Interview with Artist and Illustrator Kanchanok Inrung (Mew)

After a career in interior design in Bangkok, I decided to settle in Phetchaburi, my hometown. I have had an art studio for over 10 years. This city, a historic center and gastronomic capital recognized by UNESCO in 2021, allows me to develop various projects promoting the culture and gastronomic heritage of my country.

1. Can you tell us about your journey as an artist?
What inspired you to start painting, and how did you develop your passion for watercolor illustration?
I have loved drawing for as long as I can remember. My father was an art teacher at a small school in Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. My father had plenty of art supplies at home; I would draw and sketch everywhere—on walls, notebooks, and every book I could find—drawing non-stop. When my teachers noticed my talent, they sent me to represent the school in a drawing competition, and I won first place at the district level at just six years old.

From that point on, I kept practicing and was determined to pursue art in the future. However, living in a small district surrounded by coconut plantations, the sea, mountains, and waterfalls made finding an art school difficult. When I reached secondary school, I had to take an entrance exam to attend a school in Phetchaburi, my family's hometown. Phetchaburi had skilled art teachers and was a city rich in history, arts, and culture. At this school, my teachers taught me the basics of drawing, coloring, and watercolor painting. Back then, I only practiced watercolor painting out of duty. The school needed a representative for still-life competitions, but most of the art students declined watercolor painting, so I took on the responsibility myself. As expected, I lost every year (laughs). However, those losses motivated me to keep learning, finding solutions, and improving my skills. Over time, I developed my own unique style.

 2. What was your educational background?
 Did you study art formally, or are you self-taught? Could you share some memorable
 moments or challenges during your studies?
 I graduated with a bachelor& degree in Interior Design from the Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University in Bangkok. I initially   chose this faculty because it offered comprehensive design skills across various disciplines, including applied arts, product design,   graphic design, jewelry design, fashion design, ceramics, and interior design. During my studies, I discovered a passion for the course   Survey of Thai Art, which involved exploring and documenting Thailand's art and culture. This required immersing myself in local   traditions, architecture, lifestyles, and cuisine while gathering information through sketching with different skills, precise structural   drawings, line art, and watercolor techniques.

  After graduation, I worked on design projects for Museum Siam and was recognized in the architecture field for my skills. I was invited to   become a guest lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University, where I taught Drawing, Painting, and Basic Design for seven   years. While teaching, I pursued a master's degree in Visual Arts Education at the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture, and Graphic Arts   at  Silpakorn University. However, I eventually decided t pause my thesis and teaching career to focus on creating art full-time. My     determination to become a professional illustrator and achieve my dream of being an international artist with works recognized globally.

 3. What inspired you to create a book about Thai cuisine with your illustrations?
 What drew you to combine food and art? Did you have any unique experiences while working on this project?
 I began my career in design in Bangkok. However, during a period of seeking new opportunities, I returned to my hometown, Phetchaburi.   With free time on my hands, I revisited my hobby of sketching and began exploring and sketching scenes of Phetchaburi city and its   cuisine. Over more than 10 years, I extended this practice to other parts of Thailand as well.

 Phetchaburi is not only rich in cultural heritage but is also renowned for its culinary excellence, often ranked among the top food   destinations in Thailand. The abundance of natural ingredients, specialized cooking tools, artistic food presentation, and even the intricate   packaging—all of it exudes a sense of craftsmanship. Inspired by this, I documented these aspects in my sketches. Four years ago,   Phetchaburi was recognized as a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO, making it one of only two provinces in Thailand to receive this honor   (the other being Phuket). Mrs. Aurelie Cazenave, an editor from Mango Editions in Paris, France, came across my work on social media   and was impressed by my artistic style. This led to an opportunity to collaborate on illustrating the book La Cuisine Thaïe Illustrée   alongside writer Caroline Trieu. The book, spanning 128 pages, was first published and sold in bookstores across France and online   globally in late September 2024. La Cucina Thailandese Illustrata was published and sold in bookstores across Italy and online globally     in late October 2024.

4. What is your creative process when working on a project like this?
How do you approach capturing the essence of food and culture in your illustrations?
Before creating any product, I need to have a lot of interest and specialized knowledge. I would like to separate the creative process into two aspects:

1.  Interest in making books and organizing the content: I make illustrated books about Thai food, so I need to have knowledge of history, geography, food culture, ingredients, cooking, and flavors. But to do it well, I need to have some Thai cooking skills so that I can see the picture clearly.
2. Painting: I need to create feelings. The watercolor skills I have for painting food need to show the ingredients as well as the feeling of taste. Let's just say that when I paint, people (including myself) need to feel like eating, feeling hungry. That's when I'll know I've been successful (laughs).

5. Are there any particular artists or styles that have influenced your work?
Who or what inspires your art, and how does that influence come through in your illustrations?
Let me mention three people who inspired me:

1. Professor Emeritus Ornsiri Panin, National Artist in Visual Arts (Local Architecture) 2021. I saw her sketches at the Architect Expo in 2004. At that time, I was still in high school. I collected my money to buy a set of postcards and told myself that this was what I wanted to do.
2. Assistant Professor Payoon Moksikarat, a teacher of Survey of Thai Art, provided knowledge and creative processes in Thai art.
3. Leonardo Da Vinci. His sketches from his notebook were an inspiration that made me feel that, in addition to his skills, thinking about what to draw was equally important.

6. What are your plans for the future?
Are you working on any new projects, or do you have any dreams or goals you'd like to share with us?
Now I have achieved my dream of becoming an international illustrator/artist, but I still want to continue publishing books, releasing products (including fashion), and opening art exhibitions both domestically and internationally.