Is there a place i can go- song by Trudy and the romance I DRAW A HOUSE FOR MY FRIENDS CONCEIVED MIND-BOGGLING VISUALS THROUGH A SURREAL LANDSCAPE WHERE REALITY AND IMAGINATION INHERENTLY COLLIDE
TEXT & IMAGE COURTESY OF I DRAW A HOUSE FOR MY FRIENDS
(For Thai, press here)
WHO
I’m Mira Sureeratana, or Mook. I was born in Bangkok. I love plants, have an aquarium at home, and live with two cats.
WHAT
These days, I mainly work on paintings and illustrations, but I also enjoy exploring other mediums like textiles and wood. From time to time, I take on graphic design projects and help manage artists at concerts.
At the end of the day
WHEN
I’ve loved drawing for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my mom used to stick big sheets of paper to the wall so my sibling and I could doodle on them. I was never great at academic subjects in school, so I just kept drawing. I remember in high school, I used to ask my friends what their dream house looked like—and then I’d draw it for them. After I graduated from university and looked back on that time, it felt right to turn that idea into a pen name.
Step by step
WHERE
I grew up in Bangkok, but most of my inspiration comes from nature. That probably has a lot to do with my family—they used to take me camping, and we’d play in streams and forests. Those memories left me with a lasting sense of calm and freedom. Even now, when I come across an interesting spot, I can’t help but imagine what it’d be like to live there.
Whimsical life 1
WHY
People sometimes ask me, “Are you just going to keep drawing houses forever?” And I always laugh and say, “No way!” I get how the name might give people certain assumptions, but to me, the heart of my work is imagination shaped by real life. A house that might’ve been just a plain white box ends up a little off-kilter, filled with odd little details. It’s something ordinary that ends up being not-so-ordinary. Or maybe it’s something I’m still figuring out for myself.
Windblown House
How do you define your own style of work?
To be honest, I’m still figuring that out. I don’t think I have a fixed style—it’s still evolving. I’m constantly exploring and trying new things. But if I had to describe it in broad strokes, I’d say I tend to draw landscapes with a slightly surreal feel.
little pieces that became you
When I Calm Myself
What inspires you and what principles do you apply to each project?
It really depends on what the outcome is. For example, if I’m creating artwork for an exhibition, the inspiration often comes from whatever I’m experiencing or feeling during that period. If you look at my past exhibitions, you can usually get a sense of what my life was like at the time. As for what sparks a new piece of work—it’s usually something I come across in everyday life that stirs my imagination. Like an odd little green space in the middle of the city, an abandoned building overrun with plants, or even a weirdly shaped piece of wood about to be thrown out at a lumber shop. Other times it’s music or a film I’ve just experienced.
Into the garden of change
Which project are you most proud of and why?
Into the Garden of Change, a piece I created at the end of last year. I really connected with the mood of that image. It feels like walking into something unknown—something you can’t quite predict or define. I’m not even sure what it means exactly, and that’s what I like about it.
Which part of the process do you enjoy the most during work?
I love the moment when I first sketch out an image from my head. I also really enjoy line work—slowly building up the details is fun and calming for me. I hope that same sense of calm comes through to people who look at my work.
If you could invite any ‘creative’ for a coffee, who would it be and why?
Ryuichi Sakamoto (though I might be a little too late—sigh). I don’t necessarily want to have a conversation with him, but I’d love to quietly watch him work. His music is filled with emotion and lived experience, which really speaks to me. It feels like so much of his life is expressed through music. I’d love to witness the moment when those ideas take shape in his mind.