My inspiration originated in childhood when I developed a pastime of mentally transforming someone’s aesthetic. I also gained a passion for beautiful objects, antique carpets, blue and white porcelain and of course, fashion. These objects held a mystique — I was moved by their culture, history and elegance. In my mind, these objects transcended their intended function — "What if I could wear this lotus bowl as a crown?” or “How could I use this antique rug as a cape?”. The composition of each painting is a search for harmony between the sitter and the adornments.
After a career in fashion design starting at Studio Berçot in Paris and much later as a student of portrait painting in Florence, my childhood diversion found an outlet. My personal take on different faces no longer had to be kept private and my design ideas could now exist in a way where they no longer had to be marketable or wearable or even understandable. This gave me enormous freedom. The paintings I have done in the past couple of years are of people who are either residents or visitors of Chiang Mai. The material and objects in my paintings are found items or adapted from researched images.
Going forward, my interest and curiosity lies in the exploration of the more daring, flamboyant culture of modern Chiang Mai.
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