Thai artistic experience for local artist

Laurie Collins has just returned from two full on weeks working in Thailand. The trip came about through last year’s winner of the Jindivick sculpture show ( Pimpisa Tinpalit) who has connections to a number of Thai Universities. The Universities run workshops where artists from around the world are invited to come and work in the university environs, producing art in a few days which then becomes an exhibition for the following month. Laurie had to pay his flights there and back but most other expenses were covered.

“ It as a fantastic experience” said Laurie.” I was working in the same space as over 100 Thai and international artists and I made friends and contacts from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, USA, Canada, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia and many other  countries as well as learning about and meeting lots of creative and friendly Thai Artists”

The workshops were at two separate Universities in different parts of the country,one in Bankok( Poh Chang academy of Fine art) and one in Phitsanulok( Naruesan University) and  there were a few rest days at Chaing Rai between the productive times.

“I had never been to Thailand before and I learned so much about the history, its culture and I was so inspired by both the Thai art but also the other artists.” I am now planning a Thai based exhibition for later in the year”

The worst part of the whole trip was the humidity in Bankok and we were there at the cooler time of the year!

There were three other artists as part of the Australian contingent, Pimpisa Tinpalit, David Jensz ( lecturer in Sculpture at Canberra University) and Aaron Martin artist and Curator at 5 walls gallery and Trocadero art space in Footscray.

Laurie will be giving a talk and visual presentation of the experience as part of the Creative Gippsland  month of May.