Half-Japanese, half-Thai artist Yuree Kensaku, 26, is a bright young talent who is gaining a lot of attention in the art scene for her distinctive paintings and illustrations. Having graduated with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Bangkok University, her third and latest solo exhibition, “It’s Spiritually Good!” was held late last year. It featured a bold color palette of neon, fluorescent and metallic colors, flat and heavy textures and her trademark naked, wooly figures and cartoonish animals. “It’s Spiritually Good!” turned out to be successfully good as every piece in the show was sold. We catch up with the rising talent to find out more about her work.

When did you know you wanted to become an artist?
Probably when I was still studying. About 20 something was when I thought seriously about becoming an artist. I always liked it but I wasn’t as serious about it like I was when I got older. I didn’t know then how much dedication it took to do it for a living.

As a young artist how hard or easy was it when you were starting out?
I think every career is hard when you are first starting out. In the beginning you don’t know what will happen later. No matter what career you choose it’s important that you learn about it and know what you like as well.

What has influenced your work?
When I was developing my style I would experiment with things that I already liked. I would pick up influences from comic books and I used to really like graphic art and I’d mix that with other works I’ve seen and have liked. When you mix different influences this way it results in something that’s different and in something you might have not seen before. It’s not like just any old oil painting or acrylic work that you’ve seen other people do.

Who are your favorite artists?
There are a lot that I like. I like sculptors, painters and many others—there isn’t just one person. Thai artists I like are Ajarn Thanet, I like sculptors like Khun Jakaphan and Khun Halintorn. Western artists I like are Paula Rego, Philip Guston, Fernando Botero. I like all different types of art.

What kind of themes or meanings do you express in your artwork?
It’s mostly about stuff that surrounds me. My experiences which are like the experiences of most people. Feelings of happiness, sadness and sorrow. Sometimes it’s more personal and internal or can even be about things external like things I see on the news and from television.
When people come to see my work I feel like they draw from their personal experiences to interpret them in their own way. It might not be exactly in line with what I intended to express. The images and the titles I give them are like little guides to what the pieces may mean but it’s not always obvious.

What are you working on right now?
I’m preparing my collection for a show at Chulalongkorn that is scheduled for January 2007. I’ve just started. I’ve also continued doing illustrations for magazines and pocket books, as well.