Laos Essential Artistry

Holiday Season Lesson at the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza

2009-12-26T20:44:07-08:00

Last Tuesday my wife and I were driving to San Francisco to go see the Emerald Cities exhibition at the Asian Art Museum (Outstanding!!!) and on the drive into the city you have to pay a toll at the Bay Bridge toll plaza before crossing into the city. On Tuesday the traffic was fairly light and I maneuvered the car into a lane that looked like it was going quickly. But about six cars ahead there seemed to be a delay and I could feel my irritation level rising and I caught myself beginning to think "If I just..." Which of course gets you nowhere, and the cars started moving again so I got ready to pay the toll and forgot about being irritated, but was mystified at why, when the drivers in front of me would stick their hand out the window to give money to the attendant she was waving them on. Still not comprehending, it was finally my turn and I rolled down the window sticking my arm out with the five dollar bill in my hand and the attendant did the same thing, gave me a quick flick of her hand to tell me to move on without paying. And as I stepped on the gas I could see her counting in her mind and then the aha came, somebody had paid the tolls for a bunch of drivers behind them, including me, and I was thinking maybe since I was the fifth or sixth one this person paid $40 to cover ten vehicles behind him (or maybe more...). And you know what, it was probably that driver who I started to get irritated at.

Wherever that driver is, thank you and Merry Christmas! It was a reality check for me that it's too easy to get irritated and up tight, and I can provide numerous examples of when we've been traveling in Laos and something that I thought was becoming an inconvenience or a bother, turn into a positive experience. Traveling is much more rewarding if one is flexible and always looking at the "glass half-full."

Merry Christmas from Sam Neua!

2009-12-26T08:37:06-08:00

No, we're really not in Sam Neua, but with all the cold weather in the states I thought I would share a photo of a young "king" I took in Sam Neua on Christmas day last year. The weather in December through February can get very cold, sometimes close to freezing! There's a very friendly couple who run the Khaem Xam Guest House where we've stayed when we are in Sam Neua and this morning after walking through the market we came back and found their grandson bundled up and set in this throne by the entrance to the guesthouse where he could watch people walking by. The "throne" is a bamboo stool turned upside down. I just uploaded a video a friend and I took about six years ago walking through the old Sam Neua market on a similar cold morning. You can view it here on our YouTube channel.

Vang Pao Returning to Laos!

2009-12-23T08:06:41-08:00

This will be amazing if it really happens, and according to the Sacramento Bee Vang Pao announced at a rally in Fresno that he wants to return to Laos and is "aiming for reconciliation." If this happens, it's great news for Laos and great news for the Hmong here in the states. There are so many misconceptions about Laos floating around because of residual anger towards Laos from a war (a Secret War) that ended over thirty years ago. Vietnam has moved on and the Hmong need to move on. Many have, but Vang Pao being the defacto leader of the Hmong has held back, and it would be monumental if he were to return. And of course, it's not all on Vang Pao's back, the Lao government needs to embrace this opportunity for reconciliation and it could be a win-win situation all the way around. Our fingers are crossed here at Laos Essential Artistry...

The "Heart" of Lao Language

2009-12-22T18:55:25-08:00

When I give presentations on Laos I like to include some slides that show the derivation of Lao words containing the Lao word for "heart" which is "jhai." A word like "Thank You" literally means to "enter the heart." A word like "empathy" literally means to "see into the heart." I think looking at language can give one important insights into the culture and people of that country. And if you look at the video below you might agree with us that the Lao are "People from the Heart."

Video of Monks Chanting and the Emerald Buddha at Wat Visoun in Luang Prabang

2009-12-20T11:12:56-08:00

In this post we are featuring a video we took of monks chanting at Wat Visoun in Luang Prabang. In the background beneath the large Buddha statue you can barely make out a green Buddha. After the chanting we took some photos (always bring your tripod if you want to get exceptional photos!) and the green looking Buddha is actually a replica of the Emerald Buddha now residing in Bangkok, Thailand at Wat Phra Kaew. Buddha is watching...

