Handmade Mulberry Paper Greeting Cards, "Festive Elephant"

"I'm Nisa Chaisiritanakorn and I was born in Bangkok. After finishing high school, I majored in interior design and worked at a furniture company for five years. Then I got married, and my husband and I moved to Eastern Thailand.

"When my husband opened a photo store, there was no way to retouch photos, so I used a collage technique to make his photos look more interesting. These became popular to give as birthday, graduation, wedding or anniversary presents.

"My work with batik began with my younger brother who loved orchids. He often attended botanical events and, when he found a batik print with an orchid pattern, he brought many of them back home. When I saw them, I was very impressed, as I didn't like batik. I used to think the colors and patterns were boring with repeated colors and themes. But this artist's work was very neat and lively, with interesting and comfortable colors.

"I wanted to study batik with him, so I contacted the artist. He normally didn't have time to teach anyone, and it would've been worthless if the students didn't use the skills they learned. After he saw my serious intention, he taught me every step, from how to choose equipment, mix waxes and stretch the fabric so I could draw and paint.

"At first, I used many different patterns. I was inspired by my visit to India and its design motifs, such as flowers, elephants and tiles. I created my own batik prints and worked in my husband's shop. When my teacher visited me, he asked me to sell my work at a furniture fair and it sold out! I'm so proud and very happy that people liked it.

"After my children graduated, I moved to Chiang Mai and began working seriously with batik. I began researching about fibers and learned how each fabric absorbs colors. I also experimented with different methods of applying wax. I learned from many trials and errors and I've enjoyed it all.

"I use beeswax to paint the motifs because it is stickier than paraffin. I mix my own colors and this makes my prints unique. I use a slim wax line for delicate patterns and clean lines to make my batik stand out. I also hand-stitch the hem of every piece for a completely handmade work of art."