Raya Postcard: myeppo x Elli Holi

At a young age, Eleanor Lim Hooi Ling (better known as Elli Holi) found that creating art made the people around her happy. “Growing up, I used to make birthday cards for my family, so I would say I started drawing ever since I could hold a crayon,” she recalled.

“Seeing how my family reacted towards the cards inspired me to continue creating art. I discovered that art had the potential to make others happy, and as time went by, I wanted to convey emotions through my illustrations and paintings,” added Elli Holli, who recently won the consolation prize for ‘Romancing My Malaysia,’ a collaborative Starbucks Cup Design competition by Starbucks and Kakiseni.

What’s the inspiration behind the #myepporaya postcard design?

One evening, I came home after a long day and looked up at the sky and saw the moon. It was so beautiful, it made me stop and think of the little things I was grateful for. I realised that time had been passing so quickly, it’s Ramadan already. In my design, I illustrated the character looking up at the moon during the month of Ramadan, to take a pause and appreciate all things around her!

What was the creative process like?

I started with a rough sketch, which was one of the easier parts for me. I had a hard time deciding on a colour palette so I went outside, snapped a few photos of the foliage around my housing area, and used those as reference for the illustration’s colour scheme.

During olden times, sending a card during Raya was a thing. Did you get a chance to experience those moments?

Yes, I have! I used to send and receive festive cards when I was in primary and secondary school, and I remember experiencing the same during Raya. Often, the cards were accompanied by Raya treats too; my favourite was the colourful kueh semprit! I miss the physical exchange a lot, especially during these times.

What does Raya mean to you?

Raya is a time to appreciate and embrace the culture I grew up in. Even though I am not Muslim, I still get to experience the daily life practices. I sometimes accompany my Muslim friends to break fast and try out all kinds of food at the Ramadan bazaars. Through those moments, we grow closer in our relationships.

What’s your fondest Raya memory?

I have too many that I can’t pick just one! My fondest Raya memories are always the open houses. One time my friends and I decided to colour-coordinate our baju kurung and baju melayu outfits, and for another open house, I managed to participate in the food preparations.

What’s your beauty routine like during Raya?

Lots of subtle gold shimmer, especially on my eyes, to compliment my burgundy baju kurung!

How to grab these awesome #myeppo Raya postcards? Purchase products at www.myeppo.com/shop and one of the postcards will be yours! While stocks last.