I can listen to these monks chanting forever. You'll never be the same after sitting in one of these wats during the evening chants and allowing the pali chanting to enter into your "soul." The first time I went to Laos in November 1998 and sat in a wat like this and listened to the monks chant, I was literally covered with goose bumps for the rest of my trip. I felt like every pore in my body was wide open (although it could have been the hot peppers in the Lao food I was eating!). Those monks and other experiences in Laos changed my life forever... Just play the video and look at the photo of the Emerald Buddha and while looking at the photo and listening to the monks chant, how do you feel? Unfortunately if you click on the photo to enlarge it the video will stop, but you can always copy the photo onto your computer and then open it up to view it in a larger format.

We've been working on our videos today and the good news is that in the new Mac operating system, Snow Leopard, QuickTime version X now exports video to YouTube that is of very good quality. Five years ago we began posting video clips to YouTube, but it was near impossible to upload good quality videos. About a year ago we began uploading video to our new Vimeo Channel. But beginning today we will begin upload video to both our Vimeo Channel and YouTube Channel. The reality is that a lot more people look at YouTube and in just an hour we received our first comment about the Muang Vaen Young Girl Weaver video!

We're also beginning to seriously promote our tour to Laos in June and always one of the highlights for previous participants of our tours is to visit a wat in Luang Prabang to sit and listen to the evening chanting. It's eerie and like stepping back into time. Can't you imagine yourself sitting here inside a centuries' old wat immersed in the sound of the monks chanting? It gives me goosebumps when I listen to it...every time. And what's fun is that the style of chanting varies from wat to wat and can vary if there are a lot of younger monks (we affectionately call them monklets), a small group, large group, small wat where the acoustics are good or a larger wat where there is more of an echo effect. Wat Visoun is famous for backing up against Mt. Phusi and for it's large "watermelon" stupa.

Young Muang Vaen Weaver

2009-12-15T21:03:47-08:00

Our posts can be wide-ranging as we have a lot of interests in regards to Laos, but of course it was the Lao weavers who captured our hearts and motivated us to start Laos Essential Artistry. When we look at our textiles we know all the skill and artistry that it takes to weave these works of art, but that probably isn't true for people who haven't traveled to Laos and been able to immerse themselves, like we have, in the magical world of the weavers. And they start young and we were impressed with the weaving ability of this young girl from Muang Vaen.

Young Muang Vaen Weaver from Laos Essential Artistry on Vimeo.

Article in Vientiane Times: "Manners Maketh the Lao"

2009-12-13T12:05:38-08:00

The articles in the Vientiane Times often have interesting titles and text as the Lao journalists enjoy being "creative" in the use of the English language. Right now, as we speak, Laos is hosting the 25th Southeast Asia Games, similar in importance to our hosting the Olympics, and so they are running a series of articles to help foreign visitors learn more about their country and culture. Thailand likes to market itself as the "Land of Smiles" and I think the Lao could market Laos as the "Land of the nop (a prayer gesture formed by holding your hands with palms together in front of your chest)." Of course most people outside Laos wouldn't understand what the nop is and this article does a good job in explaining the cultural importance of the nop. I've included two photos here. The first photo I really like is taken of a nun, a "mae khao" (white mother) with her expressive hands in the nop position. The second photo below the mae khao is of women holding their hands in the nop position during the That Luang Festival. If you join us on a tour in Laos you will have plenty of opportunities to practice your own nopping!

]

Manners maketh the Lao

"Different cultures have many ways of greeting each other. The French kiss each other on the cheek. The Maoris of New Zealand touch noses in a traditional greeting. While an Australian might give you a hearty handshake and a “G'day mate”.

Lao people have a particularly gracious and beautiful welcome that involves a gentle smile, a polite and courteous bow of the head, a raising of the hands and the greeting “sabaidee”.

When a Lao person welcomes you with “sabaidee”, it literally means “feel good”.

Sabaidee (hello) is used when Lao people meet each other or visitors. If some one asks “how are you?” you can reply with sabaidee, which means I am doing well. If you are upset or not feeling well your answer may be “bor sabai” or “bor sabaidee”.

Sabaidee is lovely word that shows politeness and friendliness to people you respect, have just met, or can even say to passing strangers and foreigners to be hospitable.

Sabaidee can be used formally and informally. For example when you greet someone on the street, you do not have to give a “nop” (a prayer gesture formed by holding your hands with palms together in front of your chest), which is a more formal greeting.

In the home or office, you are often greeted with a “sabaidee” from your hosts, accompanied by a nop.

