By Aida Aziz
IPOH: Inheriting her drawing talent from her father, Nurul Adlina Desa, 19, began exploring her deep interest in the arts while continuing her studies at Kolej Tingkatan Enam Seri Putera (KTESP).
For her, drawing without genuine interest will not take an individual far, especially when the arts are sometimes viewed as an uncertain career path.
Because of that, she said she has worked hard since entering Form Six, as it was there that she gained much knowledge from experienced teachers, including completing her final projects.
“I have been very interested in art since I was young, but I really started putting in serious effort to deepen my involvement in this field when I entered KTESP.
“If you want to draw and create art, you really need passion. Some people see drawing as a waste of time or think there aren’t many career opportunities in this field.
“My teachers always remind me to try it first and cultivate interest within myself, because if you don’t try and truly appreciate it, when will you?” said the youngest of seven siblings.
Adlina, who is now in Semester 3, received the Best Student Award at the Semester 3 Visual Arts Exhibition titled ‘Putera Perennial and Wall Sketches’, which was officiated by the President of the Perak Artists Association, Datuk Ahmad Lothfi Ibrahim.
She presented a project painting titled From the Market to the Soul, created using acrylic and emulsion paint on canvas, with collage techniques incorporating batik patches.
The theme was chosen because it resonates closely with Malaysian society, depicting a woman wearing a kebaya and batik sarong against the backdrop of a night market.
When asked about her future plans, she said she hopes to further her studies in fine arts at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and aims to become an art teacher.
“There is a lot of technology we can take advantage of. I personally search for ideas through social media and applications.
“We need to prepare a portfolio first and plan the techniques to be used and so on, especially to attract the public to better appreciate the art we produce,” she added.
