Meet the Artist
Below are the bios of the Artist involved with the gallery. Major respect to the artist.
Nor Sanavongsay
Nor Sanavongsay has been a member of the SatJaDham Lao Literary Project, the National Lao American Writers Summit, the Lao Artists Festival of Elgin, among many others. He is the author of children’s books inspired by Lao folktales, such as A Sticky Mess. Nor also illustrated a Lao children’s book — Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers. When he was fourteen, he enrolled in a home study correspondence course providing training in cartooning and illustration at the Art Instruction Schools in Minnesota—the same one Charles Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown, attended. He continues to hone his artistic skills at Workday, where he designs applications, leads the creation of a storyboarding kit for UX, and help manage a club to “Create Something” in their spare time. Many of his artworks could be found on his Instagram profile: @ArtofNor.
Renee Ya
Renee Ya is Hmong American and grew up in Fresno, CA. With over 16 years of experience in the technology and video game industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. Co-founder of Tiger Byte Studios, a full-service technology company actualizing products and games. A Product Manager by trade and mother to the next feisty generation of women warriors. Follow her at reneeya.com or Twitter @renee_cya or Facebook & Instagram: @reneecya
Low Saelee
My name is Low Saelee. I am a tattoo artist.
I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand in 1984. I currently reside in Sacramento, California. After immigrating to the united States of America, My family moved around the west coast establishing roots in Washington and Alaska. And finally settling in California.
I’ve been drawing and making art for as long as I can remember. I was also brought up in Hip Hop culture and am a practitioner of the art of Bboying also known as Break Dancing.
Tattooing resonated with me because I saw it as not only a way to apply my talents in art professionally; but to use it to help people express themselves with imagery adorning their skin for life.
For more information and to stay up to date, please visit my Instagram profile: @tattoos_by_low
Bobby Thongkham
Bobby Thongkham, known as Cvshxnly, is a Lao American Artist and Designer. He was born in Soun Na Po Refugee Camp in Thailand and based in San Diego, CA.
Noonie Thibodeau
With a Mechanical Engineering background, Phoumany Noonie Thibodeau (formally Sengchanthalangsy) is a Lao Artistic Creator in San Diego. She focuses on Chinese/Japanese brush painting and the “empty” space in the composition. Just like an athlete, sumi-e painting takes practice and more practice. Each stroke shows more personal feelings and brings out the artist’s character and personality onto rice paper. She loves to paint on calligraphy paper, silk, fans, wine glasses, wood, t-shirts, and possibly a utility box mural. Her love for Nature makes it convenient to doodle and stipple a hummingbird. Here’s an example:
Noonie is also a devoted wife to Craig Thibodeau, a professional furniture maker in San Diego. You can visit his website at www.CTFINEFURNITURE.com or YouTube videos by Craig Thibodeau. When’s she not painting away, she volunteers her time at ProKids- the First Tee of San Diego, California Ballet Company, Patrick Henry High School Dance Team & Engineering, and Artists Around the World. Noonie enjoys spending quality time with her two children and teaching them Lao traditions. Both her kids love sticky rice and of course, the Lao New Year celebrations.
About Noonie Thibodeau:
Don't worry, ART finds a way! After the Vietnam War, she lost her home and country of Laos to the Communist Party. She came to America at the age of seven, with no belongings, just with the clothes she wore on the plane. They had to leave Loas because her dad, Veth Sengchanthalangsy, had served in the United States Army. It’s been over 40 years since the war and the communist party has done nothing for the people of Laos and they still occupy her family’s old house.
Growing up in California with five siblings, four sisters and one brother, she fell in love with school. Her first introduction to art was in Kindergarten. Then she was introduced to science, which blew her away! After high school, she got accepted to FIDM/ Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and Engineering schools. She graduated from San Diego State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. She had lots of engineering drawing skills. It was then she settled down to marry Craig Thibodeau who happens to be a Mechanical Engineer too. He quit his engineering job to pursue a career as a professional woodworker when they started a family. Eventually, she quit her job as a Test Engineer to become a stay-at-home mom. Staying busy by painting artwork and murals. And she sketched and drew pretty flowers and birds for her husband’s furniture.
Ten years later, she had a life-threatening health issue, she needed a full liver transplant. She had a giant Hemangioma – it’s a benign tumor that weighed over 12 lbs. and was the size of watermelon. She had her liver transplant at UCLA on 4/11/15 from Dr. Busuttil and his Liver Transplant Team. That’s when her husband asked her to take classes in Art. This time, she found her passion in brush painting! It's been exciting to experiment with alum, silk, calligraphy paper, and hide glue. She hopes her artwork will inspire you to find the beauty in your life you so deserve. Thank you, in advance, for supporting her artwork! Merci beaucoup!!