Thai Woodsmith Discovers Independence
by Ramon Shiloh
If you find yourself wandering the northwest part of Seattle, you have entered the neighborhood of Ballard, home to a thriving shopping district, quaint cafés, small boutiques, mom and pop pubs and a farmer’s market. On the corner of NW Market St. and 22nd Ave. NW sits Enlighten, a small gallery filled with handcrafted items that are quickly becoming prized for their creativity and originality.
Owned by Kalan Intawong, the environmentally-friendly home décor store offers contemporary furniture with a rustic twist. One brick wall is lined with recycled wood shelves that hold nontraditional Thai carvings, while the middle of the gallery is filled with curvy tabletops and tree stump chair stools.
Most of the pieces he creates is fashioned from natural bamboo and teakwood gathered from old buildings in Asia. He particularly loves teakwood because of its endurance, reliability and workable qualities. Living in a city like Seattle, its resistance to the weather is an added bonus. Intawong believes his customers are drawn to his handcrafted items because they connect with the organic nature of his carvings.
An Artist is Born
Intawong was born in Thailand’s Chiang Rai Province. His mother, who performed various duties as a nurse, also worked for the government and dabbled in business. His father, a government official, was a practical man who did not favor Intawong’s artistic endeavors.
“My father always told me, ‘If you become an artist, you’re going to be starving for the rest of your life.’ He believed having a steady job guaranteed that you were going to have a check at the end of the month,” Intawong says.
But, as a college student, Intawong found a way to nurture his creative and practical sides by studying Industrial Design.
“I love being an artist and a businessman, too. It was hard to juggle both in the beginning, but my belief is to have fun in both worlds and find a balance – or you’re going crash,” he says.
Intawong moved to Seattle to be with his wife, who lived in Thailand for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer. “One day, she shocked me by asking if I would like to be with her in Seattle. I thought ‘Yeah I love her!’ And, I wanted to see what was happening in the United States,” he says.
After a Thailand wedding ceremony in April of 2002, Intawong and his wife set off on a nationwide tour of the U.S., starting in Washington, D.C., where Intawong met his in-laws for the first time. The newlyweds spent a month traveling the northern portion of the country by car, stopping to see anything that interested them.
“If you’re going to move from another country, you might as well learn as much as you can. The road trip was amazing! Being on the road that long was a refreshing look at the opportunities ahead,” he says.
And, while he explains the different cultures that he encountered were amazing, there were moments that caused him some concern about his new home. “There was this bar in Montana and everyone had blond hair, except me. At the moment I walked in, everyone turned and stared pretty hard. Obviously, I didn’t belong there. It was like I just flipped from seeing the most extraordinary sights on the road and bumped into a roadblock of confusion. I don’t believe I was feeling racism, but I definitely felt uncomfortable. But, after 15 minutes of not getting served, you need to think ‘OK, get back to reality and know you’re never going to see good things all the time.’ We moved on, ready for Seattle.”
Bright Horizons in Seattle
A new independent life in Seattle meant Intawong could be anything he dreamed of becoming. That included becoming an artist.
He began testing the market with small pieces – such as the table lamps he still sells in his store – at art fairs, farmers markets and other local shops around Seattle. “When I came to the U.S., I wasn’t sure where I was going with my art. Then, people started coming around telling me ‘you can do this for a living’ and I realized it wasn’t a bad idea,” says Intawong, who constantly sought feedback from his customers and worked out an affordable price for his art. “After two years, I felt confident on what to focus on. I learned a lot.”
In the spring of 2004, he opened the doors to Enlighten. “I have this wonderful store [because] local people support me. If there’s anything I can do to support them, that’s why I’m here. I’m about community.”
Intawong believes that if he had not left for the United States when he did, his future would have been sealed as a government employee or working for someone else. And, although his woodwork was respected in Thailand, he says, “Americans seem to appreciate it more.”
“I feel I have more strength and control over my life in the U.S. than in Thailand,” he explains. “Back home, these lamps are everywhere. It is hard to make a living when everyone is doing the same thing. Sometimes with a small community, it’s just hard for you to shine.”
Still, he admits to missing his family every single day. “When I look back and think about my homeland, I miss everything. I mean I love Seattle. The people here are so open to different cultures. But, when I think about my homeland, I think about how my people are focused on family first. I miss that connection.”
Last week, Intawong also opened his first restaurant, Root Table. Just like Enlighten, his approach to this new venture is a welcoming attitude. “When you come to my restaurant, I want you to feel like you’re visiting a good friend’s house, with an accepting atmosphere and not intimidated by new faces. This is your home, too.”
The dining room is filled with Intawong’s wood grain tables, which look as if he nurtured the roots of each tree to life. The eclectic menu features the Double-Fisted Duck, which is marinated in dark beer and Chinese wine, as well as small plates under $10.
“I really never think about the future. You don’t need to forget about the past. Just to be you at this moment is to be happy. Even through life’s frustrations, try to entertain your life with positive thoughts. I never pictured myself ten years from now what I was going to be. For me, being creative is the greatest gift. I’m living the life I want right now.”