This shows appreciation and gratitude to relatives and friends for joining them for the occasion. In this case, you should return the greeting with a similar nop. You should also smile and bow your head slightly when meeting people.

Do not lose your temper with people or embarrass them, even if communication seems very difficult. Lao people respect calmness and do not act in response to pressure or anger.

Lao people like to be friendly and smile when greeting you; even in these more modern times they want to maintain this traditional greeting.

Children and teenagers are taught by their parents and their teachers to speak politely and to nop when greeting people who are older.

Young people should give the greeting first when they meet older people to show respect. If you attend important parties or events you should greet your hosts first with a nop and a “sabaidee”. Also don't forget, if you enter a stranger's house, you should first say “sabaidee”, before anything else.

How do you greet special people?

If you want to greet monks who are visiting your house or you encounter in a temple the nop is slightly different. This time you should use two hands joined together at the fingers but slightly apart at the palms like a lotus flower bud. Then place your thumbs on the bridge of your nose between your eyes and bow your head a little, before saying “sabaidee”.

You should put your hands together, and place your thumb near the end of your nose and bow your head a little when you greet your parents.

Students should sabaidee their teacher by using two hands placed together, with the thumb under their lips and a bow of the head.

When you see any of the country's leaders or older people, you should raise your two hands joined together, with your thumb near your chin and bow your head a little.

If you want to greet your friends or a person who is slightly older than you, you should position your hands in front of your chest and bow your head a little.

In another traditional gesture, Lao people will often serve you a glass of water when you visit their home. This is to show their friendship and hospitality."

By Ounkham Pimmata
(Latest Update December 10 , 2009)

Laos Essential Artistry Tour to Laos in June 2010

2009-12-10T20:47:53-08:00

It's time to starting thinking about whether you want to join Laos Essential Artistry (Peter and Bai) in experiencing the magic of Laos in June 2010. As Peter Greenberg, Travel Contributor wrote for the Today Show when Matt Lauer finally visited Laos on April 30, 2008 as part of his Where in the World is Matt Lauer series, "Laos is a true magical mystery tour. Few Americans visit. Fewer understand it. However, more and more savvy travelers are slowly discovering this small country.”

We love sharing our passion for Laos and our two main interests, photography and the textile arts of Laos and you can check read more about our tour here.

The photographic opportunities are endless and one of our favorite photos was taken at a fresh market in the old French colonial town of Luang Prabang. With any adventure, the goal we have for our tour participants is to bring home images that capture both their experiences, and the spirit of place - the scenic beauty of Laos, its traditional and old French colonial architecture, and its rich ethnic diversity. Are you and your spouse/partner/friend ready for this incredible cultural and photographic opportunity?

Our tours are limited to six participants and we begin accepting reservations/deposits in January.

Traveling on the back roads of Laos

2009-12-06T18:56:08-08:00

When I travel to Laos my fellow teachers always ask how my "vacation" was. It's hard to explain that Laos is a landlocked country and definitely not the Riviera! And in the rainy season traveling on dirt roads can be especially tricky. Getting up to my wife's parent's village, about a four hour (with no problems) trip can be a challenge during the rainy season (our summer). I thought for fun I would post a few photos from my trip back from Bai's village to Vientiane. It's always sort of a crap shoot about what the bus will be like and this time it was one of the more run-down buses I've been on.

Just about ten minutes from Bai's village is this one hill that becomes very difficult to get up when it's been raining and the logging trucks, etc. have chewed up the road. You can see the bus I was riding at the bottom of the hill after it slid off to the side after trying to get up. The bus to the right tried to pull us out, which it finally did, bu then we then had to wait for about an hour until a logging truck came that somehow, when it went up the hill, compacted the mud so the bus could make it up.

And then, about an hour later there was a big pop and whesh of air as one of the tires went flat.

And here's one of our YouTube videos of a bus trying to make it up the same hill. If you watch the video you have to think of the book "The Little Train that Could!"

And both times it was lightly raining as we (the passengers) had to wait out in the rain until the bus finally made it up the hill.

But when you travel in Laos, you just have to be relaxed and the problems always seem to take care of themselves and usually something will happen that turns a "lemon" situation into lemonade.

