Kiran Pinidang or Narar (sundried Bua’ Kiran)

If you want to learn more about traditional Sabahan dishes, check out his Facebook, Instagram or Youtube channel.

You might be interested in

KajoAsks: Pops and Pints, your not-so-typical everyday ice-cream

Published on

Instead of vanilla or strawberry, would you try Terung Dayak flavoured ice-cream or even a sago smoothie if you had the choice?

While this may sound a bit far-fetched for you, for Sabah-based ice-cream creator, Pops and Pints, they thrive on creating a list of intriguing and bizarre flavours.

popsandpints 1
Image source: Pops and Pints

For Pops and Pints, conventional flavoured ice-cream like vanilla and chocolate weren’t interesting enough, they chose to infuse their ice creams with local flavours instead.

popsandpints 10
Image source: Pops and Pints

And that is why dessert enthusiasts will enjoy their exciting new flavours.

Based in Kota Kinabalu, Pops and Pints was co-founded by siblings Yapp Khin Enn and Yapp Shin Enn and their friend Jude Limus in 2017.

popsandpints 12
Image source: Pops and Pints

The idea of Pops and Pints first started when Kihn Enn was previously studying in Australia when she began experimenting with cooking different food.

For Khin Enn there were so many things that she wanted to eat, but it was too expensive to eat out and so she started experimenting and making her own food.

And when she got back home, the weather was so hot that she tried turning all those ideas into cold food.

As of now, Pops and Pints specialiseS in providing delivery of their products to events and local shops.

For the love of quirky food, KajoMag managed to get in touch with Pops and Pints to ask about their creative confections.

Q: How many flavours has Pops and Pints created and could you give us some examples?

popsandpints 3 1
The Asian Flush – strawberry and bunga kantan with ginger biscuit crumbles

We have about 40-50 flavours to date. Some of the famous ones are Asian Flush (strawberries with bunga kantan), Asam Laksa (this needs no explanation and is very familiar to Malaysians), Culture Shock (yoghurt with granola), just to name a few.

Q: What was the initial reaction when you first came up with the idea of launching Pops and Pints? Were people sceptical or open to the idea of unconventional ice-cream flavours?

popsandpints 8
The M.O.B. – Mango on Berries

There was a mix of reactions. Generally, people know ice cream as something sweet, so when we introduced flavours less known to the public, some were sceptical but some were adventurous. Some enjoyed, some gave it a try, some did not like it. It’s fine because everyone has their own preference.

Q: What is the most peculiar ice-cream flavour that you has come up with and how would you describe the taste?

popsandpints asam laksa
Asam laksa flavour ice-cream

Asam Laksa is definitely one of them. It’s an eye catcher. Sweet, savoury and a little spicy.

Q: What is the most memorable comment that anybody has made about your ice-cream flavours?

popsandpints 11
The Smokehouse, topped with beef brisket, infused with French ice cream

The genuine reaction of people who tried some of our more interesting flavours and really liking them. Especially the flavours that they never thought they’d see in the form of ice cream.

Q: Will we ever get to see Pops and Pints in Sarawak?

popsandpints 6
Surprise Paradise – pineapple with Sichuan pepper and Uinah Ginger Beer

Hopefully.

Q: If you have the chance to open a Pops and Pints in Sarawak, what flavours would you consider creating for local customers?

popsandpints 4
Bambangan coconut ice cream with tuhau serunding sprinkled over

We would definitely love to work with local ingredients that are familiar to the locals. For instance, we made a Bambangan flavoured ice cream, which we believe is called asam embang/ buah mawang in Sarawak, and that drew some attention with the locals here.

To know more, check out their Facebook and Instagram page.

You might be interested in

KajoAsks: Going behind the DJ deck with Nick Dhillon

Published on

Knowing how much festival goers are still pumped up for more music even after the performances at Jungle and Tree Stages end, Rainforest World Music Festival introduced the DJ After Party Stage in 2019.

One of the DJs who took over the mixers during the festival this year was DJ Nick Dhillon from Kuala Lumpur.

