IREKA CARES ORGANISES BATIK-PAINTING FOR RUMAH HOPE
Kuala Lumpur, 27 March 2012: Ireka’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, IREKA CARES, recently conducted a Batik-Painting activity with Rumah Hope. The batik-painting process was both exciting and educational, as it was a rare opportunity for the children to experiment the famous local art for themselves.
Each child was given a silk cloth which was tightly upholstered on a ‘pemidang’ (wooden frame) to work on. After a briefing by The Clay Arts Studio (whom Ireka have engaged to conduct their Arts & Craft workshops), the children started sketching their names and favourite design patterns.
Next, under the volunteers’ supervision, the children traced the design outline with hot wax or ‘canting’ which helps prevent the dye from over-spreading during the colouring process.
With guidance from IREKA CARES volunteers, the children meticulously coloured their artwork in multi-hues of blue, yellow and red. They were also taught how to mix these primary colours to create secondary colours of green, purple, orange and brown. Some of the older children went the extra miles to paint in gradients and the sheer pride and joy was clearly etched in their smiles.
The painted batik cloths were then left to dry before The Studio removed the excess wax for the colour dye to last. These beautifully-painted batik handkerchiefs will then be returned to the children as keepsakes.
Ireka Corporation Berhad’s Deputy Managing Director, Datuk Lai Foot Kong said, “The ARTS initiatives is a great platform to enhance the children’s creativity, confidence and hone their artistic talents. Creating the lovely batik art pieces together also helped build a close rapport between the Rumah Hope children and our Ireka volunteers. Indeed we are pleased to see the involvement of Ireka staff towards a cause that benefits children in need. .”
Rumah Hope started in 1994 and is a sanctuary for abused, abandoned, neglected and underprivileged children between the ages of 5-17. Since July 2011, the Ireka volunteers had been organising monthly different artistic activities like clay pottery where the children made their first ceramic bowls, created their own fridge magnets, made friendship bracelets and cross stitch patterns; as well as having lessons in the performing arts (i.e. dance, drama and singing) – all under the IREKA CARES Arts & Craft banner.
