Page 41 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE Vol 3

One sweltering afternoon, I found my way through crazy Bangkok traffic to meeet with Thida Adireksarnat her studio on Soi Ari off of Phahon Yothin. As soon as I walked past the main gate, the surrounding big trees, shrubs and bushes made me feel I wasn’t in Bangkok but in a northern forest. Thida, a graceful and charming woman in her sixties, dressed casual- ly, came out of a glass house in the overgrowth to greet me with a smile. She showed me around her studio hideout, a place where she can be with herself and dive into her world of art. Her glass-walled studio is cosy and tranquil. In the middle of the room stands a big desk for painting. We sat on a comfortable sofa and chatted.I have known Thida for years as the wife of a decent politician and former deputy prime minister of Thailand, Pongpol Adireksarn. She stands by his side through ups and downs and gives him all the support she can. They are a sweet couple who travel the world together. But the place they love to visit most is their home in Chiang Mai where Thida enjoys growing plants and flowers. Her passion for nature, especially flowers, also influenced her art.Thida said she had never thought of being an artist until one day 12 years ago when she visited Singapore with a group of friends who were invited to an art class. She hadn’t touched a paintbrush since she was young, but decided to join the class and found she still had some talent for it. After that, painting became an important way for her to spend her time.When Thida started painting, she was attracted to all subjects from natural landscapes to human portraits using various techniques for oil, acrylic and watercolour paints. Later she discovered her own preferences.“I love to paint with watercolours‘My watercolour paintings always appear stronger than watercolour works you usually see’using oil paint techniques,” she said. “So the colours of my watercolour paintings always appear stronger than watercolour works you usually see.” She added that the reason behind her unique style is that oil paints required an air-conditioned room so the paint doesn’t run in the hot weather. Acrylic paints also have a dry texture, inconvenient for her as she loves topaint outdoors. So she settled on watercolours and mastered the skills needed until the works reflected her own style.A picture not only speaks a thousand words but reflects an artist’s character, feelings and emotions. People can recognize the works of their favourite artist not only from the styles and techniques used but also theElite+ 39