SO….

If you DO fancy popping into paint on either Sunday (11 – 4pm) OR/AND also Monday (10 – 5pm) the studio will be open & ready for YOU… so to anyone who has the URGE to paint but normally has to drag themselves off to the bloomin’ office on a normal dreaded Monday morning….THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!

All levels welcome.

At the higher end of the scale we are blessed to have the company of Mr. Chao, a fantastically cool gentleman who is also turning out to be a very capable & diligent painter…

To his grand daughter Narisa, another up and coming star…

As seen here, working together at their morning art lessons…

To one of our youngest (& certainly one of our cutest students in situ at the moment)…. little Tia, aged just 5 (bless her!)

Especially as she never ceases to amaze us with her cheery & delightful daily comments…. such as ‘wow, that’s beautiful Mr. Ben’ &  ‘Mr. Ben, I love painting, it makes me very happy!’.

Each student is super special here but when you mix them all together… well, it feels a bit like we’re somehow making champagne!

Want to leave the crowds, pollution and traffic of Bangkok for a day? Want to get in touch with your inner artist in a jungle retreat? Want to sit in an idyllic oasis and paint?

In the secret gardens of a famous Thai artist?

Starting from the second week of  September (Monday 12th) Elsie will be holding weekly one day outings to Baan Suan Si lapa in Nonthaburi, home and studio of the well-known Thai artist, Wichien Wonsupalak.

Here he has created an inspirational artist’s setting with a garden full of walkways and hidden nooks and crannies; full of orchids and wild plant-life which has inspired his 30 year career.

Whether you are an established artist, a budding painter or simply relish the idea of getting out of Bangkok for a creative day out in beautiful surroundings, the One Day Artist Workshops offer a unique, interactive experience.

“It is a fantastic space. There’s so much to paint. It’s authentic rustic Thai style and the day is relaxed but well organised. Just to come out and see this place is enough. I’ve taken so many photos. It’s just great to get out of Bangkok, have a chilled out day and still be back to see the kids out of school.” – Lloyd Thomas, workshop participant from Elsie’s first trip

“I haven’t painted since school. I haven’t even picked up a paintbrush for 30 years I don’t think! It is a lovely, relaxing and really peaceful place and it’s great to meet different people  in a different environment too.” – Libby Pringle , workshop participant from Elsie’s first trip

After a relaxed, friendly, shared lunch on a long wooden table in the artist’s light and airy studio, chatting with the artists,  participants continue with their creative painting. As they sit dotted around the garden the atmosphere is almost meditative and they each receive individual comments and ideas about the art.

“As an artist I think these workshops are a perfect way to learn . They can see a tree, a flower and a plant with no pollution, in beautiful surroundings and fresh air. As they look closely and paint they are letting nature come inside them. This is like art therapy and whatever painting they produce the experience of being in nature helps them in some way.” – Wichien Wonsupalek, Artist

Leaving Attic/Bangkok 8.30am & back in the studio by 4.30pm every Monday; with all art materials, transport & a simple Thai lunch provided.

Booking is essential so please call Elsie or email: info@attic-studios.com

…& with son Michael (master fish handler #1) currently away in the States & with no time to deal with these little critters (all shapes/sizes & all in a great state, despite the recent absence of their resident fish carer!) before he left…. THEY are ALL now in IMMEDIATE NEED OF ‘NEW HOMES’ & ‘VERY FREE’ to all you fish lovers out there!!

SO please get in touch… & come collect ASAP!
NB: The fish in the image may not represent the actual fish in Elsie’s pond but hey… they’re FISH, Elsie just asked me to write this for her & I’ve NO idea what’s lurking in there but good luck to all! – HB

Elsie will back @ basecamp Alfa, aka Attic Studios later on this afternooon…& VERY nice job to you

Blank walls, untouched ceiling.. about to get hit!