© 1/21/2009
by Ramon Shiloh
If you find yourself wandering the northwest part of Seattle, you have entered the neighborhood of Ballard, home to a thriving shopping district, quaint cafés, small boutiques, mom and pop pubs and a farmer’s market. On the corner of NW Market St. and 22nd Ave. NW sits Enlighten, a small gallery filled with handcrafted items that are quickly becoming prized for their creativity and originality.
Owned by Kalan Intawong, the environmentally-friendly home décor store offers contemporary furniture with a rustic twist. One brick wall is lined with recycled wood shelves that hold nontraditional Thai carvings, while the middle of the gallery is filled with curvy tabletops and tree stump chair stools.
Most of the pieces he creates is fashioned from natural bamboo and teakwood gathered from old buildings in Asia. He particularly loves teakwood because of its endurance, reliability and workable qualities. Living in a city like Seattle, its resistance to the weather is an added bonus. Intawong believes his customers are drawn to his handcrafted items because they connect with the organic nature of his carvings.
An Artist is Born
Intawong was born in Thailand’s Chiang Rai Province. His mother, who performed various duties as a nurse, also worked for the government and dabbled in business. His father, a government official, was a practical man who did not favor Intawong’s artistic endeavors.
“My father always told me, ‘If you become an artist, you’re going to be starving for the rest of your life.’ He believed having a steady job guaranteed that you were going to have a check at the end of the month,” Intawong says.
But, as a college student, Intawong found a way to nurture his creative and practical sides by studying Industrial Design.
“I love being an artist and a businessman, too. It was hard to juggle both in the beginning, but my belief is to have fun in both worlds and find a balance – or you’re going crash,” he says.
Intawong moved to Seattle to be with his wife, who lived in Thailand for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer. “One day, she shocked me by asking if I would like to be with her in Seattle. I thought ‘Yeah I love her!’ And, I wanted to see what was happening in the United States,” he says.
After a Thailand wedding ceremony in April of 2002, Intawong and his wife set off on a nationwide tour of the U.S., starting in Washington, D.C., where Intawong met his in-laws for the first time. The newlyweds spent a month traveling the northern portion of the country by car, stopping to see anything that interested them.
“If you’re going to move from another country, you might as well learn as much as you can. The road trip was amazing! Being on the road that long was a refreshing look at the opportunities ahead,” he says.
And, while he explains the different cultures that he encountered were amazing, there were moments that caused him some concern about his new home. “There was this bar in Montana and everyone had blond hair, except me. At the moment I walked in, everyone turned and stared pretty hard. Obviously, I didn’t belong there. It was like I just flipped from seeing the most extraordinary sights on the road and bumped into a roadblock of confusion. I don’t believe I was feeling racism, but I definitely felt uncomfortable. But, after 15 minutes of not getting served, you need to think ‘OK, get back to reality and know you’re never going to see good things all the time.’ We moved on, ready for Seattle.”
Bright Horizons in Seattle
A new independent life in Seattle meant Intawong could be anything he dreamed of becoming. That included becoming an artist.
He began testing the market with small pieces – such as the table lamps he still sells in his store – at art fairs, farmers markets and other local shops around Seattle. “When I came to the U.S., I wasn’t sure where I was going with my art. Then, people started coming around telling me ‘you can do this for a living’ and I realized it wasn’t a bad idea,” says Intawong, who constantly sought feedback from his customers and worked out an affordable price for his art. “After two years, I felt confident on what to focus on. I learned a lot.”
In the spring of 2004, he opened the doors to Enlighten. “I have this wonderful store [because] local people support me. If there’s anything I can do to support them, that’s why I’m here. I’m about community.”
Intawong believes that if he had not left for the United States when he did, his future would have been sealed as a government employee or working for someone else. And, although his woodwork was respected in Thailand, he says, “Americans seem to appreciate it more.”
“I feel I have more strength and control over my life in the U.S. than in Thailand,” he explains. “Back home, these lamps are everywhere. It is hard to make a living when everyone is doing the same thing. Sometimes with a small community, it’s just hard for you to shine.”
Still, he admits to missing his family every single day. “When I look back and think about my homeland, I miss everything. I mean I love Seattle. The people here are so open to different cultures. But, when I think about my homeland, I think about how my people are focused on family first. I miss that connection.”
Last week, Intawong also opened his first restaurant, Root Table. Just like Enlighten, his approach to this new venture is a welcoming attitude. “When you come to my restaurant, I want you to feel like you’re visiting a good friend’s house, with an accepting atmosphere and not intimidated by new faces. This is your home, too.”
The dining room is filled with Intawong’s wood grain tables, which look as if he nurtured the roots of each tree to life. The eclectic menu features the Double-Fisted Duck, which is marinated in dark beer and Chinese wine, as well as small plates under $10.
“I really never think about the future. You don’t need to forget about the past. Just to be you at this moment is to be happy. Even through life’s frustrations, try to entertain your life with positive thoughts. I never pictured myself ten years from now what I was going to be. For me, being creative is the greatest gift. I’m living the life I want right now.”
© 1/21/2009
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