Hua Hin Today got an opportunity to explore the art markets in Hua Hin. Searching for the creativity and the origin of arts in Hua Hin, we went to Baan Sillapin.
Located in the West of Hua Hin, Baan Sillapin, also known as Hua Hin Artist Village, is a small village providing a home to artists from different parts of Thailand. Established in 1997 by Mr. Chumphol Donsakul and Mr. Thawee Kesa-Ngarm, Baan Sillapin is regarded as the national art center and the artists as “Hua Hin Artist Group”. There are not only Art Studios and Exhibition Galleries but also a clay house and drawing house.
Artists from different regions of Thailand stay at Baan Sillapin and create and exhibit their art artworks. Some of their art works include woodcarving, clay sculpture, jewelry and costume designing, antique art decorations, photography, watercolour and oil paintings, and contemporary arts. There are nineteen artists participating in the creation of an art form unique to each individual. People of all ages and different nationalities come there to see the art exhibitions and join workshops as well. As soon as you enter you will see majestic contemporary art works such as Metal Robots. With soft and smoothing live music playing in the centre, you can enjoy superb art works and create your own in workshops.
As described, by Mrs. Kesa-Ngarm (Nang), an artist and the workshop manager, people from many different nationalities and ages come there to visit and join in to making something creative. She helps people to choose the materials they including different kinds and sizes of canvases and provides other art materials according to their need. Nang charges 150 baht per hour for adults and 100 baht per hour for children to join the workshop.
Besides the professional artists, Baan Sillapin also has Hua Hin Junior Artists Club. Children of all ages residing in Hua Hin come there to be a part of the creative world. They have their own small workshop where they create artworks as well as exhibit them.
Utilizing the small area of 9 Rais, Baan Sillapin has been able to provide a home- like environment for artists from all around Thailand.
Baan Sillapin is a perfect place for all art lovers. You can find new ideas and innovations from the talented artists there. Go there and get inspired!
Baan Sillapin, Hua Hin Artist Village
- Art Gallery
- Art Studio
- Clay House
- Drawing House
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 17:00 (Closes Every Monday)
Free entry Address: 81, Moo 14, Hin Lek Fai Sub-district Hua Hin, Prachuap Khirikhan Thailand 77110
Tel./Fax: 032 – 534830
Mobile: 087 – 1673895
Email: baansillapinhuahin@gmail.com
Interview with Artist :Mr. Waraspol Moonbunjong from Baab Sillapan
Hua Hin Today talked with few of the artists there and got to know about their artworks and their views on arts in Hua Hin. All the artists were very gracious and we had a great time there.
In this home-like environment, Mr. Waraspol Moonbunjong, age 36, is a talented artist from Nakhon Pathom, a small province 56 km from Bangkok. He first came to Hua Hin about 20 years ago and joined his brother Mr. Thawee Kesa-Ngarm, founder of Baan SIllapin, and has been continuously creating his paintings for almost 15 years now with his wife. He studied at Nakhon Pathom Vacation’s College of Fine Arts and then after that, for a year he studied in Poh-Chang College (Thai Art) in Bangkok. After completion, he studied for another one year at Rajamangala Institute of Technology and graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts (Thai Art) in Pathum Thani.
His selected exhibitions are dated back to 2003 until recently. His exhibitions were “Hua Hin Art Club”, “Drwaing Hua Hin”, “ The celebrate on the auspicious occasion of her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday”, “Hua Hin Artists”, “Colorful of Floating Market”, “The concert for Preservation Hua Hin #2”, “The auspicious Occasion of His Majesty The King’s Birthday”, “Hua Hin Art Festival #1”, “The concert for preservation hua Hin #3” and “His & Her art@huahin”. All of these exhibitions were in Bangkok as well as in Hua Hin.
Inspired by Cubism art style and temples of North of Thailand, Mr. Moonbunjong creates his art pieces mainly about people. He has created a large number of paintings which are exhibited in many art galleries around Thailand.
It usually takes around 2 weeks to create an artwork of medium size. Prices for his oil paintings range from 7,500 Baht to 300,000 Baht depending on the size of the painting. The biggest oil painting he and his wife, Supashutha Moonbunjong, have created so far is of beautiful scenery which costs about 300,000 Baht.
