News Flash! Annual Art Market begins at Baan Sillapin Art Center

After two full years without posting, we are back! And the big news that’s brought us out of our shell is the opening of the annual Art Marketplace at the vastly expanded Baan Sillapin Art Center (known also as Hua Hin Artist Village) just up the hill from midtown Hua Hin. If you’ve not visited this wonderful public center, or if you haven’t been there in a while, you owe it to yourself to go. The place has changed immensely and is positively humming with life and fun for everyone.

As it has been for many years, the Baan Sillapin Art Center is a leafy oasis on the outskirts of booming Hua Hin where everyone can get away from the hustle and bustle, enjoy cool mountain air and relax with great art and wonderful people. Not to mention the best coffee around.

For many years, the Artist Village has been known as a sleepy, semi-private reserve that didn’t go out of its way in attracting visitors.  A relatively small number of seasonal and full-time residents have always known it as the premier place for training in art and crafts under the wonderful Kru Nang Kesa-Ngam. All of that has changed, and the Baan Sillapin Art Center is ready to take its place among the area’s must-see attractions.

Nangs ArtYard: Art for Everyone!

To start with, Kru Nang’s original small classroom has expanded hugely with new staff and a full art supply shop to serve children and adults of all ages. You can visit it on Facebook as Nangs ArtYard, and you and your family can spend many happy hours when you go there. Even if you’ve never dreamed of it before, you can be making your own original art from the first hour. There’s no schedule, and the costs are beyond reasonable.

Nang and her staff have developed the gift of working with each student exactly where that person is ready to be.  Just come, sit down, and before you know it you’ll be happily on your way! Also, children absolutely love it! You can leave your little ones at the ArtYard in confidence that they are safely occupiedunder adult supervision and having the time of their lives. In other words, fun for children of all ages!

Galleries and Artist Studios

Of course, an Art Center is all about art and artists and Baan Sillapin has a huge variety of art galleries and working studios.

The main hall at Baan Sillapin exhibits world-class art from members of the Hua Hin Artist Group and other artists from all over the world.  A rustic building houses the magnificent collection antiques inherited from Khun Chumpon, the original founder and benefactor of the Artist Village.

Besides these principal galleries, Baan Sillaping hosts more than 20 working studios of individual artists. In these facilities, you can meet the artist, often see them at work and of course view and purchase their work.

Shopping

Besides art of every kind, the Baan Sillapin Art Center now has a number of individual shops selling clothing, jewlery, and souvenir items. During the month-long Art Market, the offerings are expanded further with various ‘gypsy’ vendors putting into the Baan Sillapin port-of-call.

Eating, Drinking, and More!

The opportunities for food and drink  at the Artist Village have expanded greatly. The centerpiece is the Cup By Cup coffee shop in the middle of the ‘main plaza’ . With lots of seating around that area (and elsewhere in the complex), it’s a great way to while away the hours.

Between Nangs ArtYard and the  famous Clay Houses, you will find Jiab’s Kitchen serving well-known Thai dishes lovingly prepared and served. During the Art Market, additional vendors are offering traditional snacks as well as beer and wine. No one needs to go hungry or thirsty!

As if that’s not enough, you can also get a fine massage in an air-conditioned shop. Highly recommended is the 30-minute ‘relaxer’ foot massage at just 100 baht!

Getting to Baan Sillapin

The Baan Sillapin Artist Village is located just 4km from the center of Hua Hin on the main road that leads West from the city. (This road continues on to Wat Huay Mongkol with it’s giant monk statue, Hua Hin Vinyards, Pala U waterfall and other attractions. So you can make a great day of it.)

Vic Hua Hin Hosts 2-day ‘Global Olympiad’ of Indian Performing Arts

On 25, 26, and 27 of December, the Vic Hua Hin theatre will be host to a spectacular showcase of music, dance, and drama from India.

The arts group Akhil Bharatiya Sanskutik Sangh, more easily pronounced (and remembered!) as ‘ABSS‘ is bringing a phenomenal performance competition for the 2nd year in a row.

I myself saw this show last year at Patravadi Theatre in Bangkok, and it is simply phenomenal! If you love good music and dance, Indian or otherwise be there!