For those of you who might be thinking of ever going on one of our tours, don't worry, we don't travel on buses as we rent vans for our travel groups! But when Bai and I travel on our own, it doesn't bother us to take the bus. It's just part of being in Laos...

Vientiane Times article on Huaphan textiles (Nov. 27, 2009)

2009-12-03T10:34:09-08:00

The following is an article we read recently in the online Vientiane Times. What the president of the Huaphan handicraft group, Mrs Bouaphanh Chanhthachith is talking about is very true. We've spent a lot of time up in Huaphan Province the last three years, primarily in Sam Neua, Muang Vaen, Sam Tai and Sop Bao, and with the remoteness of this province it's very hard for weavers to market their textiles. There can be a handicrafts group like Bouaphanh talks about, but the reality is most weavers don't belong. There are informal cooperatives and more formal galleries (Nuaykeo) in Sam Neua and Sam Tai, but they still probably represent only a minority of all the weavers in this province.

It takes a lot of effort (and depending on mode of transportation, money) to either get to Sam Neua from Vientiane or get to Vientiane from Sam Neua. And for the foreseeable future, with the lack of a "real" airport, most tourists will not include Sam Neua in their itinerary, though if they are textile aficionados they should because really Huaphan Province represents the heart and soul of weaving in Laos, and some of the best weaving as is referenced in the article, comes out of Huanphan Province.

We carry a lot of gorgeous Huaphan textiles, from various galleries, towns and weavers, and we are just waiting for people to discover our Naga and Bird Silk Scarves (As seen in the photo above) we had custom designed and woven for us this last year. The weaving techniques, the motifs, the quality of the silk all represent the best weaving, and these are woven in a gem of a weaving village, Muang Vaen. Here's the article:

Huaphan Handicraft Group Needs Support

A handicraft group in Huaphan province has started to see the benefits textile weaving has made to the province's income, but workers need more funding to improve their handicraft activities. The President of the Huaphan handicraft group, Mrs Bouaphanh Chanhthachith, said recently handicraft activities, particularly textiles, have generated a lot of interest from many people in Laos and overseas.

The handicraft group was established in 2007 and is a member of the Lao Handicraft Association and is a non-profit organisation founded in 1998 under the supervision of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mrs Bouaphanh said the group was not strong enough to attract handicraft makers to work together in a larger group which consists of four sections: textiles, bamboo and rattan, wood carving, and pottery. “These sections are not promoted much because people in the four groups have limited funds for developing their activities. People in the four groups have a low income. We've been faced with many difficulties in developing handicrafts in Huaphan province in the past and at present,” she said.

“If we had more money, the work would boom and more people in the province would have jobs. This would mean the province would have more income from the sale of handicrafts.”

Of these four categories, weaving was particularly successful and had boosted the reputation of Huaphan province. “We've won various prizes from several national handicraft contests. This year is a special year for us. Huaphan province won the Top Award at The Asean Fashion Show in Bangkok, Thailand. This award generated a positive image for our country, textile weavers in Huaphan province and handicraft groups in Laos in general,” she said.

Mrs Bouaphanh said she wanted the provincial authorities to provide better support for the handicraft group. She said in the past, the authorities had made an effort to help but that more assistance was needed.

The tax on handicraft activities is quite high, and borrowing money from the bank is difficult because of the high interest rates, she said.

“I think the interest rate should be lower, as well as the taxes we have to pay,” she said.

“We would like the provincial authorities to deduct loan interest and taxes for us because then group members would be able to borrow money from the bank to develop their product range.”

She also said the group welcomes all organizations that would like to promote handicraft activities in Huaphan province.

“Promoting handicrafts means helping low income families to have a better standard of living,” she said.

Buddha background for our blog and website

2009-11-29T14:57:39-08:00

How did we create the Buddha background for our blog and website?

This is a question we’ve been asked several times. What we did was to take a photo I took of a window grating in a wat in Luang Prabang (top photo) which I exposed for the sunlight on the grating which turned the interior black (under exposed). There were a lot of cobwebs and dirt and in Photoshop I "cleaned" up the image and then inverted it and put it on it's own layer and lowered the opacity (bottom photo) and then we just tiled the resulting image to create our wallpaper.

We think it's appropriate because we used our own photo and with Buddhism the main religion in Laos (over 60% of the population is Buddhist) we like to think Buddha would approve of the work we're doing. What do you think?