Covering music genres from EDM,  RnB, Hip Hop, Commercial, retro, Afrobeat and Bolly/Bhangra, it’s no wonder this electronic music producer was brought in for RWMF.

Deejaying since 2003, DJ Nick has released a few singles with artists from Denmark, UK, India, Portugal and Malaysia.

So far, DJ Nick has performed all over Malaysia including Sabah, Johor, Malacca, Penang as well as other countries such as Singapore, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

DJNick Profile 64
Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to ask DJ Nick Dhillon on his inspiration and what goes on behind his DJ deck.
IMG 20190722 WA0006
DJ Nick Dhillon on his deck.
KajoMag: When did you start DJing and what or who were your early passions and influences?

Nick Dhillon: Basically, I started to learn how to DJ at 9 years old. I got inspired by my father who was a DJ/stage performer back in the day. When I was about 10, I always wondered how people made music. While listening to music on the radio, it just struck my mind – like how did music get created? I then did my research slowly with a lot of attempts. Today I make my own music and I DJ to it.

KajoMag: What are currently your main challenges as a DJ?

Nick Dhillon: My challenges are to get my music heard to a large audience and how to start well, maintain and end well during a set. I’ve set up a goal and the goal is to always do better in every gig I get as I move along.

KajoMag: How you decide to play a particular record during your sets? Is there a criteria other than pure subjectivity for selecting what to play at a gig?

Nick Dhillon: Basically, I usually prepare my set every time before my gig. I listen to new music or similar sounds of what I usually play during my sets. Sometimes I get an original track and remix it and then play during my set. Though the main actual selection of songs during my set comes on the spot while looking at the crowd response. 

KajoMag: Do you feel a crowd is actually able to appreciate the intricacies and complexity of DJing if they don’t really know what goes behind the deck? 

Nick Dhillon: Usually when I DJ, what I believe is in seeing the crowd enjoying the music. Though the understanding of you can’t please everyone with music is always there, the main aim is to catch the majority, especially playing the next song and seeing how they respond to it.

KajoMag: How much do you feel is the club experience or crowd response shaped by cultural differences? When travelling, do you take these cultural differences into consideration? What was your experience during RWMF, for example?

Nick Dhillon: Well, the club experience and the outdoor experience – especially at the RWMF – is very different.

I must say it was amazing. It’s difficult to express in words but just amazing. And playing the music I make, that is mixing traditional Punjabi instruments into modern beats. The reaction is unbelievable. Music does bring everyone together. And that’s beautiful. Though, RMWF is one of my best experiences DJing, without a doubt.

IMG 20190722 d
Nick Dhillon performing during RWMF 2019.
KajoMag: Care to share some of your future plans or dreams?

Nick Dhillon: My future plan is to always be consistent in music, I have plenty of new music coming up. That isn’t a remix, its original tracks I am looking forward to put up to the crowd. Also I’m working on an album.

I’m an electronic (EDM) music producer. I mix electronic music elements with some traditional Punjabi/bhangra elements that’s more what it’ll sound in my upcoming music releases. I look forward to more music festivals around the world to share my music with everyone.

Check him out on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and official website.

All photos courtesy of DJ Nick Dhillon.

You might be interested in

KajoAsks: Erpha Ahdayani on selling Barbie gowns internationally from her Bintulu home

Published on

Erpha Ahdayani Othman, 42, might look like any stay-at-home mother in Bintulu. However, most people would not know that she actually creates gowns for Silkstone Barbie dolls, selling them to customers all over the world.

Unlike the everyday Barbie doll, Silkstone Barbie dolls are collectible items made of harder plastic (called Silkstone) to mimic porcelain, and they are specifically fashion model toys.

So far this mother of two has produced hundreds of gowns for Silkstone Barbie dolls with the largest order received from the United States.

Sewing a small gown is completely different from sewing a human-sized dress. According to Erpha, a difference in one millimetre can make a huge difference. Additionally, the stitching pattern should be correct in order for the quality of the gowns to be maintained.

Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to ask Erpha few questions about her craft.
Erpha Ahdayani 3 1
Erpha and her barbie doll gowns.
KajoMag: How long have you been sewing? 

