ATELIER PAKAWAN, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY AN ILLUSTRATOR WHO IS ALSO A CERAMIC ARTIST, CREATED BOTH KINDS OF WORKS WITH A RELAXED VIBE WITH DETAILS THAT HOPEFULLY MAKE PEOPLE SMILE
TEXT: PAKAWAN THONGVANIT
PHOTO COURTESY OF ATELIER PAKAWAN
(For Thai, press here)
WHO
Pakawan Thongvanit. My nickname is Yui. I’m an illustrator and a part-time ceramic artist.
WHAT
My illustrations range from sweets and desserts to flowers, animals, places, and objects, often blended with fun ideas. My ceramic work mainly features blue and white, influenced by the Japanese-style and techniques, focusing primarily on tableware.
WHEN
A pivotal moment in my life was my first trip to Japan in September 2013. I spent a month living and learning at a ceramic studio homestay. It was the time period that profoundly influenced my life and my connection with Japanese culture.
WHERE
Japan again, specifically Seto and Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. These places helped me discover so many things about myself. I always felt I was in the right place, experiencing the culture, understanding work philosophies, while still being influenced by the art.
WHY
The name ‘Atelier Pakawan’ was initially intended for my ceramic studio. I’ve always loved the word ‘atelier’ since I was studying French. The Japanese also use many French terms in art, which made me like it even more.
Pakawan is my own name and I don’t plan to change it since I fear I might get bored with any other name. I also use this moniker for my illustration work.
How would you describe your work?
In illustration, my style has a touch of surrealism, playing with the scale of smaller human figures and creating a relaxed vibe with details that hopefully make people smile. My ceramic work, although different in technique and color, carries a similar sentiment.
What is your inspiration and guiding principle for each creation?
My inspiration often comes from everyday life events. Whatever I am deeply fascinated with at the time, I feel compelled to draw. My principle is always to do thorough research to ensure my illustrations accurately represent their subjects. While my overall drawings are surreal, I strive for realistic details.
What project are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of a group exhibition called the ‘Happening’ exhibition, held at River City, Bangkok where I first showcased my illustrations alongside my ceramics, and it turned out to be way more successful than I had expected. Another project I’m proud of is the cover design for the Thai edition of ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop’ by Satoshi Yagisawa, which was my first book cover and was shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards 2023.
happening exhibition – A Year with You
happening exhibition – A Year with You
Which stage of the design process do you like the most?
I love the initial stage of receiving a brief; it’s exciting, especially if I have plenty of time to think about it without pressure, allowing me to play with ideas freely. For ceramics, my favorite part is opening the kiln and seeing all the pieces beautifully fired.
If you could invite a ‘creative’ to coffee, who would you invite and why?
I would love to invite friends from my ceramic studies in Japan for a coffee, using cups we made ourselves. It would be a great way to catch up on life.
