This is the story of 19 unique pieces of wearable art created in Northern Thailand by my very good friend Mann, to help combat COVIT19 … please read and if you can fall in Love with one of those scarves… you too … Make Merit… you will like it…
I have a very big Love for Thailand and Thai people, I have been travelling there for the past 14 years and I have many friends there, all great people, kind, gentle, and very very caring. I am so sad that they also have to cope with the COVIT19 Virus, and isolate and stop working because for sure their safety network is far from what we have in the Western world… No Government grant for self employed or salary replacement to coax you to stay home… No magical funding to create large numerous Nightingale hospitals all over the country… They are hard working people and will be very affected by this crisis. Harder than we will be in the West.
My very dear friends, the creative ones are pulling all the stops to help their country to face the crisis, each in their own way, helping family and friends who have to isolate, many making masks and while it seems in the West we are not convinced that a home made mask is of use against this virus, in the East people wear masks very often to prevent spreading of illness and this is not any different as usual… we are unwell we wear a mask. Many many make masks nowadays.
My very good friend Prach Niyomkar is a textile artist in Sakon Nakhon, he runs Mann Craft, a dye garden and studio. He earns a living from his art, he makes Art and teaches Indigo and Natural dyes… the virus is affecting his business like it is affecting mine but while I will be getting a grant from the Government, Mann will have to make it work by himself and somehow I think the world can be unfair…
His work is beautiful, and meaningful and he decided to make a unique serial of scarves to help with the Virus… 19 scarves for Virus 19, they are beautiful things… Hand woven local cotton, decorated using Indigo dye and Eco Print… each in a unique way. They are a beautiful piece of wearable Art to get and keep as a memory that creativity can win the day even when the situation is quite uniquely difficult … But the most important thing… Mann will donate 100% of the proceeds of the sale of those scarves to a local hospital to help with the battle agains the virus.
In Thai Culture this is called MAKING MERIT… and I feel so overwhelmed by this kind of generosity.
The thing is … You dont have to be Thai to Make Merit… You can purchase one of those scarves knowing that you have acquired a unique piece of wearable art made by a Thai artist… but every time you will wear it… you will be surrounded by the good feel that helped creating it. Their cost is 19 000 Thai Baht, not much in Western money for a unique piece of wearable Art.
I have “pinched” a few photos from Mann’s website to show you the process which is quite unique and the scarves… I could not resist buying one, because I LOVE his Art and also because I know how much good will my purchase do… I too want to MAKE MERIT… Thai people give me so much Love and Care regularly I feel I owe them to this time “Take Care” of them a little bit… And I like supporting my friend Mann’s effort… it is a big input from him and he can only achieve his goal if his friends also help.
Take a look in the confort of your home and may be you will fall in Love with one of those scarves and decide to purchase it… Your cash would go a long way there… and it will take time to have it shipped here… the dreaded Virus has slowed down everything… but it is worth it… It is for a good cause … and the are GORGEOUS…
If you want to become the proud owner of one of Mann’s scarves … you can email me bettysbeautifullife@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with Mann or you can use the FB page as the above link and contact him by messenger… His English is great and he is very friendly.
I hope you are all staying safe at Home.
Love.
Betty x
THE LANSDOWNE HOUSE 