Lim Kunthea Paints a Bright Picture of Art Careers

Lim Kunthea says ability to understand kids allows him to teach them effectively. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

SIEM REAP – An art career in Cambodia is often undervalued. Many parents dissuade their children from pursuing this dream because of the unstable income and low status. 

However, artist Lim Kunthea has shattered the ceiling, overcoming family barriers and social stereotypes.

He now teaches art at a Japanese-funded school in Siem Reap and hopes to change parents’ mindsets and encourage them to support their children’s artistic journeys.

On a bamboo street in Wat Damnak village, visitors can see a converted two-story villa. There's a sign for the "Small Art School,” founded and run by a Japanese teacher, Tomoko Kashahara.

Upon entering, visitors can feel a sense of tranquility. However, the calmness and quiet do not imply that no students are present. On the second floor, the rooms are filled with students aged seven and up. They concentrate on their painting assignments, undistracted by other activities.  

Tables are organized so that students sit face-to-face. The walls show large and small artworks, some created by students and others by the teachers. 

The most captivating aspect is that the works are colorful, with many depicting nature and featuring trees, mountains and wild animals. Other pieces illustrate family-related scenes, showing children with their parents and emphasizing their closeness. While these artworks may help visitors relieve stress, they also express the imaginative visions of children through their paintings.

Artist Lim Kunthea now teaches art at a Japanese-funded school in Siem Reap. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

Art instructors stand close to each table, helping children with painting and color mixing. One of them is Lim Kunthea, who has been an artist for over a decade and is pursuing a career in art teaching.

“I think this is the only school in Cambodia where so many young students’ artworks are displayed,” Kunthea, 34, said.  

He learned the same way as his students. What made his journey memorable was experiencing bittersweet moments and overcoming many obstacles, both within and outside his family, to achieve this goal.  

Dealing with lacking family’s support and encouragement 

Born in Siem Reap City, Kunthea said his parents own a business selling stone benches. 

After graduating from high school in 2010, he dreamed of a degree in architecture but could not achieve it due to his family's lack of financial support and backing. His parents pressured him to study English literature, a major he had never wanted to pursue.

He worked as a cook assistant to earn money during his university studies.  

Fortunately, in 2011, Kunthea was introduced to the Small Art School by a friend, where he began to learn painting. That was when he discovered his passion for art and realized that a career in this field was his future. 

More storms arose as his choice did not meet his parents’ and relatives’ expectations. 

Photo shows kids who recieve art education at the Small Art School. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

They undervalued the career, claiming that art would not earn enough money to support a livelihood.

“Learning the art and pursuing the art profession has never been as easy as other professions since it has not been valued. Although this is my dream, there have been many obstacles,” Kunthea said. 

“People, including my parents, said I had spent 12 years in high school only to pursue this petty career. However, I asked my parents for two years. 

“If my life didn’t go well as an artist, I would follow their wishes and their decisions about my life.” 

His determination and hard work as an artist paid off and he got a chance teach at the Small Art School.

For Kunthea, the hardest part of an art career may not be about learning to paint. Still, it is about fighting hard to overcome people’s misjudgment and discouragements, particularly from parents and relatives. 

“But as long as we try, both praise and discouragement can act as catalysts for our transformation," Kunthea said.  

Kunthea provides feedback to each kid when they complete their work. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

“My Japanese teacher’s sacrifice shapes who I am."

Kunthea did not plan to become an art teacher. He is primarily interested in pursuing a career in art. However, his work at the Small Art School and his training under the supervision of the school's founder, Tomoko, has greatly influenced his choice, encouraging him to learn about the importance of giving back to society through art education, especially to young children.

“My teacher, Tomoko, hopes we Cambodians can teach and support one another,” he said. 

“I have tried to work hard not just for the money. Her words inspire me to do my best and maintain a strong spirit in my art teaching.”

Tomoko, now 70, saved money for about 40 years to launch the school and keep it running for the past 18 years, Kunthea says. 

In the past, the school received donations and other financial contributions from outsiders, but as Tomoko gets older, doing so could add more work to her stressful management work.

“This is the nature of Japanese people. Transparency and clarity in managing funding is the key. My teacher has been working hard to make reports on funding use and expenses to keep donation providers well informed,” Kunthea said.  

Tomoko has been running the school for 18 years and has just two more years before she hands over the management and operations to the younger generation. This is why Kunthea revealed that his biggest mission is to do whatever it takes to ensure his teacher’s mission is successful.

He hopes a new strategy will be developed to support the school’s mission. Perhaps the primary focus is creating more exceptional artworks for sale to sustain operations.

“This is a significant mission, and I will do everything I can to help. The school feels like my second home and my teacher has made a tremendous sacrifice for all of us in her mission,” Kunthea said.

“She came here to help us with her heart. Therefore, I use my knowledge and skills to teach children from the heart as well. Although the students don't use this skill to earn money, I hope they might use it to educate future generations.”

Kunthea also participates in many competitions and winning many awards. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy
A goal to bring joy to children

What makes Kunthea stand out in art teaching goes beyond his talent for drawing and painting. It is his ability to understand kids and teach them effectively.   

He said, “We learn to understand children since our students range from three years old to adults. We need to be familiar with teaching techniques and, of course, understand their needs.”

