Phansakdi Chakkaphak: The White Roses That Changed His Life

My life with flowers began from my grandmother. Since I was very young, she was the one who introduced me to know the flowers name in our small backyard, to sniff the scent of flowers, to arrange flowers for the Buddha image at the altar before she taught me how to pray at night.

In 1984 I had a restaurant in San Francisco. My partner and I decided to name it Water Lily Café.

I use watercolor to paint water lily by copy image from the postcard size photos of water lily I took in Thailand.

I never had class in watercolor before and never have the idea to become a flower painter

After I closed my restaurant in San Francisco, I moved back to Thailand and worked in advertising, did not have time to do artworks anymore.

In 1990 at the age of 41,I ended my employment life for good.

I became a helper of my mentor, Ajarn Chakrabhand Posayakrit,Thai National Artist in Visual Arts.

On 19 September 1991, Ajarn Chakrabhand persuaded me to spend my free time painting still life of a bunch of white roses in a vase. He suggested me to paint free hand by applying watercolor directly on paper with no preliminary pencil sketch and not to paint the background.

After he saw my painting that evening, he convinced me that I should spend all of my time doing that if wanted to improve my skill to become a watercolor artist.

My life as a watercolor flower painter, started that day.

He was kind enough to critique my artworks over the years as I developed my watercolor painting technique, continually honing my skill and making it uniquely my own. He exhorted me to work hard, as it’s the only way to become a good artist. I have devoted my life to his advice.

Arjarn Chakrabhand gave me a very important advices. He told me ‘’ You must paint in natural light only. Do not paint at night time or even on the overcast day. You paint nature, only in natural light all colours you see are true colour. You must pay attention to be able to see all colours of what you are painting “

I have never paint in artificial light since. I am lucky to live in the part of the world that have no problem about natural light.

In 1992 Ajarn Chakrabhand introduced me to be an illustrator, painting still life flowers, for a very popular magazine.

I became a well-known freelance watercolor artist in Thailand.

I went to visit my family and friends in San Francisco in 1999 and discovered botanical art at San Francisco Flower Show. I applied to join botanical work shop by Michele Meyer,the President of ASBA, at Golden Gate Park. I finished 5 artworks in that workshop with my unique watercolor painting technique.

Rhododendron, the first botanical painting was selected by Mr. James White to be included in the exhibition ‘Flora 2000, International Juried Exhibition of the American Society of Botanical Artists, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, 2000.

Back in Thailand I have devoted my life creating only botanical art ever since. James White contacted me to send my artworks to be selected for the 9th Hunt Institute Exhibition. I declined, because I was just a beginner, I haven’t yet created any botanical art masterpiece.

I waited until 15 years later, my artwork of Lagerstroemia Loudonii was selected to be included with the artwork of 40 botanical artists from 10 countries in the 14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration, Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2013. [Exhibition Catalogue]

I am not a botanist!

I am a botanical painter who love to paint flowers or fruits of the plants that I have immediate feeling of wanting to paint at first glance.

I don’t have to understand them.

I paint flowers in my garden, bought vegetable or fruits I want to paint from the market near my house, or anywhere that flower or that fruit caught my eyes and I have immediate feeling that I want to paint it.

I have never taken commission to paint plant that I do not want to paint.

I am 77 years old now. I have achieved the highest honor in my professional life as a Botanical Artist being the winner of the Shirley Sherwood Award for Botanical Art 2026.

My interest to create botanical art still the same.

I just do not work hard as I used to.

Monday and every day for me are the same, taking care of my health, my three meals, daily keep in touch with my family and friends, avoiding all negative energies and enjoy live my simple happy life day by day.

As of, 2026, the most prestigious Shirley Sherwood Collection holds 53 originals of my artwork, selections of which are regularly exhibited at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Royal Gardens Kew, London, and in several exhibitions outside UK.

5 artworks are in the book, ‘ The Shirley Sherwood Collection Modern Masterpieces of Botanical Art ’,

Royal Botanical Gardens Kew.

Dr Shirley Sherwood wrote about me and my artworks in her memoir, ‘ SHIRLEY The Life of a Botanical Adventurer ’

Dr Shirley Sherwood selected me the winner of the Shirley Sherwood Award for Botanical Art 2026. I went to accept the award’s certificate in person from Dr Shirley Sherwood on May 22, 2026

Know your own capability and work hard to improve skill. Must read your own finished art work clearly and see weak point that you have to improve or find the way to know what you have to improve.