Creating a Mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation. Chiang Mai, Thailand. 2015
Chiang Mai, Thailand. July, 2015.
One of my favorite times of the year is when I am able to hop on my motorbike and take the hour-long drive up into the mountains north of Chiang Mai to visit Children’s Shelter Foundation. Paved highway leads to winding gravel roads which lead to dirt paths at the end of which is “Lakeland” the idyllic organic farm and refuge for hill-tribe children run by Thaneen Joy Hanfaifa and Ulrike Elisabeth Meister. It is one of the most successful organizations that GLOCAP has had the opportunity to work with over the years. I always walk away from this place feeling the absolute love and joy of childhood and a genuine warmth and generosity of spirit.
This year I organized a watercolor art workshop with the younger students on the flora and fauna of Thailand with the purpose of using these preliminary works to construct a mural on a wall on one of the boy’s dorms. During the construction of the mural I was occasionally accompanied by two Thai artist friends, Worawuth Srakeo and Khun Maitree, who were the visiting artists for our teen watercolor art workshop at Joy’s House in Chiang Mai.
It was such a huge success with creativity and smiles all around. I am hoping that we will have the opportunity to create more murals with these enthusiastic and talented students in the years to come! This project was made possible through the generosity of The Y.C. Ho/Helen and Michael Chiang Foundation.
Here are some images from the event:
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- Khru Chey in front of the dorm wall. I used this photo to design the sketch for the mural.
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- Working with Thai artists Khun Maitree and Worawuth Srakeo at Joy’s House, Chiang Mai.
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- Watercolor class on the flora and fauna of northern Thailand
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- Khun Worawuth assisting one of the younger students.
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- A group of young students inspired by butterflies.
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- A group of young artists working on their sketches of elephants.
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- A young artist working on his blue elephant painting
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- A young artist with his painting of a blue elephant
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- A young artist working on his sketch of a tattooed elephant
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- A young artist works on her butterfly study.
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- Lavy with his bird painting
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- a young artist with her finished butterfly watercolor
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- Some of our paintings drying in the sun
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- A young artist with his drawing of an elephent
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- Young artists of Children’s Shelter Foundation with their finished paintings.
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- Some of my sketches and studies for the planning of the mural at Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- The path to the boys dorm where we are creating the mural crosses a small bridge.
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- Young artists begin filling in the chalk sketch of pineapples for the mural. This wall faces an open field that has many pineapple plants.
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- Young artists begin filling in the chalk sketch of pineapples for the mural. This wall faces an open field that has many pineapple plants.
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- Young students at work on the mural.
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- Young student at work on the mural.
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- Young student at work on the mural.
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- Young student at work on the mural.
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- Khun Worawuth and students helping with the pineapples as a friend watches from above.
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- Khun Worawuth and students helping with the pineapples as a friend watches from above.
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- Young student at work on the mural.
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- Young students at work on the mural.
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- Khan Worawuth and students after the first day of painting
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- Some of the residents on the farm at Lakeland, Children’s Shelter Foundation
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- The temple at Doi Suthep.
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- a Buddhist shrine at Doi Suthep
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- One of several golden Buddha statues at Doi Suthep
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- Several golden Buddha statues at Doi Suthep
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- Some of the beautiful murals at Doi Suthep
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- Some of the beautiful murals at Doi Suthep
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- Some of the beautiful murals at Doi Suthep
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- Some fruits from the garden at Lakeland.
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- Day #2: Working on foliage and palm fronds.
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- Lavy enjoys helping with the trunk of a banana tree.
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- Painting the upper branches.
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- Painting more of the foliage. The air is so humid after a heavy rainstorm that my camera lens fogged up.
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- Making progress on the mural as the jungle garden grows on the walls.
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- Day #3: Khun Worawuth and Khun Maitree join us to help with birds and beasts
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- The bird of paradise is painted in and birds and butterflies begin to appear.
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- The painting of the pineapple plants
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- Everyone is having a wonderful time working together to add beauty to this space.
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- Everyone is having a wonderful time working together to add beauty to this space.
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- The mural is progressing nicely
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- A young artist adds a butterfly to the mural
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- A section of the mural with geckos, birds, and butterflies.
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- Day #4: The mural is progressing beautifully!
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- The mural is alive with color and light.
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- A section of the mural
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- Day #5: Khun Maitree, Maykin, and Khun Worawuth standing in from of Maykin’s door.
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- Day #5: The completed mural.
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- Day #5: The completed mural with student artists from Children’s Shelter Foundation.
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- Chiang Mai, Thailand
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- Day #5: The completed mural with student artists from Children’s Shelter Foundation.
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- This young artist was so inspired he wanted to paint a horse on his door. I promised to come back next year to extend the mural further.
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- This young artist was so inspired he wanted to paint a horse on his door. I promised to come back next year to extend the mural further.
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- Our constant companion through the entire mural process.
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- Lavy can’t enough painting!
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- Teacher Chey stands in front of the original wall. I used this photo to design the mural.
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- A shot of the completed mural.
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- The red dirt road that leads to Lakeland and Children’s Shelter Foundation in northern Thailand.
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- Frangipani flowers scent the garden
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- Banana trees from the organic farm tended by the children.
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- Papaya trees from the organic farm tended by the children.
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- Pineapples growing on the organic farm tended by the children.