Erpha Ahdayani: I started sewing when I was 8. Even back then my early sewing was for dolls. Later, I learned sewing from an aunt and since then I had been sewing for my siblings and my mom. 

Years passed and after I finished my studies in UiTM in 1997, I worked for a while.

When my baby was born in 2004, I decided to take care of my baby boy at home. That was when I picked up my sewing skills again and took orders for making baju kurungs.

After many years, I learned a new hobby, which is smocking and decided to focus on sewing for children. At the same time I kept on sewing Barbie dresses, only this time sewing for doll collectors.

Erpha Ahdayani 2
A close-up of one Erpha’s Barbie gowns, which is a sheath dress with a sweetheart neckline in Chinese brocade.
KajoMag: What was the most difficult part of starting your own business? 

Erpha Ahdayani: The most difficult part of starting my own business was when nobody believed in me. For example, when I tried to register my own company, the staff at the business registration office wouldn’t let me, asking me to just quietly sew at home. 

Luckily, my husband and my family believe in what I do. So I am so happy and passionate in what I do best – sewing!  

KajoMag: How do you balance your business and motherhood? 

Erpha Ahdayani: With self-discipline and punctuality. I never sew in my pyjamas and I will make sure that my kids are bathed and fed before I start work. Plus, my husband and I have our own duties when it comes to cooking and cleaning.

KajoMag: What advice would you give someone who wants to try their hand at sewing or smocking, but think they are not creative enough? 

Erpha Ahdayani: Just continue to learn and find your passion. Be patient and there is no shortcut to become a skilled needle-worker. Remember, practice makes perfect. Always.

Erpha Ahdayani 1
One of Erpha’s barbie dresses.
KajoMag: Your items have been sold all over the world. Care to share your most memorable customer feedback you’ve received so far? 

Erpha Ahdayani: I have had quite alot of positive reviews from them, Alhamdulillah. I am so happy when they mentioned the high quality of my workmanship and the material I choose to make each dress. 

All photos are courtesy of Erpha Ahdayani. Check out more of her work on her Etsy’s shop here and follow her on Instagram.

Read more about our KajoAsks stories here.

You might be interested in

KajoAsks: What drives Sabah-based skincare brand The Borneo Scrub

Published on

What is it like to start a fully online skincare endeavor in Sabah? KajoMag asked Casandra Timothy the ups and downs of running The Borneo Scrub, a 100 per cent natural skincare solutions and cosmetics brand.

Established in 2015, the brand focuses on using locally sourced ingredients in Sabah. Their signature – and most sought after -item is the Coffee Face & Body Scrub.

Cass
Casandra Timothy
KajoMag: What sparked your interest in starting The Borneo Scrub?

Casandra: My husband, Azel, is a typical caffeine and coffee addict, he can’t live without his coffee and his multiple caffeine boosts. So one day out of the blue I joked about making a skincare product with the coffee he usually drinks (Ground Tenom Coffee). He said why not, I went ahead and made some scrub with ingredients we had on hand and the husband was also the first human guinea pig for the product.

The results were impressive even for the early unrefined batch. His skin, which was always dry and flaky had instantly transformed into baby skin after washing off the scrub. The rest of the family members became additional guinea pigs, then friends. They then started asking whether I was selling it and the rest is history.

KajoMag: What is the best part of running The Borneo Scrub?

Casandra: The best part about running The Borneo Scrub is seeing the reaction of people when they have tried your product. Seeing actual validation and approval of your handmade product, seeing how it amazes people is an indescribably good feeling and it still feels the same even now.

Another equally great part is meeting other entrepreneurs, business owners, all these people and social connections that would have never existed for us if The Borneo Scrub didn’t exist.

I know it should be one thing only but I have to say, if The Borneo Scrub did not exist we also wouldn’t have tried participating in business pitch competitions. It was a whole new level of learning and experiencing. My husband in particular really enjoyed this.