The variety of music and dance is astonishing, the quality ranges from high to superb (okay, there were a few klunkers. But not many). And the sheer vibrancy and color of the costuming will wow you if nothing else does.

Vic Hua Hin welcomes ABSS’s Global Council of Arts & Culture India with the Global Cultural Olympiad 2011. This contest of dance and music will be held for the first time in Hua Hin. Primary and secondary schools, colleges, art institutes and cultural centers from all over India are taking part in this festival. 250 artists are participating with over 100 programs.

During the Olympiad music such as classical, folk as well as modern, instruments such as sitar, flute, keyboards, Indian classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Satriya and Folk as well as modern fusion dance styles will be presented.

The 2011 Olympiad will be held for the first time at Vic Hua Hin. Everybody is welcome to come in at any time of the program and enjoy the Indian culture:

• Sunday, 25th December 2011, 9.30 am – 10 pm
• Monday, 26th December 2011, 9.30 am – 10 pm.

Admission free, no reservation necessary.

For more information: http://www.vichuahin.com/, http://www.gcac.co/

Charity Dinner, 23 December for Connect3e Foundation

Connect3e is a foundation that supports impoverished communities near the Myanmar border in Petchburi and Prachuab Kirkhan provinces. A special benefit dinner will be held on Friday 23 December at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort and Spa between Hua Hin and Cha-am city.

For additional information and tickets, visit their web site at  http://mcontwikkel.nl/connect3edinner2011/, phone connect3e at 089 318 39 83 or drop by any of the sponsors listed.

Dance Theater at Cicada Market, Saturday 05 November

I always wish I could read Thai better than I actually do, but if I’m not mistaken this lot will be the stage show at Cicada Market this Saturday (05 November) starting 7:30. I’ll be there! Kinri Wirasak is the director.

Weekend School EVERY DAY at Vic Hua Hin!

Whoever heard of a Weekend School that happens every day? Well, that is exactly what they are doing at the Vic Hua Hin through 13 November.

With the Bangkok floods enforcing an extended stay in our fair city for many families, not to mention the high-season crowds starting to gather, there’s a shortage of suitable activities particularly during the week.

So ‘Kru Lek’ Patravadi, with her faculty and staff of Vic Hua Hin and Patravadi High School are stepping in with their unique and wonderful workshops that run every weekend throughout the year. Until 13th November  these will run every day from 10 am to 4 pm with:

• Art classes including clay sculpture, painting, and batik
• Acrobat training,
• Singing and instrumental music
• Dance, including movement, contemporary dance, and social latin dancing for adults
  

There’s something for everyone. Minimum age is 4 years. No maximum

Daily Class Schedule (through 13 November):

• Body Control: 10 am – 11 am:
• Art Classes (Clay sculpting, painting, batik): 10 am – 4 pm:
• Acrobat for children: 11 am – 12 am:
• Singing class for children under 10 years of age: 1 pm – 2 pm:
• Acrobat for children: 2 pm – 3 pm,
• Singing class for adults: 3 pm – 4 pm:
• Latin Dance: Friday 5 pm;  Saturday 10 am and 2 pm; Sunday 10 am.

For More Information

Call 032 827 814-5 or visit http://vichuahin.com for information on the school and the many wonderful performances coming up in the theater in the next two months.

Or just drop in. The Vic is located between central Hua Hin and Khao Tao/Pranburi, just 1/2 kilometer South of the railway overpass, on the right -hand side.

Look for the big black building and you can’t miss. But careful turning into the driveway, though. Cars go fast on that stretch, in both directions.

No matter you are thinking about enjoying arts for fun and pleasure, exposing children to nurture their creative minds, catching glimpses of Thai culture during your trip or aspiring to develop yourself professionally as an artist, Vic Hua Hin Weekend School will be an ideal choice.

Vic Hua Hin Weekend School is founded by Patravadi Mejudhon, guru of performing arts in Thailand, to gather artists and professional teachers from various artistic disciplines and give invaluable knowledge to anyone who interested in the arts. Long-term and short-term courses are available. The School can also create custom programs for your specific needs of individuals or groups.