Cute, colourful frogs born from clay, inspired by life

Ann Najwa Najib Masri, a 46-year-old Malaysian artist, has found a unique way to express her personality and life story through ceramic frogs. Inspired by the charm and resilience of frogs, she began creating handcrafted frogs in 2023, after previously making figurines from air-dry clay. Her creations, all unique and one-of-a-kind, are featured under her brand "With Love Ann Najwa."

Each frog takes about two days to complete, after an initial two-week process of ideation and sculpting. The artist, who still works a full-time job, is passionate about her craft and has taught pottery at Friends Craft Coop, a community centre and pottery studio in Petaling Jaya. Her frogs have turned heads, even capturing the attention of students during a recent interview.

Some of her most notable creations include the "Bermuka-Muka" frog, whose removable face can display a cheerful or sad expression, symbolising the different personas we present to others. Another standout piece is the "Liku-Liku Kehidupan Frog," an olive-toned frog covered in spikes, representing the beauty found in life's imperfections. Ann also incorporates personal stories and objects into her designs, such as a frog inspired by her childhood memory of her mum making pineapple upside-down cake.

In May, Ann was selected to exhibit her frogs at the "Untitled" exhibition at GMBB Creative Community Mall in Kuala Lumpur. Her goal is to become a full-time artist and eventually hold her own solo exhibition, with her work displayed at the National Art Gallery.