KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Watch out, Kuala Lumpur. Chalkboy is here to paint the town red (or in this case, black and white)!
Chalkboy is a famous chalkboard artist from Japan. The waiter turned artist got into the spotlight in Japan and all around the world when he dazzled everyone with his artistic flair by turning menus into masterpieces.
It had all started out as a leap of faith for Kohei Yoshida when it was his turn to write out the chalkboard menu. Usually people take 10 minutes to quickly scribble out the dishes but Kohei who has loved art since he was in high school, slowly crafted the menu for 30 minutes using ideas picked from labels.
The menus caught the attention of many and soon he became sought after as Chalky, the chalkboard maestro who can create beautiful pieces with a piece of chalk.
Now at the age of 33, he is a household name in Japan. He has been asked to collaborate with many big brands, writing and drawing for cafes and fashion retailers.
Chalkboy also travels around the world to showcase his craft in chalk and other mediums.
You will have the opportunity to catch Chalkboy on July 22 and 23 at the Hand Written World Exhibition. The event is organised by Isetan The Japan Store Kuala Lumpur, DesignUnion, A Good Reason, ana tomy and The Alphabet Press.
Tomorrow Chalkboy will be giving a talk, conducting a “live” drawing performance and a name writing service. On Sunday, you can sign up for the Chalk Board Making Workshop. There will be two sessions; one from 11.3am to 1pm and the other one from 3pm to 4.30pm. The sessions are limited to 10 participants each. A fee of RM248 will be charged and A3-sized chalkboards and chalk will be provided together with a cup of specialty coffee brewed by x coffee.
You can also shop for exclusive Chalky X ana tomy custom notebooks with your name at the pop-up store organised by ana tomy, a sister company of The Alphabet Press. Other exclusive Chalkboy merchandise like T-shirts, caps, pouches and decorative tapes can also be bought. Prices range from RM16 to RM300.
Yesterday fans had a sneak peek of Chalkboy's work when he visited Wondermilk, Damansara Uptown and Piu Piu Piu at the Zhongshan Building, Kampung Attap.
It's his first visit to Malaysia and he hopes to touch many others with his work. “I hope that by using a chalkboard and chalk, I can inspire Malaysians to learn how to do artwork using these simple tools,” said Chalkboy.
He loved the vibes at the Zhongshan Building. Within minutes, he sketched an artwork on the wall using pencil, marker and a chalk-like pen. Featuring two cherubic babies pointing fingers like guns and the Piu Piu Piu name, the art is simple yet symbolic of the solo coffee stand.
He finished the artwork with the words “Respect each other guys”... in gold.
For more information visit Facebook page and Instagram page. Reservations for the Chalk Board Making Workshop can be made online at www.eventbrite.com/e/chalboard-drawing-work-shop-by-chalkboy-tickets-36133848313. You can also follow Chalkboy's social media at Facebook page www.facebook.com/chalkboy.me and www.instagram.com/chalkboy.me.
