Ise Ratta Ananphada — Bangkok, Thailand

"We have a rich artistic heritage and I sometimes utilise elements from this in my work. But I believe that true creativity comes from the heart. It is not a duty but a mirror into our soul. You could take 10 Thai artists and their work would all be different, but it is enough to know that it has been produced by Thai artists."

"I'm just an ordinary illustrator who has a personal preference for drawing pictures of females," explains Ratinan Thaicharoen, a.k.a. Ise Ratta Ananphada, when asked about her predilection for the female form. The holder of a degree in visual communication art and design, she now works as a freelance illustrator and pattern and graphic designer. She claims that most of her drawings have symbolic meanings, expressing the passion and the mystery of the women she portrays.