Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - January 21, 2006
Anjira Assavanonda
"The other 15 students' paintings were horizontal, and kids would normally draw a tree on either the right or the left side of their works. But Bua's work was different,"said art teacher Sajja Jantim, who is affectionately known to his students as "Khru Laem".
"In her work, Bua painted herself gently touching the big tree. It showed that she was thinking of something that is very important to her," said Mr Sajja.
Besides this, she took more time than the other students to finish a painting. She was quiet but concentrated very hard in order to perfect her works.
The teacher described Bua as a quiet and sensitive person whose paintings say a lot of things. "But we could feel a strong power inside her," he said.
The workshop was initiated by 'We Understand' group, an NGO working for HIV-positive children, which is concerned about the declining mental health of these children. The group turned to Laemkom Art School, at the Children's Discovery Museum near Chatuchak Park, in the hope that art could help heal the children under its care.
Yet for Bua, the results have been more than healing. After completing two workshops, Bua's artistic talents have been noticed by all the teachers, who believe she could be a great artist if she is well-supported.
Mr Sajja persuaded Bua, who is from Phetchaburi, to come for a painting course at his school once or twice a month, free of charge. The school has paid for equipment, while the 'We Understand' group has taken care of transport costs for Bua and her father.
Painting has now been an important part of Bua's life for about two years. Her artistic skills have been gradually developed, while her personality and mental strength has improved.
Mr Sajja divided the girl's work into three development phases. The first was when the girl, who was in poor health, started to learn and developed her painting skills through an assigned theme.
The second phase showed the girl's dull feelings in the paintings, and the third phase started when she began her symbolic painting, which took her out of darkness to light.
"Her early paintings reflected the thoughts that occupied her at the time. No matter what themes we assigned to her, her works dwelled upon death, her mother who passed away, and temples," said Mr Sajja.
Yet the girl showed her outstanding talent when she began semi-abstract paintings. She felt free and was more herself, and her works always carried a deep meaning.
There are symbols that usually appear in most of her works, including a candle, which she said represented the light she has been wishing for, a hand that always reaches for the light, and an open eye to see and lead her to the light.
When asked what her favourite piece is, Bua shyly pointed to one with the title Paint Brightness Into the Night, Paint My Life to Fight Weakness. The work is painted in black and light blue, with pictures of little girls which Bua said represented her and her HIV-positive friends. The black is the darkness they have been living in, and the light blue is the brighter world they are wishing for. There is a full moon in the light blue part, representing her father who always gives her support and hopes to live on.
Mr Sajja said Bua's latest works are bigger and more colourful, as if she has become, little by little, more free from the thought of the fatal disease.
"From the sad, quiet girl we first met, Bua has become a little more cheerful. Her eyes are brighter with more power. She has started to laugh and said some funny things to us," he said.
To show her talent to the public, the school has decided to put her works, totalling more than 100, in an exhibition entitled "The Art of Bua". Mr Sajja said it is the first exhibition of art by HIV-positive children in Thailand.
It takes place at the Laemkom Art School, at the Children's Discovery Museum, until March 3.
When asked how she felt seeing her works on display, Bua smiled shyly and said: "I feel proud and really happy."
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