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Kasem

"My name is Kasem Khaola-O and I was born in Phayao province in the north of Thailand. I am the last son of nine children who grew up in a warm family of farmers. We were raised as Buddhists and have been living according to the dhamma ever since. As kids we regularly went to the temple to make merit and listen to the dhamma. I am very proud of my family and I love them.

"During my childhood, I loved to play in the fields with my relatives and friends. I was already interested in art. I would draw on the ground, and use clay from the surrounding fields to mold animals. In our spare time, my siblings and I would weave basketry for our domestic use. When we made many, we would sell them.

"I studied primary school in my village and then studied junior school in the town. Later I decided to study art seriously. So I moved to Chiang Mai and studied at a famous institute where I graduated with a diploma in fine art. Now I am an artist, creating artwork and developing my artistic skills.

"I like to live in a simple, calm and easy way. I understand the world, people and the various cultures of the world, but I have no interest in fashion, modernity or the world's evolution. I create artwork following my own pace; the passing of time is irrelevant and only my feelings and myself set the pace. My inner peace comes from my family, my artwork and my friends.

"When I have time, I go to museums, art galleries and temples because I like to gain new knowledge and use it to create new works. I like to travel and concentrate. I believe in the value of giving – I often send my works to be sold at auctions and donate the resulting earnings to the temple or to foundations that help people.

"I am lucky to live in northern Thailand. Here I can visit ancient places and study the many temples. There are lots of temples, each of them having a unique and ancient history. I am most impressed by the atmosphere reigning inside the temples. I can feel immense quietness and peace. It is through these feelings and my own imagination that I present emotions, beauty and calmness of the mind, of my mind.

"I was born in a land of Buddhism, culture and traditions rich with an ancient art heritage. My family is highly involved with Buddhism. They would always take us to participate in the temple activities and various festivals. I've learned Buddha's story and his principles since I was very young. Like every Thai man, I was once ordained and could study Buddha's teachings, practicing the dhamma and helping spread Buddhism.

"My knowledge of Buddhism and experience with my faith is a great source of inspiration. So, I decided to present Buddhist themes through my artwork. I bring culture and traditions impregnated with Buddhism so that people know and understand about the beliefs and faith of the Lanna [northern Thai] people. I would like to add a last word for the people of this world - I wish you all happiness and peaceful lives."

Kasem has exhibited his work in many venues, including solo exhibitions in the Sage Gallery (NYC, 2001), the One World Gallery (New Jersey, 2002-2006 and Hong Kong, 2004) and the Lisart Gallery (Singapore, 2005).