Sayon Syprasoeuth. Photo by Sander Roscoe Wolff.

Sayon Syprasoeuth is a visual artist, serves on the board of the Arts Council for Long Beach, works part-time at United Cambodian Community as a Program Coordinator for Living Arts Long Beach, helps with the planning of the Third National Lao American Writers Summit taking place in May and is in the process of co-founding his own not-for-profit organization, the Neak Ta Foundation.

Long Beach Post: What were your early inspirations for becoming an artist?

Sayon Syprasoeuth: I have eight brothers and sisters. The house was always loud, so I made my own world by making art to escape. My younger brothers participated, but it didn’t stick with them. In the refugee camp in Thailand. I made animal/human clay figures using dirt from the earth, shadow puppets and, later on, I got to draw when I had access to paper and pencils. I was seven years old.

I remember making shadow puppets and did a theatre set-up, while two younger kids were helping or playing with me. The adults we watching us from a short distance away. We all got transported to some awesome place. I felt I had something useful to contribute at that moment.

What kinds of stories were you telling?

A flying hero story of good and evil.

How did it feel to leave the refugee camp in Thailand, and come to the United States?

This question made my heart flutter as I think of the Lutheran church people that sponsored my whole family to live in Elkade, Iowa, March 1980. It was like a fairy tale come true. We went flying to another place with white particles falling from the sky (snow) and lights on the streets and large modern houses. We went from a warm tropical place to a cold snowy state. My world changed. My environment changed. I had new things to play with, real colorful toys, a new language to learn, new food and drinks. There were people with bright colorful eyes, white hair and white skin. We were there less than two years. My poor parents, especially my mom, didn’t do well in the cold.

When did you start looking at art making as something you could do professionally?

It was a struggle to decide. Coming from where my family did, having a job that provides income should be the goal. After spending eight years at LBCC trying to decide, I finally chose art as what I know and love. I realized that I felt free making and creating something. So then, I decided on an art major, and transferred to CSULB.

I struggled for more than five years to decide, trying to please others. I talked to advisers, friends, instructors. I realize making art was a way to educate and inspire others. I could [imagine] something out of my head, while I was thinking, and create it in the physical world.

I really felt connected with oil painting, because of the smell and the fluidity of the materials. Plus, I thought it was a way to tell stories in the long term, like I was told from history books. Now, I realize there are many ways to do narrative story telling besides using paint.

What stories were you telling through painting?

I was telling spiritual and transformation stories, about being a person of multiple cultures that went through genocide, trying to fit in the West while reflecting on being Asian. Materials and cultural symbol can take viewers to other places or worlds. I use various materials, such as my hair, paint, and glitter, among others.

What are the cultural symbols you use?

I’m using Apsara & crown (royalty) images that portray stillness, but I often wonder what’s boiling underneath. I thought that using various materials is appropriate for me to tell stories. Like my piece, Birth of the Dragon. The glitter, form, colors, and using found thrift material connected with many folks across all cultures. I use my own experience and struggles, whether addictions or emotional. Looking at the piece, you can see all these paint flaws, but lots of beauty taking shape.

Sculpture building is much like painting. You have to edit and take away, but it is much easier in painting. This piece was a struggle at first. I had to get rid of other elements. I also waited for it to communicate with me, until I found those flower things on her back. I thought, “This is perfect!” I found them at a thrift store.

What does she communicate to you?

She’s fucking angry, and she’s about to breathe fire at any moment, if she wants to. Artists have their own struggles, and we live in our own world. We may project a lot of our emotions in our work. Perhaps I’m delusional. We create our work with the best intentions. I don’t know how it will be received. I don’t think I have any control on that and, actually, I don’t think I care that much.

What are some of the personal struggles that have inspired you?

Lots of family and friends fail to see how the world cripples itself and I, as a person, take it personally. Why? Because we, as humanity, have an obligation to do justice in the world. I work in the community in Long Beach. I see people without education, whether formal or not. When they don’t get involved in taking charge of their lives, they become slaves. They cut their kids off at the knees. They are too stuck to the system and don’t even know it. This is a sad, vicious cycle of mind and debt, a slave and master game.

What can individuals do to address these injustices?

This is a loaded question. How can a person seek help when they don’t think they have a problem? They can start learning and doing different things, and see life as a playground. Never stop learning about themselves and others. Their likes and dislikes. For those that are seeking, I would say that they should learn to trust, and allow organizations to help and guide them. Become involved and communicate. As with all relationships, it takes both people to make that venture a success.

You mentioned starting a new organization. What’s the goal?

Dr. Peg LeVine, a clinical psychologist/medical anthropologist and I co-founded Neak Ta Foundation. Our goal is to record and preserve rituals, the arts, and oral/visual histories of genocide survivors. We are hoping to launch the foundation this year.

What is Living Arts Long Beach?

We bring in professional artist to share, and tell about their profession, with high school kids, specifically 11th & 12th graders. They do a Saturday workshop. We wanted to give kids a chance to be involved in something that is productive, and could lead to a career in a creative field.

So far, we’ve had a Fashion Designer, Architect, and a Costume Designer. We try to find artists in various industries. Usually, the artists give real-life samples of training, and schooling costs. The architect had the kids meet in their firm, here in Long Beach, and the kids got to view a live work space with sample models and designs. So far, the majority of the workshops have been really great!

The program is in partnership with the ArtExchange. What’s their involvement?

Greg Pickens, the coordinator from ArtExchange, and I work together to bring in the artists and really make sure they help and benefit the kids. The program runs for seven months. The kids meet every other Saturday. We have morning and afternoon sessions, so it’s a full day for the guest artist and me.

At the end of the program, the guest artists and students will participate in a show, and we will have a catalogue as well. We plan to expand the program in the fall.

What is your involvement with the Third National Lao American Writers Summit?

I’m helping to promote the summit, and design their website and announcements. I’m also managing the arts exhibition portion of it, along with Catzie Vilayphonh. I met these great people last year in Minnesota. It’s a community of creative Lao (and other) folks networking and building support, and encouraging each other to pursue their creative endeavors.

The summit will be on May 27 and 28, and will feature award winning writers, artists and performers. There will be a visual art exhibition as well. We’ll have panel discussions, networking and, most of all, a fun reception.

You’ve been on the board of the Arts Council for Long Beach for about five months. What have you learned?

I learned that people at the ACLB are working behind the scenes to bring and make art happen throughout Long Beach. It may look slow to the public, but there’s lots to navigate to get things done. I see much more diversity in Long Beach since joining the board, too. I see that we all belong there and deserve to be represented.

The ACLB knows there’s a need for artists to showcase their work. We just had a conversation, a monthly meeting, where much was shared. We have lots to do, and working with communities will help steer and hopefully address these issues in the future.

We are planning to make Long Beach an arts destination and, in 2016, we have started that process. Mayor Garcia also hinted at putting 1 percent back into the arts. Once that’s finalized, we hope the opportunity for the arts will flourish even more. I think we all have a role in shaping and making the arts better in Long Beach.

To learn more about Sayon and his work, visit SayonArt.com. To learn more about the Arts Council for Long Beach, visit ArtsLB.org. To learn more about United Cambodian Community, visit UCCLB.org. To learn more about the 3rd National Lao American Writers Summit, visit LaoWriters.org.