Lim Jee Yuan
(b. 1953, Kuala Lumpur; based in Penang)
Lim Jee Yuan is a Malaysian artist and urban sketcher who has resided in Penang for more than four decades. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Housing, Building and Planning from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Primarily self-taught, Lim has developed a distinctive artistic practice through decades of observation, sketching, painting, and continuous engagement with the arts.
His formal exposure to art began in Kuala Lumpur during his early years. In 1967, he attended art tuition conducted by renowned Malaysian artist Chia Yu Chian at Selangor Mansion, Kuala Lumpur. The following year, he participated in night workshops conducted by Chung Cheng Sun. In 1974, he furthered his artistic knowledge by attending a short art course conducted by Yeoh Jin Leng at the Specialist Teachers’ Training College.
Based in Penang, Lim’s artistic practice is closely connected to the city’s architecture, people, streetscapes, and everyday life. His works reflect a keen appreciation of urban environments and the character of places, capturing their atmosphere through expressive lines, colour, and watercolour techniques.
Lim is a member of Penang Urban Sketchers, Penang Watercolour Society, and Penang Art Society, and serves as a committee member of the Royal and International Ink Painters Association.
He held his first solo exhibition, George Town: URBAN OASIS, at The Art Gallery Penang in 2023, followed by his second solo exhibition, Penang, People and Places, at G Hotel Kelawai, Penang, in 2026.
His selected group exhibitions include Celebrating Penang (2018); annual exhibitions organised by the Penang Watercolour Society (2019–2025); the South East Asia Watercolor Exhibition organised by the National Art Gallery (2020); the First International Architecture and Urban Landscape Watercolour Exhibition organised by the Canada International Watercolour Arts Society and Tianjin Artists Association (2021); Back to Nature (2021); and Precious (2022), both at The Art Gallery Penang.
Lim has also participated in various international art programmes and exhibitions, including the Art Bridge International Art Camp in Kajang (2024), Asialink Sketchwalk in Penang as a demonstrator (2024), Vibrant Lines and Colours – Malaysian Flavour at Southeast Art Museum, Suzhou, China (2025), and A Tale of Two Cities, a joint exhibition featuring Chinese and Malaysian artists at The One Academy, Penang (2025). In 2026, he participated in the Muar-Melaka International Charity Invitational Exhibition.
Through his art, Lim Jee Yuan continues to document and celebrate the visual character of Penang and the diverse urban landscapes and communities that have shaped his artistic journey.