I like to think of myself as a jack of all trades. Best known as an Architect, Interior Designer and Landscape Designer, I have spent the last 35 years building 200+ hotels and palaces in 30+ countries. However, in my free time, I am also a gardener, fisherman, lover of all things natural, and most recently, an OUTSIDER artist… I say Outsider as I was not traditionally trained in fine art, so I might have a different perspective on the matter. Just before COVID kicked off I picked up painting, and it very quickly became a passion – soon I was practicing wherever I went – airplanes, site visits, on the back of menus, and drawing portraits on-the-go… When borders closed it really hit full throttle as I suddenly went from traveling 40 weeks a year to none!
Now on any given day I will do some painting at 6am before heading to BENSLEY, our design studio in Bangkok – with a branch in Bali too. There I work alongside 150 interior designers, architects, landscape designers, artists, and graphic designers – and my other half Jirachai and our five Jack Russells – to create the best sustainable luxury hospitality experiences we can dream up.
Most weekends you will find me painting at our jungle home “Baan Botanica” (@j_baan_botanica) and hosting dinner parties with our friends; often it is both at once! Recently we opened the first BENSLEY Outsider Gallery here in Bangkok, which is home to some 80+ artwork. There is a sister gallery at the InterContinental Danang, and both are thrilled to welcome visitors! There you will find work that is humorous, unapologetically colorful, dizzyingly fun, surprising, full of heart – and ever changing. As a young artist my style is ever changing, so prepare to be surprised! And know that the key to it all is doing good – painting is balm to my soul, but it is also a way for me to help contribute to protecting our world.
All proceeds, both for prints and original paintings, go to the Shinta Mani Foundation and Wildlife Alliance, two causes very close to my heart.
