Ch'ng Kiah Kiean

BALI, INDONESIA “Traveling is definitely more fun when I have my sketchbook with me,” says Penang-born artist Ch’ng Kiah Kiean, best known for his graphite drawings of George Town’s old streetscapes. “Sketching brings me closer to the places that I visit, and leaves me with indelible memories that are far more personal than images recorded through a camera. As with these three scenes from Bali, which I sketched during a trip to the island last July, I look for scenic locations where I can also interact with locals and listen to their stories. People teach me more about a place than any amount of observation can, and the Balinese are among the most genuine and hospitable people that I have met on my journeys, with a vibrant spiritual culture to match. Bali also happens to be incredibly picturesque, whether amid the shimmering rice terraces of the highlands or down on a temple-studded beach. I can’t wait to return—and when I do, I’ll be sure to have my sketching tools along. They are as important to me as my passport.”