Hand-Carved Wood Sculpture of Elephant with Red Tones 'Vibrant Fortune' Item ID: 2677084392

“Hi! My name is Supachaya Jantan, but you can call me 'Lar' if you choose. I was born and raised in a little town in the San Kamphaeng District, where a group of experienced craftsmen still practice Lanna wood carving.

“I have six brothers and sisters. Two of my brothers used to do wood carving when I was a kid, but I just started learning to create when I was 30. I began working immediately after finishing grade nine. I did general contract labor like sewing and trading.

“I've been interested in wood carving since childhood, learning from my older brother and other village craftspeople. It took me a couple of years to carve and sell an elephant's head. When I understood that if I merely carved and sold, my income would be based on my diligence and competence, I decided to become a seller who crafts herself and hires other artisans. In 2007, I opened my shop at the Night Bazaar and moved to sell at the weekend night market in Chiang Mai. I operated a tree business near my house during the pandemic.

“A mistake led to the day I decided to paint a wooden elephant. The wood on an elephant's back was cracked. I used to dye with ebony, which is gorgeous but can't hide imperfections, so I tried acrylic and had a painter make a traditional royal outfit, which sold extremely well.

“I handle most of the process, including quality control, coat preparation, waxing, and polishing. My village is home to two painters and a large number of woodworkers. Every component must go through my hands. I occasionally enhance it by adding eyes, embellishing, and brushing for the painter. After brushing, dyeing, washing and quality control it is sent to a painter, who will then quality check it again before waxing and polishing. One piece might pass through my hands 4-5 times.

“My plans include expanding my shop while waiting for Chiang Mai to reopen to tourists. And I'm hoping that Novica's customers will enjoy my products. Thank you very much!”