Piraporn

Hello, I'm Piraporn Anupongpipat. I am a descendant of the Mien tribe, which migrated to Thailand from China over a century ago. My parents and I work in silver, which is a traditional Mien tribal art form.

I have a younger sister, and we've all been familiar with silver since we were young. When we graduated, my sister and I carried on with our silver work. We sought out customers, developed our processes and created new designs so our workshop could grow. My parents also continue crafting jewelry with hand-stamped motifs and create silver figurines like elephants, swans and boats.

My sister and I have a style of our own. We connect tiny silver hoops to form four different kinds of mesh. We then transform the mesh into jewelry - from small earrings to larger pieces like necklaces or a sheet large enough to cover a shoulder. I enjoy using small loops because I like thinking about the shape of a basic circle when I put together many different shapes. The process requires a lot of concentration and dexterity to connect the loops one-by-one. If one is connected incorrectly at a single point, it deforms the whole shape.

During each step of the crafting process, I use traditional techniques to flatten the silver sheet before making loops, then I weld them. With a craftsperson's expertise, the silver comes out beautifully with smooth welding as if it were produced by a big factory with modern tools.

I am confident my jewelry will attract people who love crafts from around the world.