Day 8

Saturday the 21st of November, Day 8 of my program was the only day in my 2 week program for 1/2 day schedule. In the morning I spoke with students and professors from Chiang Rai Rajabhat University. Chiang Rai in the north is relaxed...maybe like the Taos of Santa Fe in Chiang Mai, although on a much smaller scale (obviously). So I worked and we had a nice tour of the art department after the usual exchange of gifts. I have been giving 12" matted prints (Printed by Heartland Printworks, Shaw for the win!) of my work which seems to bring delight. I have been given scarves and Thai Pillows, an elephant clock, and lots of other handcrafts. It is a fun time to share gifts, a very polite and respectful way to acknowledge and show gratitude to one another, inherent in this ritual is some unspoken understanding that what there is to give, is one self, the gift says thank you and respect for one's giving of time and energy. 

In the afternoon, Ann Casper of the Embassy in Bangkok and Khun Kelly and I had a nice lunch and then went to visit one of Thailand's most famous artists; Thawan Duchanee. He is a quite brooding fellow of 70 who surrounds himself with relics of nature, hundreds of long-horned cow skulls, hides, and shells. He is Kurtz i his own jungle. 

Following a long visit to Thawan's estate, we had time for me to see some country-side and watch the tail end of the fall rice crop. 

Chiang Rai Rajabhat University Exchange of Gifts.

Chiang Rai Rajabhat Lecture

Cookin

Thawan

Ann, Thawan & Kelly

Rice Field Home Dreaming

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