i am Rebecca  

I am a Malaysian artist and painter. A weaver and textile print designer by training, I work mainly with paint on paper. I paint my now personal ‘dreamscapes’ and visual memories that give a sense of place, all influenced by my love for flora, fauna, and cultural heritage. These images fill my thoughts after journeys and travel.

Colour, pattern and textures feature in all my nature inspired paintings. Before Covid hit, in December 2019, I began to really work on using my art to highlight issues that impact women & children. How women & environment are treated the world over, are connected by a thread that sews itself tightly to the history & study of botany & natural history, & the voyages of discovery, that spread plants as commodities, all over the world. My solo exhibition ‘Forbidden Fruit- Sex Women & Botany’ was my first attempt at getting all my thoughts out there. It is a subject that I am passionate about & I continue to work on these thoughts & stories through history in a continuing series called ‘Capturing Exotics’.

I work between my home studios in Penang, Malaysia, and Piemonte, Italy. 

Currently:

• I am currently working on work on a few interesting commissions that will come to fruition as we go through 2024.

• I continue to research & work through my thoughts & ‘still life’ paintings for my series ‘Capturing Exotics’

• I am always available for commissions so please do email me on <rebeccaduckett@mac.com>

Art Etc. 2023

• My capsule collection ‘100 Patterns in 100 Days’ by the wonderful Swiss fabric company Christian Fischbacher was launched in January 2023 at Paris Deco Off.

• My last project was the set of illustrations for the wonderful book ‘To Nourish With Love’ by Manju Saigal & Bettina Chua Abdullah. Published by Hikayat, it was launched at Gerakbudaya Penang on the 25th of November 2022.

2022

• Illustrations for the book ‘To Nourish with Love’. The Tiny Gallery at Hikayat. Georgetown, Penang. 27 November - 31 December 2022

• New Artist Fair 2022.  The Truman Brewery, London. 23-25 September 2022

• ‘The Pattern Book’ The Tiny Gallery at Hikayat. Georgetown, Penang. 20 March-17 April 2022

2021:

• Contemporary Arts Fair Windsor. Windsor, UK. 12-14 November 2021

• LangUR Art exhibition: Building Bridges Between Our Two Worlds. A percentage of sales donated to Dusky Langur Conservation Fund.  Penang State Art Gallery.  November - December 2021

• Contemporary Art Fairs Newbury. Newbury, UK. 30 July- 1 August 2021.

2020:

• ‘100 Motivi per 100 Giorni. Il Lockdown in Italia’ ( 100 Patterns 100 Days ) Bar del Truc. Rocchetta Palafea. Italy.  2- 30 August 2020

• ‘Belang’ Save the Malayan Tiger. Penang State Art Gallery. 1st March 2020 through Lockdown.

• ‘12 x 12’ Group show curated by Ivan Alexander Francis Gabriel. Open Studios Penang.

• ‘Growth’ Group Show. Penang Pac, Straits Quay, Penang. March 1st 2020 through Lockdown.

2019- 2020: Before Lockdown

• - ‘Forbidden Fruit. Women, Sex & Botany.’ Solo Exhibition. Art Space 1, China House, Penang. November 2019- January 2020

• ‘The 8x6 Project” Group Show. Curated by Ivan Alexander Francis Gabriel. Open Studios Penang. June 2019.

• ‘You Are All Invited’’ Curate, Re-Curate. Art Space 1. China House. Penang. 1st-31st March 2019.

• Parallax Art Fair, Chelsea Town Hall, London. 19th,20th,21st October 2018.

• '8- Joint Exhibition.' China House, Penang. November 2017

• 'Space of Time'- International Women’s Art Forum- GTF. Whiteaways, Penang. July 2017. 

• 'Piedmont Paintings'. Gallery Vivian Borsani. Palma, Mallorca. May 2016.

• 'After My Jungle Walks.' Hillside Cafe. Penang. February 2016

• 'Mercury- Not Nudes.' Hin Bus Depot, Penang February 2015

• 'The Peak 25th Anniversary Art Charity' Galeri Petronas. October 2014 

• 'Chairity Art and Design Against Cancer.' The Edge Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. May 2014. 

• 'The TUMI Difference.' Artwork for TUMI store. Gurney Paragon. October 2016

• 'Offerings' Art@Whiteaways. George Town Festival. 2013

• WooJaeGil Museum Gwangju, S Korea. Joint Exhibition with Chan Kok Hooi. 2 Malaysian Artists. October 2012 

• Women's Exhibition at Metro Gallery, Gwangju, South Korea. September 2012

• Artist's Residency. Gwangju. South Korea. September/October 2012

• 'Wayang' A Decorated Gallery. Solo Exhibition and Installations. Gallery 29. George Town Festival. 2011 

• Joint Exhibition with Judith Chandler. Gallery 29. George Town. 2010

• 'My Tropical Mind' Galeri Maya, Kuala Lumpur. 2006

Pre 2006: Solo and Joint exhibitions through through GalleryWan, Kuala Lumpur

Other Projects:

Interior Designer - 23 Love Lane, George Town Penang 2010-12

Co-creator of China Tiger, a restored 1950’s shophouse in the UNESCO zone of George Town, Penang. Three vintage inspired apartments for long and short term tenants.

Restoration and interior design of  Kapitan Cina Koh Lay Huan's house in the UNESCO zone of George Town. 25 China Street. 2006-2012.

Co-creator and co-owner of Phinisi Adventure Liveaboard Tiger Blue, Indonesia. 2008

Co-creator and Owner of The Tropical Spice Garden, Penang. 2003

Co-creator and Owner of Tiger Rock, Pangkor Island. 1995

Owner and Designer/Artist- Owen Rebecca Designs Sdn Bhd. A range of hand silkscreen printed textiles & resort wear promoting the flora, fauna & heritage of tropical Malaysia. 1986- current

Background:

Rebecca’s childhood was set in the jungles and plantations of Malaysia with family trips back to England & Wales. Her education was spread through Malaysia, the UK, & the USA.

Personal Projects:

Rebecca has been personally involved in creating a series of unique luxury adventure projects, geared at families and all age groups. The wonderfully rustic island and jungle experience at Tiger Rock in Malaysia. The luxury and dive liveaboard Tiger Blue , a traditional wooden sailboat that cruises the islands of Komodo, Banda Islands and Raja Ampat. Dive, explore and discover Eastern Indonesia. China Tiger in the UNESCO zone of George Town, Penang are three apartments that cater for long and short stay tenants. The award winning Tropical Spice Garden in Penang, also the brainchild of Rebecca & her husband, opened in 2004. The restoration of a barn into a family house in Piemonte Italy in 2015 has become her main studio space.

All these locations offer a unique holiday that combines, adventure, discovery and fantastic food. They play a big part in the inspiration and subject matter of all her paintings and artworks.