Armed with their talents and a bachelor’s degree in visual arts technology, the 28-year-old twins have taken a significant step forward by founding LE’SIBS Art, where they offer their expertise in mural painting, with a focus on clients in Sabah.
The siblings, who reside in Kinarut, Papar, shared that their love for art began in primary school, where they frequently participated in drawing and colouring competitions. They further honed their skills through their studies at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
“After graduating, we planned to paint murals to brighten up our former schools as a token of appreciation for our teachers. Surprisingly, the murals we created to motivate students received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
“Many people reached out to us inquiring about our services after the murals were shared on social media,” they told Bernama recently. As their work gained increasing recognition, they decided to formally establish LE’SIBS Art in 2021.
The sisters’ artwork can now be seen in various districts across Sabah, adorning the walls of government buildings, residential areas, mosques, tourist attractions and recreational spots, including Borneo Ant House in Tuaran and Cabana Retreat in Kota Belud.
“We have thus far completed more than 300 murals, covering concepts such as flora and fauna, underwater scenes, three-dimensional designs, abstract art, vehicles, Sabah cultural patterns, and food,” Elyana Sazlin said.
They also offer services in building painting, portrait sketches, and henna art.
Elyana Sazwin acknowledged that, despite being twins, they occasionally have differing opinions while working on a project. “This is normal and does not affect the quality of our work. We contribute ideas and develop designs together.
“Sometimes, I come up with an idea, while Elyana Sazlin creates the design. We rely on each other to mutually generate creative concepts for our projects.”
On their biggest challenge to date, Elyana Sazwin pointed to a mural project in Kuala Penyu that showcases heritage and nature. Painted on the wall of a shop building, it stands at 9m high – equivalent to four storeys – and 15m wide.
“Usually we use two-storey-high scaffolding, but for this project, we had to use a five-storey scaffold. We also needed a skylift truck to help with mobility during the painting process,” she shared.
The mural, they concluded, took eight days to complete.