KajoMag: There is a rise of local SMEs using locally sourced ingredients to make skincare products in Malaysia. How do you deal with the competition?
unnamed
Coffee Face and Body Scrub


Casandra: Competition is very normal. We honestly don’t worry about it a whole lot because we believe the customers can tell the difference. Furthermore, word of mouth and actual reviews tell the best story.

When we started to be more commercially active within Sabah, and Kota Kinabalu particularly, there were about 3-4 local home made businesses selling the exact same type of products e.g. natural body scrubs.

We all did our own thing, focused on quality and customer service. We never had any issues (that we personally experienced) with competition. The way we see it, as long as it can help the market grow and get the public more interested in home made products with local ingredients, no one really loses out on anything. Plus, we elevate the whole supply chain.

KajoMag: Can you name a moment of failure in your business experience that you learned from or that helped you improve your business or the way you work?

Casandra: For us, we don’t consider it moments of failure. This was because when everything is done and settled, and we look back and reflect it’s actually just ill made decisions that didn’t work out very well. One particular situation was acquiring a commercial property as a specialized production and retail HQ.

Seeing that we are a home based enterprise, after some months we realised we were losing money to a place that we rarely even used. Having your own store or place to sell your stuff is great and everything but it’s arguably not the most effective way, depending on your product and customers.

So after a few months we decided to let the place go. We lost a moderate amount of money due to renovation costs, tenancy contract etc. But looking back now we really did learn a lot from there.

unnamed 2
The Borneo Scrub’s Cazel’s Face Oil
KajoMag: Care to share any long-term goals for The Borneo Scrub?

Casandra: One of our targets is to be one of the must-have souvenir products for tourists to try, to buy and to gift to friends back home.

We’re currently supplying our products to Kadaiku (under Sabah Tourism Board) and souvenir chain stores in KK. We also have agents servicing various states. Currently it is going very well and next step is to partner and collaborate with beauty spas.

We also plan to diversify products, we had a few different products in the past. Unfortunately, the amount produced was not much due to high cost. Nonetheless, we have received great feedback on them. So we plan to pursue this option when we are able to.

In addition, at times we aren’t able to cope with the demand from souvenir stores since our products aren’t made in factories in large batches. Thus, we also hope to solve this problem (good problem to have) when we are able to.

unnamed 3
The Borneo Scrub’s Lip Care Line

You might be interested in

KajoAsks: Making a social impact through art with Mary Anne Vaz

Published on
/

Self-taught artist Mary Anne Vaz was born in Penang, but she has called Sarawak home since she married her Kelabit husband.

She uses various mediums in her art including batik, acrylic, water colour and pastels.

A prolific painter like one of her idols Vincent Van Gogh, her work has been exhibited in various places such as Lingnan Museum of Art in China, Pustaka Miri and Saradise Gallery, Kuching.

She now teaches both young and old from an art center at her home.

Not content to just paint, she, together with her art students, have started a social project whereby proceeds from sales of their paintings will go to buying story books for Penan children in Ulu Baram.

Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to learn more about the artist behind the paintings and her inspirations.
Mary Anne Vaz 2
Vaz and some of her paintings.
KajoMag: I understand that you started your journey in art as early as six years old. What do you remember about your paintings as a kid and what made you want to paint?

Mary Anne Vaz: I attended kindergarten where my teacher, a Chinese man gave me a chance to paint. I painted myself climbing a tree. Then I watched my brother paint big canvases with oil paints. I developed a style that was similar to oil painting in that I used very thick paints.

One day my dad told me, “You won a gold medal.” The concept of winning was not in my experience and I replied “ I don’t want a gold medal.” Then, it appeared on TV and in the news. It was the Queens Gold Medal. 
       
I didn’t have any art books or art teachers. All I had was paint, brushes and paper. But there was a book on the human anatomy. From there, I became interested in painting human figures. So, most of my artwork features human figures.              

I am fascinated with the hornbill dances of the Orang Ulu. Several of my paintings are on the dances, tribal attire, and everyday life of the Kelabits. I have also painted the legends of the Kelabits.

Then, I met the famous tattoo artist Ernesto Kalum. I became fascinated with his tattoos and have painted three paintings featuring him, one of them being “Warrior of Peace”.

