The village chief

Rawai Art Village artist & friends

Somrak Maneemai, head of the Rawai Art Village and owner of the Red Gallery Art Studio (see below), says, “It’s mostly coincidence that so many painters, musicians, songwriters, actors and puppeteers have ended up living in this area. But one of the many reasons that brought us all to Rawai has to be the cost of living. Living in this part of Phuket is cheaper than in other areas.” The artists got to know one another over the years and in 2006 decided to present themselves as a group.

Not all make their living from art, Khun Somrak says. The members include, for example, a pediatrician and a nurse. They get together often to play music, discuss art or just hang out and have a good time. There are also more serious agendas. For example, they plan to work more closely with local communities such as the Sea Gypsies to help preserve local culture and to raise the standard and status of art on the island.

Love Arts Studio

Owner: Kitipong Ngosiri.
Address: 88/5 Moo 1, Viset Rd, Rawai. (pass Don's Mall to the Saiyuan junction, turn right to go to Patong beach direction, the studio is just a minute after the turn on your left.)
Contact: Tel: 089 4715653
email: pui.t.l.a.s@hotmail.com
www.theloveartstudio.com
Open hours: 10 am – 10 pm

Love Arts is on a piece of land almost a rai in area, which is also home to three other art studios. Khun Kitipong, a talented young artist, has already had many exhibitions in Thailand, as well as in Croatia, Portugal, Vietnam and Korea.

Most of his works are oils expressing his feelings at the time. Whether it’s sadness, joy, anger or fear, the emotion goes into his work. “I do only original work – no copying,” he stresses.

Rak Lay Gallery

Owners: Chaianan “Joy” Bamrungchoo and Kerrily Jennings
Address: 88/5 Moo 1, Viset Rd, Rawai.
Contact: Tel: 08 49462171 or curlykez@gmail.com

Next to Love Arts Studio is that of these two artists, who produce original photography, paintings and sculpture. The photographs of Thailand are a mixture, some in black and white, some in colour and some in a combination of both.

They are currently working to open a gallery. Kerrily explains, “At the moment, Joy and I are still working out the details but at this point we aim to have it open from 2 pm on weekdays and all day at weekends.”

Tawan Ook Art Gallery Original Art and Café

Owner: Apinan Sarochwong
Address: 88/5 Moo 1, Viset Rd, Rawai.
Contact: Tel: 081-9565872
Opening hours: 9 am – 10 pm

Like many artists, Khun Apinan – the third artist in this enclave – worked in his native Surat Thani for other people for many years until he got to the point where he decided it was time to go it alone. He started his first studio in Khao Lak and moved to Rawai in late 2004.

He works in acrylics but also in a variety of other media – wood and other recyclable products – to produce art showing traditional Thai life. “I want to record the Thai way of life in acrylics before it’s gone,” he says. “Most local folk don’t appreciate their way of life until they move away from home. Then, when they look back, most seem to understand and appreciate the simple way of life they had. This is unlike foreigners, many of whom come here and immediately see the value in the Thai way of life.”

He offers to provide space in his studio for any artist wanting to display work, as a way of helping newcomers on the art scene and and also as a way to share experience and ideas.

Come Peng studio

Owner: Samart Ratanarat
Address: 88/5 Moo 1, Viset Rd, Rawai.
Contact: Tel: 083-5966066

In the fourth studio, Khun Samart works mainly in acrylics. A native of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, he is also a puppeteer, performing shadow puppet shows, an art that originated in southern Thailand. The puppets also appear as characters in his paintings.

“There is a live puppet and music show on the first Saturday of each month, from 5.30 to 11 pm,” says Khun Samart. “To make it fun we make a party of it. Anyone is welcome to come and join us.”

Baan Batik

Owner: Apinan Tovankasame
Address: 10/15 Moo 4, Viset Rd, Rawai (about 2 km from the Chalong circle, next to Bangjak gas station.)
Contact: Tel: 076-384061
Opening hours: 9 am – 6 pm, Closed on Sundays

Like many of the artists who have gravitated to Rawai, Khun Apinan is originally not from Phuket. He’s from Bangkok but has absolutely no plans to go back there. He originally moved to the island many years ago to teach in a local college and only later set up Baan Batik, selling to both the retail and wholesale markets.

“Every batik here is designed by our team, so our work is more original than you’ll see in any batik shop in the market,” says Khun Apinan.

@ART at B Zenter

Owner: Somkid Huangthanapan
Address: 28/43, Moo 1, Rawai.
Contact: Tel: 089-7936366 www.bzenter.com
Opening hours: Low season 3 pm - 10 pm, high season noon - 9.30 pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

@Art is in the Bzenter business center. Inside are all kinds of art, mainly produced by Rawai-based artists and including hand-made artifacts using recycled wood, and stone animals.

Khun Somkid says that the gallery also exhibits similar art from Chiang Mai artists. In addition, the shop has art-design shirts and shopping bags, batik and jewellery from Bangkok designers.