Post Archives

2009-11-22T12:25:26-08:00

I've spent a lot of time writing posts and so I'm putting together a list of pasts post with links to the post that I'll update occassionally. For people interested in Laos subjects, you might find something worthwhile to check out!

Hmong Storycloths Zoomified

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2005/11/hmong_storyclot.html

Zoomify is a small program that allows anyone to click on the photo and zoom in for a close-up view. In this post I use the program to let viewers zoom in on details on several Hmong storycloths.

Bombies

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2005/12/bombies.html

Bombies is a great video. Anyone interested in Laos, especially its history and the Secret War will find this video extremely informative and interesting. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Assembly Bill 78

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2005/12/assembly_bill_7.html

I was so excited when this bill came out over six years ago because I thought finally teachers would take responsibility for teaching and/or talking about the Secret War and why that led to the influx of our Hmong, Mien and Lao students and their families beginning in 1976. But the sad truth is this bill didn’t change a thing. Nothing.

Walking in Peace

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/walking-togethe.html

One of my favorite photos is of a group of monks walking in Luang Prabang and the University of San Diego paid for the rights to use the photo in a media campaign to promote a Social Issues Conference.

The Lao are People of the Heart

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/the-lao-are-peo.html

I think it is really fascinating how the Lao word for heart, “jhai” is used in hundreds of words and in this post we provide more information about Lao language and how the word “jhai” is used.

Teacher Pay in Laos

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/teacher-pay-in-.html

Teachers are horribly paid in Laos and in this post I include an article from the Vientiane Times on “Provincial Teachers Wait to be Paid.” Progress in Laos will continue to move forward at a snail’s pace if they really can’t seriously upgrade their educational program.

YouTube video of a Principal Planting Rice

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/youtube-video-o.html

This post is connected with the previous post because the pay for educators is so poor they need to have a second job, or in this case plant their own little rice field so they have enough food to eat…

The Dynamic Women of Muang Sing

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/the-dynamic-wom.html

Muang Sing used to be one of my favorite places to visit in Laos and now it’s been over four years since we’ve visited… I guess Sam Neua has replaced Muang Sing, but I know we will return and I will be sure to visit the villages of all these amazing women. I miss them.

Rice is Life

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/rice-is-life.html

One of my favorite childrens’ books and I’ve included several of the passages which I encourage your to read outloud. Marvelous language that really captures what it’s like growing rice in a paddy, whether it’s in Bali (where the setting of the story takes place), or in Laos, Vietnam, etc.

Reporting on Laos in Time Magazine: 1949 – 1959

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/reporting-on-la.html

If anyone is interested in the history of Laos and how it was reported on in Time Magazine in this ten year period, you should check out this very long post with excerpts from a number of articles. They really portray Laos as this simplistic, backwards country. For example: Time Magazine, Jan. 21, 1957 “Conquest by Negotiation” Life in Shangri-La was never quite so dreamlike as life in Laos since that country became an independent nation 2½ years ago. With the French no longer directing its political life, the unwarlike people of this Buddhist kingdom in the interior of the Indochinese peninsula relapsed into their old hedonist ways.

Northern Laos Textile Research Tour – December

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/northern-laos-t.html

A very long post about our first trip guiding Elli. If you want to know what it’s like to travel through Laos you might enjoy this post, especially if you’re thinking about joining one of our tours.

Why Laos?

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/09/why-laos.html

I wrote this post in trying to explain why I think Laos is important to include in the curriculum. In one paragraph I wrote, “Laos and Southeast Asia are important because they include geologically and ecologically diverse areas of study, are the starting place of many new immigrants to the U.S., offer an opportunity to introduce students to the issues of developing nations in a concrete way, and are politically diverse and culturally and religiously rich.”

Now that Obama gathered the “courage” to meet with the leaders of all 10 countries in ASEAN, maybe things will begin to change…

Hmong girl washing clothes in Xieng Khouang

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/09/washing-clothes.html

I uploaded a bunch of videos on YouTube about four years ago and this one has drawn a lot of comments from YouTube viewers. It’s about a 3-year old Hmong girl dutifully washing clothes along side her mother in a rural Hmong village. Quite amazing how good she is. I have it now posted on our Vimeo website that’s better to watch since it’s easier to post high resolution videos on their site.