KajoMag: How would you describe your style as an artist? Are there any painters that you particularly look up to?

Mary Anne Vaz: I am a symbolic artist. My paintings all carry deep messages. For example “ Warrior of Peace” which features Ernesto without his tattoos, without the sword, conveys the message that a leader must lay down his weapons and be vulnerable in order to lead his people to peace and face a brighter future.

I painted this after the summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un. The USA and North Korea meeting was to me a step towards disarmament. This is true courage. A warrior with no weapon is a truly brave warrior. 

I look up to several artists. The first one was Chuah Thean Teng, the Father of Batik, who showed that this traditional style of fabric painting could be fine art. I studied his techniques and created a style of contemporary batik with traditional processes.

The second one is Vincent Van Gogh. I collected books on him. He was a prolific painter and I identify with him as I am also a prolific painter.

The third one is Raphael Scott Abeng from Kuching. He inspired me as a friend and I find his paintings unique and witty social commentary.

The fourth one is Tan Wei Kheng. He is a dear friend; he stretched my first canvas and has always been supportive.

Pustaka produced an e-book on Tan Wei Kheng called Discover Sarawak and I was the researcher and writer of his art. He is also a symbolic artist; his paintings being social commentary and social documentation.

KajoMag: Are there certain places you feel most inspired to paint? If so, where?

Mary Anne Vaz: The place that most inspired me to paint was Bario. Twenty-nine years ago when my eldest son was born , my husband and I walked 12 hours through the jungle from Bario to Pa’ Mada to have the traditional name changing ceremony.

I remember the trees being tall and the floor of the jungle covered with a carpet of leaves. Later, I made a sketch of my father-in-law’s parang and its tree bark sheath.

I then painted it in contemporary batik style. It is now in the Sarawakiana collection of Pustaka Sarawak. I painted the fireplace in “Kelabit Lady” which was exhibited in China in the Lingnam Museum of Art in Foshan in October 2018. 

KajoMag: Can you name the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from being a part of the Sarawak art industry?

Mary Anne Vaz: The biggest lesson I have learned in being part of the Sarawak Art industry is that an artist must be dynamic, keep learning and growing. No doubt skills with brushes are important, but digital skills are vital to share our art and connect across nations.

Being multilingual is also important. When I went to China I prepared myself by learning to speak Mandarin.

Alta Moda Sarawak is a good example of how artists are being dynamic. Coming together to move forward. The leaders in Alta Moda Sarawak have created a bridge to tomorrow.

KajoMag: Care to share your hope for young artists in Sarawak?

Mary Anne Vaz: My art studio in Miri grooms young artists from as young as six years old. So, my hope is that parents take art seriously.

Give your child a chance to use the correct tools to paint. Give your child a good art tutor to mentor his growth. Let young artists develop their own style. I am happy that in my studio there are several young artists with very high potential.

I share my own techniques with them and encourage them to have their own vision. Parents have been very supportive in giving them time and resources to grow. What we need is more opportunities to exhibit the work of young artists.

KajoMag: Tell us more about your social project to buy books and reference books for the Penan children in Ulu Baram.

Mary Anne Vaz: My students and I started sending books to schools in Ulu Baram with the help of a friend who travels there regularly.

Each time my students sell a painting for RM50, they voluntarily donate RM10 to buy a story book. I also buy books that promote early reading such as books using phonics.

I will put about 20 books in a bag and give to my friend who takes them to the teachers there.

When I sell my paintings. I also buy some books for this purpose. I am thinking that story books are a source of joy, different from school books.
The Penan children and other children who live far from town may not have a chance to enjoy story books. Besides these, I have also bought encyclopedias for them.

About Alta Moda Sarawak

Interested viewers can catch Vaz and her works during this upcoming Alta Moda Sarawak.

To be held from March 7-9 at the old State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Building in Kuching, 24 designers and brands will be taking part in this event which aims to highlight the many colours of Sarawak’s cultures and diversities.

Check more of Vaz’s works on her website or follow her on Instagram.

You might be interested in