He believes the school diligently supports children and encourages them to explore effective learning methods. The school helps students to improve their imagination and creativity, allowing them to draw and paint anything they want. 

“It's about observing them rather than teaching them, and we don’t expect them to replicate specific drawings or paintings; we want them to use their imagination to create,” Kunthea said, adding that each student is instructed to create their favorite color and provided materials such as watercolor or colored pencil. 

While they can work independently, each will receive feedback to improve their ability to draw and pain upon completing their work. 

“We received instruction from the teacher who teaches art in Japan. She says demanding students to create similar work or imitate painting is not good and won’t allow students to grow or develop their skills effectively,” Kunthea said.  “Therefore, we allow them to do whatever works for them.”  

Kunthea also spends time instructing students in the arts in rural communities across various provinces. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

The school also helps students learn to mix and use colors, analyze artwork and recycle materials to create artwork.

It is not easy for children to get a chance to learn drawing and painting, as their access to effective learning depends on their families’ financial resources. That is why the Small Art School strives to help all children achieve equal access to art education.

"My teacher believes every kid deserves equal rights and opportunities," Kunthea said.  

Kunthea’s school has about 400 students. Initially, the painting classes were available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Later, the sessions were moved to weekends. Since the classes were free, the change to weekends attracted a lot of students.

"So, we require parents to fill out the details, especially the commitment that their child wants to learn drawing. We have decided that students must be seven years old and up," Kunthea said.

In addition to teaching at the school, Kunthea also spends time instructing students in the arts in rural communities across various provinces. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he undertook many missions to these provinces to help train children in remote schools in painting skills.

However, because of the high cost of resources, the school has begun to focus on teaching locations, especially those with many children eager to learn and in need of support.

“Sometimes we also receive invitations from institutions such as schools and other organizations to help train students,” Kunthea said.

Kunthea said the experience and knowledge of teachers at the Small Art School, from showing children how to paint, plays a vital role in ensuring effectiveness during teaching. 

Scoring and evaluating students’ artworks is one of the most complex and challenging tasks, he said.

“We focus on each student’s attention when scoring their work. We try to understand what they want to convey in their paintings. Each painting communicates something,” Kunthea said. 

“We also consider the color and meaning to evaluate their work comprehensively. It all originates from their thoughts and feelings, allowing them to create things.” 

There is no specific time limit for each child in a painting class. 

“They can take as long as they wish because the school's primary mission is to create good memories, allow children to do what they want, or, one could say, take care of children’s smiles and make them happy,” he said. 

Kunthea is offering feedback to a student on her drawing.Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

Parents should encourage early art education

According to Kunthea, learning to draw and paint can benefit children greatly. Therefore, parents and guardians should encourage their children to study drawing if they can.

One benefit is helping children develop their imagination and become more patient. These children also learn to discipline themselves, develop patience, set clear goals and dare to make independent decisions.

“Even though not everyone can create great works, they are determined and work hard to achieve their goals,” he said. “I see them trying to imagine and make decisions on their painting. The decision is about how to draw and when to complete their work.”

When discussing parents' encouragement and decision to allow their children to learn to draw, Kunthea also reflects on his journey, which lacked family support.

“What motivates me to work hard is my desire to discuss the opportunity to talk to others about the importance and value of art. 

“Our ancestors also created artwork, but this journey was challenging as many had to overcome hunger and hardship to succeed with little encouragement,” Kunthea said.

His main message to parents is to open their minds and recognize the importance of drawing in children's lives. Drawing involves much more than just using a pencil to draw on paper. 

Two kids happily showcase their artworks at the Small Art School. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy
“Creating new artworks” 

Kunthea’s role as an art teacher is crucial in helping children build skills and prepare for a positive future. While it may not lead to wealth, it fosters qualities such as strength, patience, creativity, and morality, equipping them to become good citizens and avoid causing problems for society.

His ambition is to be able to create new works in both drawing and sculpture.

“I know I will need to invest significant time and money to achieve this goal. However, this is my primary objective. 

“I want to diligently create imaginary artworks or ones based on social and environmental realities to convey an educational message to others."

In the past, Kunthea's drawings have received significant appreciation from the public. He remembered entering competitions and winning many awards. His first was in 2012, where he secured three awards in a row. He also received accolades in the Japanese-organized White Canvas painting competition for Cambodian artists in 2021 and 2022.

“Winning and losing are normal in competitions, but they help us measure our talent and ability. The important thing is to share what we want to show to the public,” Kunthea said.

His main goal is to create positive effects for himself and society. Having experienced hardships and joys, Kunthea understands that striving to stand on his own two feet and overcome challenges is the most critical task. 

However, there are likely many individuals with life stories similar to Kunthea's who have chosen art as a career. Yet, few people overcome obstacles and continue their journey until they stand on two feet. 

Overcoming challenges from his family and those around him is one aspect, but the most crucial factor is the determination to work hard and surpass his limitations.

“What I truly want to express is that children should have the freedom to pursue their desires. The determination to follow our aspirations, reach our goals, and conquer our challenges rests solely with us. Aside from our guardians, it is only ourselves that we must strive to overcome.” 

Cambodianess

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