SHOWCASE
/ ARTIST / 2025
| ARTIST: | Arnoux |
| COUNTRY: | Netherlands |
| EMAIL: | creaclaybkk@gmail.com |
| CONTACT: |
facebook.com/creaclaybkk instagram.com/crea.claybkk |
| My name is Arnoux (อาร์นู). I was a furniture maker in the Netherlands for almost 20 years, but I now live with my wife in Bangkok, Thailand. I have played with clay from a very young age and have never stopped since. I now turn the boy’s hobby into a profession, making artworks with air-dry clay and hoping that it will bring some joy to those receiving them. I specialize in making people’s everyday lives and memories into decorative art. It could be someone’s living room, a nice stroll on holidays, a car and other models that have special meanings, and moments you would like to remember. I am now having my own brand called “CREA Clay” (เครยา เคลย์) where CREA comes from “crea bea” which, in Dutch, is like a nickname for people who are creative. I mostly start with a sketch before sculpting. I’m drawn to miniature, nature, landscapes, architecture, and different kinds of models. I like small details and I try to insert some mechanics or surprise elements into many artworks to make them interactive for people and also to challenge myself on how much I can create and be creative with air-dry clay. Besides my own designs, which I get inspired by my experiences and fantasies, I’m very blessed with having many amazing briefs from many people who always give me creative space to use my craftsmanship to create meaningful pieces for them. |
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Val’s Living Room
You might not know Val, but this is exactly how his living room in France looks like. You can see what he loves, his cat, and even a view from the window he sees every day. Val's Living Room was an art piece I had so much fun creating, commissioned by his partner, who wanted to save a memory of his beloved room for him so that he can have his "room" with him as he is moving far away from his home country to live with her. The challenging part was to turn a square room into a round format while paying attention to every detail. I made his cat in diverse positions so that he can put her wherever in the room to make it more interactive and also to reflect how she really is living in the same room with him. I made a sofa all from clay, in which Val has an option to put a blanket on or take it off. I also made a "secret" drawer that can really be opened despite how tiny it is. Inside the drawer is a message from his partner.
Tiny House
The tiny house has become one of my signature pieces. My love for architecture and lovely old houses is mostly inspired by the southern European style. Function-wise, it can be a magnet as I put the magnet inside, hiding it away so that it can also be a house decor that can stand up on a desk or shelf. Every single house is original and unique, as I never make the same one again. I also clay tiny houses from real-life houses of my clients who want to turn their home into a miniature art piece.
Nature Clay Painting
Clay painting for me is an exploration of depth and perception. I love nature and this nature painting is the first piece I clayed inspired by a memory close to my heart as it reminds me of going on vacation with my parents in France or Italy.
Italian Dream
Italian Dream is one of the themes I like to sculpt. I use a lot of different techniques in order to create different textures and colors. I mix coffee into the clay to give a wall a unique color. Working on this piece, I get to use my furniture-making skills to construct different parts of the house and its details. The highlight is the balcony where people can be a part of the Italian Dream, having their own cozy house by putting different chairs, plants, bottles of wine, and glasses to decorate, despite how tiny the piece is.
The Boy by the Sea
The Boy by the Sea is an artistic attempt to recreate a memory for the boy and his mother, who together went to an aquarium where you can create your own sea creature, and the boy created a jellyfish with his name. Turning a photo into a clay artwork, I made it interactive and playful by making some pieces magnetic so that the boy can play with and put them on different spots in the frame. This piece, then, has its function beyond a decorative art, but also a memory and a piece he can play with.
The Trio
The three pieces in the Trio are designed to connect with each other, while each of them can stand on its own. Inside one of the logs, there is a rabbit hiding, making the piece more playful. My clay painting invites people to touch and feel different textures while having nature in their home.
Barcelona Stroll
Barcelona Stroll is a mixed-media artwork where there is a photo of a person who was really there in Barcelona, where she took the picture, which is turned into a clay painting. So far, this is one of my most technical pieces when it comes to the construction of buildings, considering small balconies and other elements that have to be in the right positions and angles. The surprise touch is that the light of the street lamps can glow in the dark.
BAELAE
BAELAE is a Karen word that means “tasty,” referring to a well-balanced taste. It’s a project to create both a bakery shop and a space in Rachaburi Province run by the young generation of Karens (ปกาเกอะญอ), one of the ethnic groups living in Thailand who are known for their tradition, culture, and wisdom that are intertwined and interdependent with nature. I was honored to design a logo for the space that reflects the Karen culture and livelihood. That’s why bamboo is the main part of the design, as it’s very important for Karen’s life. I sculpted bamboo and its leaves with the intention of making them look very realistic. I also sculpted a Karen-style basket with different elements that reflect their way of living and the bakery shop. There is one flower in the basket because, back in the day, when a Karn man went into the woods to find food and stuff for home, he usually came back with a flower for his partner. This project gave me a meaningful opportunity to learn about Karen people and culture in Thailand.