Little Voice In English: A Shan Lady who enjoys raising awareness about her country through her art

Some artists create their work for pleasure; some just want to keep their memories alive and others as a mental outlet. Watching the paintings created by a Shan Lady, Feraya Ullathorne, whose paintings were mostly related to Shan people and its culture, I attempted to find out whether she has deeper meanings behind these paintings.

Interestingly enough, I found out that Feraya has been using her art for good causes: fund raising for Shan refugees as well as internally displaced children, and raising awareness about her motherland, Shan State. She also drew political cartoons for Burma Digest. Moreover, she used her art to heal people (worked as an art therapist) at a hospice in England. Most of her cartoons revealed situations inside Burma.Through her actions, I believe that she is more likely an activist than an artist or a cartoonist. Indeed, she is making voices for voiceless people living inside Burma.

Although she has left her beloved homeland at the age of 14, her memories and thoughts are still full of the love for Shan people. Her unspoken love to her country and its people can be seen through her paintings or her website at http://www.taigress.info/

Feraya recently published some of her arts into a book titled as "Feraya's world - A Shan Lady's Paintings". The book can be purchased at http://www.blurb.com/books/2959863. The profit from this book will go to good causes of Shan people and those who are in need.

Some people use guns, some use negotiations and others use their talents to fight for their country. The most important thing is having a desire to fight.Regardless of her busy schedule, she warmly welcome my interview:

· When did you first discover your talents?
I drew a lot when I was at nursery school because I was quiet, shy and liked to be in a dream world. When I was about eight, my teacher wrote “has talent in art” that I felt encouraged to carry on drawing.

Most of your paintings/drawings are related to Shan people. Do any of these paintings have a deeper meaning?

Yes, all my artworks have meanings and they are all from the heart.

What inspire you to do so?

I feel a strong connection with Shan people and their suffering, and that is why I paint to spread awareness globally.

Shan Hills

You have used many colors in some paintings such as Shan Hills and cycling uphill. Do colors mean something to you?

Absolutely, colours are important to me. Bright colours uplift one’s spirit, and can affect us psychologically.

Do you work from life (or) from imagination (or) from photographs?
Photos give me the inspiration, and I interpret them in my own personal way. I also use my imagination.

What is the most important influence in your art?
When I was at high school, I used a lot of deep, vivid colours because I longed for the tropics, being in a cold, dark and dreary climate as England. My art teacher said my style was like Gaugin, the French artist who went to Tahiti. I also went through a phase of painting in the style of Salvadore Dali, the Spanish artist. I am also influenced by Balinese and Chinese paintings.

Peace Vibration

I also saw some abstract paintings in your book (eg. peace vibration). How will you describe your drawing styles?
Nowadays I don’t think I really have a style. I just paint/draw what comes naturally.

Mother & Son

When do you paint (certain time of the day or only when you feel like painting) ?
I prefer to paint when the weather is bright and sunny, in natural day light.

What are your purposes of publishing the book, A Shan Lady’s Paintings?
My purpose to publish the book is to spread awareness to the global communities and to collect funds to donate toward the Shan refugee children.

In the beginning of your book, you mentioned that your paintings are based on your experiences. Human right violations such as forced relocation and torture are happening in Shan State. Have you painted anything about this?

My painting “Leaving Home” is related to the civil war victims. I have done some political cartoons and written articles and poems about IDP’s and the Burmese regime’s human right crimes. I have also created videos, one of them being “Stop Shan genocide” I also have websites which are http://www.taigress.info/, http://www.taiculture.info/ to spread awareness about the Shan, our history, our culture, our religion and human rights issues. So you see, I’m more of an activist than an artist.

From your book, which painting is your favorite? Why?
I enjoy painting but I don’t really have a favourite painting.

Some say artists play an important role in our society. May i hear your opinion.
I think artists do have some important role to play in society, but other activists are just as important.

Do you have any message to Shans? Non-Shans?

My message to the Shan and non-Shan people would be “Do what you love to serve humanity”.

(Thank you so much to the Shan Lady, Feraya Ullathorne, for this interview. May her art continue to spread the words for Shan people, traveling from England to all over the world, in an attempt to bring justice and human rights back to her country.)