I’m not entirely in the loop on ‘the full brief’ but Elsie IS (with the assistance of French Caroline, bless) as they are currently turning the client’s living room into a fantastically, awesome, snowy mountain range of the Dolomites, the mountain range located in north-eastern Italy.

Stage 1 - ceilings & walls & ladders

So maybe Elsie’s clients felt it was time for a change from all that sea, sun and sand … and just want to be able to sit around with their woolly jumpers on, drink mulled wine and cuddle hot water bottles & be reminded of home!?…. SO in my eyes Elsie has HIT the ‘brief’ SPOT ON & they’re so going to love this.

Stage 2 - wow!

Here are some photos of the work in progress… and although Elsie or Attic staff are not entirely sure Elsie’s back will ever be quite the same again, ouch they are in PAIN … this is GREAT WORK and a great job in progress very well done.

Stage 3 - ooh Caroline too, there's that back again!

We DO hope Elsie and Caroline don’t over do it (their backs, that is!) and get some time off at the end of each day… to lie on the floor, rest & recover and have a very large G&T… or 3 !

You SO deserve it girls and we’ll see you Friday… and p.s we can have wheelchairs in the car park (on stand-by) to trolley you back into the studio, if required:)

BEAUTIFUL STUFF here….

TODAY, aka NOW… happening NOW!!!! with free bacon sandwiches if you get here before 1am… NICE!!

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE… and there’s loads more ‘other stuff’ too… COME CHECK IT OUT!

Earlier this week Elsie threw a little art session for one little art student friend of ours, Fay…who came along with 11 of her school friends for a great big & fun farewell party.

The aim of this particular creative session was for each child to make their very own ‘Bangkok Memory Box’, a genius idea that Elsie came up with.

We supplied heaps of reference material (Bangkok-themed) and the children were all encouraged to design their own box, using lots of collage and huge amounts of glue…nice!

All the boxes turned out to be little beautiful mini-masterpieces on the outside and everyone really seemed to dig the idea of sticking photocopies of all of their friends safely inside each one (bless).

Here they all are… on the box (I mean on the case!)

And as you can see, here’s the end result….beautiful little memory boxes of Bangkok for them to keep forever…. Wow kids, these boxes rock.

So then they got cake….which was REALLY good.

And at the end of the session, we had a whole little gang of very happy little people… so great job to Elsie, the kids and everyone.

If you’re interested in bringing a group of children to Attic for a creative bash… whatever the reason or theme, this can be arranged and we can adapt a session to suit any occassion… please get in touch and please feel free to bring CAKE because we especially love eating CAKE here a lot!

Elsie, coming to the rescue and in collaboration with our lovely Belgium & French sculpture neighbours who run L’Atelier 31  (this place is just a stone’s throw up the Soi from Attic… well, if you were bionic perhaps!?…but hey, it’s VERY CLOSE to us anyway!) is helping them out by adding some of her paintings to the space SO please try and pop along to see some great artistic & highly original work, together.

Yep, THIS is ANOTHER one of those ‘Bangkok’s secrets’ we’d like to share with you….. so if you get a chance TOMORROW, go and check THIS PLACE OUT!

And just in case you’re not entirely familiar with the term ‘Atelier’, it a French word of course, which means…. “A workshop or studio, especially for an artist or designer.”

SO in other words, Atelier WITH Elsie’s paintings is going to make for a great ‘combinaison parfaite’ day!

Footnote: If you need any assistance in finding this beautiful little studio, just pop into Attic on Saturday, on route…. as we’ll be very happy to guide you THERE

And THIS is a real artists haven (which after this Tuesday’s initial and hugely successful 1st TRIP) Elsie has arranged to visit again… NEXT MONDAY, 13th JUNE (leaving Attic @ 8.30 am, returning c. 2.30 pm) AND you’re all very welcome.

I won’t say more… I’ll just let these images absorb you

As Marcel Proust once said “The only paradise is paradise lost” OR in this case…….FOUND!

GREAT RESULT ELSIE and very NICE WORK