SOS Artist Portfolio 2012-13

STITCHING OUR STORIES: ARTIST PORTFOLIOS

Pasong’s mother began making and selling Hmong crafts and textiles at the night market in 2007. She began helping her in 2010.

PASONG LEE

"I came to take this class because I like embroidery and I wanted to learn about photography and to have the chance to work with foreigners. I also wanted to work with people who don’t know how to do embroidery and show them what I know. I hope that when people look at my photographs they will learn more about Hmong embroidery and Hmong culture."

YACHUR & LATAO

Yachur and Latao are cousins and came to the program together, and they worked together for many weeks to document life and work in a large Hmong family. Latao is 13 and is a student and Yachur is one of eleven children and is also a young mother.

Yachur works at the market with her mother and family and spends her days making embroidery and caring for her son and siblings. Latao also helps at the market but spends most of her time on her studies at school and helping at home.

Maiting’s mother taught her how to embroider at 10 years old, and she has been working at the night market for 8 years, since 2004.

MAIYING SONG

"I took this class because I want to learn how to use cameras and to take photographs. I also wanted people to learn more about Lao women's lives. I am proud to be part of this program."

BAO SONG

"I came to this class because I wanted to know what a photography class would be like and wanted to meet and share ideas with other people. I hope that young people will see my photographs and be inspired to use their time to learn useful skills like embroidery and photography. My team (Ying and Sia) worked very hard and completed all of the assignments, and we traveled around the area to other villages to photograph every kind of Lao women’s work. I would like to learn more advanced photography and have time to get more feedback so I can get better. I would also like to learn more, so I can teach other people. I am very proud to be part of this class."

Bao learned embroidery from people in her community at age 12 and has been working at the night market for five years, since 2007

Ma taught herself embroidery and has been selling handicrafts at the Night Market for several years.

MA YANG

"My embroidery is from traditional Hmong ceremonies to give health and protection. The man is on the left and the woman is on the right and they give protection. This is a picture of my friend who farms rice in my village. I am happy to learn new things and to be able to take pictures. "

JEESONG BIASENSONG

"I love taking pictures and love embroidery and this class taught me more about both. I hope that when people see my photographs they will learn more about Hmong embroidery and how it is made, and I would like to continue to learn more about photography."

Jeesong learned embroidery from her mother at 9 years old and began working at the night market almost three years ago.

PAXENG SONG

Paxeng Song and Jee Song are sisters and they worked together throughout the program to document their family and friends in their Hmong community.

SIA YAO

"I came to this program because I was interested in learning photography. I learned a lot through this program, including how to use the camera, how to take photos, how to print the photos on the fabric, and how to embroider on the fabric. I want people to come to the exhibition to learn about photography and about the process of making embroidery. I am happy about the exhibition because even people who don’t know how to embroider can come and learn and understand the story about me and the people I photographed. I would like to have the chance to learn more about photography and to get more feedback, so I can continue to improve."

Sia learned how to embroider when she was eight or nine years old and she started to work at the night market when it first began. At that time, only five or six people sold products at the market.

Buatan’s mother taught her how to embroider at 13. She is now 19 years old and has been working at the night market for two years.

BUATAN CHA

"I came to the photography program to learn what it was about and see how other people do embroidery different from me. I hope when people see my photos they will learn more about photography and about Hmong embroidery and life."