Meet Our Artists
John Khai
Director
John Khai is an Artist and has lived in Mae Sot since 2007. John was able to study at a migrant school where he learned art. Art quickly became more than a hobby for him, and his passion for the field brought him to become a teacher with Kick-Start Art for 7 years, before becoming the Director of the
program. His art work has been exhibited in Canada, Austria, Italy, Thailand and Myanmar.
Zin Ko
Art Teacher
"My name is Zin Ko, and I am a 27 year old artist and art teacher based in Mae Sot, Thailand. My journey with art started when I was young. Even though I didn't attend art school, I was passionate about creating and spent every day drawing and painting, constantly learning through trial and error. After I left Myanmar, starting over came with many challenges, but eventually, I reconnected with my passion. I joined an art training program, completed an internship, and worked my way up from a part-time teacher to a full-time art educator at Kick-Start Art. As of now, I have been teaching for three years. Alongside my teaching career, I paint every day to hone my craft. My dream is to continue growing as a professional artist and to share my work with the world."
Yunn Akari
Art Teacher
"My name is Yunn Akari and I have loved art since I was eight years old. From a young age, I enjoyed drawing, painting, and expressing my ideas through creativity. Over the years, art has become more than just a hobby, it has become an important part of who I am. In 2022, at the age of 19, I joined Kick-Start Art and began my teacher training. The experience helped me develop my artistic skills but also my confidence, patience and ability to inspire others. Since completing my training, I have been teaching art and sharing my passion with students of different ages. Watching my students grow in confidence and creativity has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey."
She Pan Ni
Art Teacher
"My name is She Pan Ni, and I am an art educator and freelance artist with over 16 years of teaching experience. Currently, I work at Kick-Start Art, where I teach painting at migrant schools while also continuing to freelance paint. I am originally from Myanmar, where my journey with art started from a young age. I graduated with a B.A. in Painting in 2004 and an M.A. in Painting in 2009. Throughout my career, I have also organized workshops and participated in community support programs as a volunteer. One of my most meaningful milestones is being able to continue teaching and sharing art with different communities, especially migrant students. I am passionate about education, and my goal is to keep sharing my knowledge, supporting others, and continuing to grow both as a teacher and artist."
La Sam
Art Teacher
"My name is La Sam and I have been passionate about art since I was a child. Due to various circumstances, I was only able to study painting with private art teachers rathar than through formal art education. In 2005, I moved to Mae Sot where I attended BHSOH School and continued developing my artistic skills while pursuing my studies. In 2015, I traveled to South Korea to study the fundementals of jade carving. Currently, I work at Kick-Start Art where I teach art to children. My goal is to help young students develop their creativity, critical thinking, and artistic expression through art education."
Our Advisors
William Harnden
William has been supporting Kick-Start Art since the launch of the Chin State projects in 2017, providing guidance on proposal and report writing, strategy and operations. Originally from the UK, William has been working on development projects in Asia since 2009, and is currently an independent consultant supporting grassroots development projects in various regions across Asia and Africa.
Phil Towns
Phil Towns is a retired firefighter and woodworker and first encountered Kick-Start Art back in 2012 when he did his first volunteer teaching job in Mae Sot. He has been teaching and working with other Burmese organizations ever since, and gradually becoming more involved with Kick Start Art. He suspects as his Dad is an artist and former art teacher, he always instilled in him the value of art, not only providing a great outlet for kids' artistic skills but also allowing them to express themselves emotionally in ways they maybe can't academically or verbally.
Greg Tyrosvoutis
For the past 10 years Greg Tyrosvoutis has worked to support the provision of inclusive, recognized education for migrant, refugee and ethic populations from Myanmar. Greg has held roles as a Teacher, Academic Coordinator, Education Specialist and is currently the Director of TeacherFOCUS. In this role he leads advocacy planning, educational research and teacher resource development for teachers largely unaccredited working in Thailand and Myanmar. Greg is an amateur artist himself, holding 1 show each year to raise needed funds for organizations like Kick-Start Art.
Ellen Somers
Ellen has been engaged with Kick-Start Art since 2020. Having years of international experience in fundraising, grants and operational management, including on the Thai-Burma border, she supports Kick Start Art in various ways such as report writing and strategy. Currently living in the Netherlands, Ellen is working for an NGO that promotes child rights, child care and access to education in low income countries.
Camilo Ocean
Camilo Ocean has been coaching young artists in the Mae Sot area since 2011. Through mentoring and creative workshops, he has supported emerging artists such as John Khai, helping them develop their artistic and technical skills. With more than 20 years of experience as a professional artist, mentor, and educator, Camillo combines artistic practice with teaching and personal development. In recent years, he has worked alongside leading neuropsychologists in Demark, using art, craft, and flow states to promote balance, resilience, wellbeing, and recovery in both clinical and community settings.