Red Gallery Art Studio

Owner: Somrak Maneemai,
Address: 28/40 Saiyuan Rd, Rawai.
Contact: Tel: 087-8903722

Though Khun Somrak’s Red Gallery Art Studio has been open only slightly more than a year, it is already full of paintings. As a painter, he likes to try many techniques. “You have to see the works to know what my style is,” he explains.

He has a master’s degree from Silpakorn University, one of Thailand’s top art schools, and teaches art part time to any interested party, young or old, Thai or foreign.

Wood Art and Gallery

Owner: Prapai Wongwasana
Address: 28/41 Saiyuan Rd, Rawai.
Contact: 083-1020736
Opening hours: 9 am - 10 pm

Wood Art was also founded by people from outside Phuket. “We are not from here,” says Khun Prapai. “I come from Kalasin and my husband, Supod, is from Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Our studio opened about two years ago. It’s a family effort – my husband, his younger brother and I.”

The team work in two media: woodwork, including framing and wood carving; and oil paintings, particularly landscapes.

“I like Rawai because the local people still have a very strong culture. For example, they still dance the ‘rong ngeng’ which you can’t see anywhere else. Also, the artists here support one another; it’s not all about business and competition. The community here is great – both the local villagers and the expats, many of whom support us by buying our work. It is like living in one big family,” Khun Prapai says.

Waan-D art 2 Rest

Owner: Sinn-a-roon Rasmeenopsawej
Address: 4/6 Moo 1, Viset Rd, Rawai.
Contact: 086-9417113
Opening hours: 10 am - 5 pm

Khun Sinn-a-roon is a recent addition to the group. He is a musician and songwriter but whenever he has spare time he works on his hobby, woodwork, which has become a passion.

“I collect driftwood and make useful things from it,” he explains “I make furniture – chairs or reading lamps, for example. Sometime I combine the wood with other recyclable materials.”

He keeps the wood as he finds it, never adding colour of any kind; he likes the natural color to do the work, he explains. He recently had an exhibition in Phuket City. He was happy with the result, he says, since it has brought him more made-to-order work.

Ramadon’s Art Studio

Owner: Ramadon Kohanae
Address: 63/6 Saiyuan Rd, Rawai.
Contact: 087-2769507
Opening hours: The studio is never locked. (Khun Ramadon believes no real art lover would never steal art.)

There is a large number of original works in this studio. Khun Ramadon explains, “My paintings are basically semi-abstract oils. But if you ask me what I like best, I can tell you it’s performance art.”

Walking along a street, or in a shopping mall or at Phromthep Cape, you may come across a white statue. On closer inspection you’ll find it’s a man painted entirely – clothes and all – in white, standing completely still for hours at a time. This is Khun Ramadon. Sometime he paints himself in other colors – black perhaps, or red. It’s the kind of thing, he says, that he simply enjoys a great deal.

Ka-mon House Original Art Painting

Owner: Kamon Chukom
Address: Soi Mangosteen, Saiyuan Rd, Rawai.
Contact: Tel: 087-3325708
Opening hours: 10 am - 9 pm

Khun Kamon completed art school in Bangkok 12 years ago and has been painting ever since. He moved to Phuket eight years ago and joined the Rawai Art Village recently, when he started building his new studio opposite The Mangosteen resort.

He has yet to mount an exhibition of his modern art paintings, mainly in oils and acrylics, in Phuket, but he has exhibitions every year in France, Switzerland and Germany. “I work with an art dealer who organizes for me to go and do exhibitions overseas, though I didn’t go this year because I’ve been busy setting up this studio,” says Khun Kamon.

“I feel warm being near other artists who are the members of Rawai group. If, when I’m working late at night, I run out of paint, I can just go and knock on their door to borrow some,” he says. “And when I feel stress from work, I have people to talk to who understand me.”

Vichen Gallery at B Zenter

Owner: Somnuk Huangthanapan
Address: 28/43, Moo 1, Rawai
Contact: Tel: 076-288999 www.bzenter.com
Opening hours: 3 pm - 9.30 pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

Vichen Gallery opened towards the end of 2006 with the aim of providing a place for people to relax while surrounded by art, as well as a place where artists and art lovers can exchange knowledge and opinions on art.

Since it opened, the gallery has become one of the island’s most active art showcases, with no fewer than four exhibitions so far, by various artists, both Thai and foreign.

In March this year the first show was called “8 Eggs”, featuring works by eight artists. This was followed in May by the exhibition “Neighbor”, with work by four artists. In July the works of three artists was showcased in “Rattanakosin Spiritual Poetry”, while in October the gallery mounted “Absolutely Abstract, Do Not Think, Just Feel” by three artists.

Tips

To visit any of the galleries or studios in the Rawai Art Village, it’s best to make an appointment. Most of the artists work and live at their studios and welcome guests anytime, but it’s always best to call first to check whether they are out buying fresh paint or searching for driftwood.

Please note that the ground of Rawai Art Village covers is quite large – you’ll need a vehicle to get around all the galleries.