He says people of different nationalities come to see his paintings and have bought many as well. 50 percent of the visitors are Thai and the other 50 percent are foreigners. People from all around the world come to visit Baan Sillapin.
When asked about his favorite art gallery in Thailand, he said it is The Queen’s Gallery in Bangkok. He wishes to have an art museum in Hua Hin so that people can see the artworks of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej and about contemporary arts of Hua Hin. He wishes people could see how creative the King of Thailand is by establishing museum of arts in Hua Hin.
His upcoming art exhibition of more than 20 art works will be at Baan Sillapin in year 2014.
Interview with a Hua Hin Artist: Yuwanan Thongho (Pao)
Hua Hin Today talked to one of the artists in Hua Hin about her artworks and the arts in Hua Hin. Miss Thongho is from Songkhla, one of the southern provinces of Thailand. She studied Fine Arts at Technology Rachamongkhon Siwichai Songkhla and continued her studies in Thaksin University where she studied Human Resource Management. Later, working as a manager in her family’s business in Krabi. A fter her studies she came to Hua Hin two years ago. She currently owns a shop, Original Art, at Naresdami Road, which is also her workshop.
Miss Thongho is a very friendly, cheerful, and outspoken person who creates artworks about what she feels like at that moment. She is also inspired by impressionism and impressionists. All of her oil paintings are about the nature and her emotions while observing it. She uses a lot of different colors exhibiting the colors of nature.
It takes around 3 days to make a beautiful oil painting of a large size and takes around 5 hours to create a medium size painting. The prices of her paintings are very reasonable which ranges from 2,500 Baht to 150,000 Baht. Her main customers are tourists who stay in and around Naresdamri road and the area near the pier. She says, “Most of people who see my artworks are tourists from Hilton or passerby who come to the pier.” She adds, “Some of them see my paintings and take photographs and then walk away.” Unlike other people, she does not like to call people in her shop. She wants people to decide whether to come in and buy paintings or not.
She loves every artwork she has created so far for instance, Gold Tree, Birds, and Golden Globe. She enjoys painting about the nature, birds, trees, plants, flowers and many more. Her paintings are about what she finds beautiful in nature like the painting about Mimosas she once saw.
With a dream to go to London, France, and Amsterdam to work in future, she wants to go to different places to get inspiration for her artworks. She is planning to go for a trip to find inspirations for her artworks in the near future.
When asked where one can get inspiration for artworks in Hua Hin, she believes one can get inspired from anywhere and anything. In addition to that, she said that the artworks in Hua Hin are not as good as in other parts of the world like in Europe. She adds that knowledge about arts is not sufficient in Hua Hin and people are not being able to get inspired. She would like to see artists coming to Hua Hin and bringing richness and variety in Arts in near future.
Original Art, The shop is located at 58 Naresdamri Road, Prachuap Khirikhan, 77110 Hua Hin, Thailand.
Today’s Picks
Ipharmacy
The Pharmacy with the warmest greeting in Hua Hin, Ipharmacy is today’s pick. They have reasonable prices, are super friendly and extremely knowledgeable. You will meet the friendly English speaking pharmacist named Jane and her trusty side kick, ‘Udong’ the dog. You can’t feel sad and sick when you walk into the pharmacy and get greeted by a very friendly Udong in a Bumblebee outfit then pay less than in other pharmacies. Check it out!
Address: 12/1 Soi Hua Hin 51 (opposite Ra-Luk Market)
Café Mooz
New Café Mooz is on Naebkehart Road diagonally opposite the Ra Luk Market. You will find beautiful décor and an extensive menu; including Thai favorites, wine, freshly made cakes and coffee. There is a nice patio outside where you can reflect on life. They are also in the process of building five guestrooms above the café that should open soon.
Address: 29/5 Nabkehardt Rd (Close to turn to Coco 1 and Living room, and opposite Ra-Luk Market)
Tel No: 032 900422
Pimiento Restaurant
There is a new restaurant on Naresdamri road next to the Karoon Guesthouse owned by Jerry who is an experienced French Chef. Pimiento serves French and other European food as well as snacks. They also have the most excellent cashier and wait staff, trust us we know them well. Address: Naresdamri road next to Karoon Guesthouse phone: 08 0915 1576
