Artistic ambience and more to see

This may interest you: http://www.rimbundahan.org/about/index.htm. They sponsor artists' residencies which take place at the Penaga Hotel in Penang. Penang has a thriving arts agenda and is an easy place to live and popular with expats. The off the beaten track parts of Penang are very interesting, where most tourists don't venture. Parts of Langkawi  have much natural beauty and of course the special light of the sea (and its a tax free island).  Ipoh is just developing its interest in art and a very central and an easy place to live (but no sea of course). Parts of Taiping are beautiful and historic and just outside it has a huge mangrove area and the fishing port of Kuala Sepetang (formerly Port Weld). Some Hill Stations are also interesting (disregard Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands in that category as they are spoilt). Don't forget to take a look at Pangkor Island. But if you want a real beach and clean water, you need to go to the Malaysian islands or Borneo (there are none on the peninsular). Sabah (Kota Kinabalu) and Sarawak might interest you as a base for your project.