Reporting on Laos in Time Magazine: 1960 – 1976

http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/09/publish---repor.html

I’ve done all the hard research and someone can learn a lot by reading the articles I’ve included that feature Laos. Here’s one typical sentence, “That left Laos about where it has been since 1954—a wobbly stake in the free world's fence against world Communism.” Hmm, a “wobbly stake.” This was the US view of Laos during this time.

This is the second part of my research as the first part for the years 1949 – 1959 was included in this post: http://blog.gotlaos.com/2007/08/reporting-on-la.html

Lanterns, Sihos, Ngeuaks and Nagas

2009-11-17T14:23:54-08:00

We’ve isolated this diamond shape piece from a tapestry-style textile woven in Sam Neua because we find the motifs, design and color especially mesmerizing in this textile.

We included in the introduction to the Sam Neua Silk Tapestry Wall-hangings as is written the catalog Weaving Tradition: Carol Cassidy and Woven Silks of Laos in the section Patterns and Motifs that “The motifs in Lao textiles reflect and record the complex history of the region. Some are drawn from the unique Lao Tai culture and are said to represent characters in traditional Lao epics. Others are derived from outside influences both ancient and recent. The imported motifs have been adopted and adapted by each weaver and translated into designs that express personal experiences, hopes and dreams…"

But what do all the motifs in the diamond shape mean? Luckily, we’ve had the opportunity to guide Elli Findley, Professor at Trinity College, through northern Laos a number of times as she continues her research on the use of Tai Daeng (Red Tai) textiles in ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals. She's currently writing a book based on her research and so we asked her if she would provide insight into the possible meaning of the motifs used in this diamond shape piece.

Elli wrote back that:

“This brightly colored diamond shape is called a "lantern" and is often found on such Lao-Tai textiles as shoulder cloths (phaa biang) and door curtains (phaa kang). Here it may come from a funeral panel. The central design is a saang hong (or siho) that represents a mythical being that is half elephant (see the trunk) and half bird (see the legs). In the center, the siho appears in a mirror-reversed design, and again on each side in two smaller versions.

The siho is pregnant with double-headed serpent or ngueak (naga) in its belly, and on its back is a candle house with a figure inside -- representing a boat taking someone to the other world. The figure is either a recently deceased member of the community or the shaman accompanying him as guide into the after life. Notice the five-fingered hands of the figure and the naga heads on either side of him.

Rainbow patterns occur in the candles on top of the houseboat, in the “S” designs representing baby nagas, and in the hooks of the sihos’ hair. There is one story that says that such a design can occur on coffin covers of fathers who die before their children are grown and that the double headed naga in the siho’s belly represents the youths who must mature before the mourning process helped by this textile can be completed."

Thank you Elli! We love it. Not only are the textiles exquisite works of art, they’re incredibly rich in meaning. One of the reasons we’ve opened Laos Essential Artistry.

A post to come will talk more about the Ngeuak/Nagas and a recently published book titled Naga Cities of the Mekong: A guide to the temples, legends and history of Laos written by Martin Stuart-Fox with Photographs by Steve Northup and published by Media Masters Pte Ltd. in Singapore (2006)

Building Trust... A testimonial from a Satisfied Customer

2009-11-15T11:33:29-08:00

Building trust is easier said than done in an online business. It's a slow process, but when you believe in something, are passionate about it, and honest and fair, it will come your way. Happy customers are everything and we would like to share an email from a customer we worked with on a custom order for some sinhs. She ordered three and we had eight sinhs sent from Laos, and still have three left for anyone who likes a black, stylish sinh.

"Lao Essential Artistry has been wonderful to work with. For my wedding I wanted my bridesmaids to wear traditional Laotian sinhs because I wanted to keep part of my culture in my wedding. Peter and Bai were very helpful on taking specific special orders from me and had the sinh I wanted made. The sinhs were handmade in Laos and shipped to the States about a month later. During this time Peter and Bai kept me up to date on the progress of my order from the sinh being made to shipment to me. They are very responsive to emails and even emailed me photographs of the sinh. I was very happy with the order and so was my wedding party. The sinh looked exactly how Bai described it to me. I appreciate Peter and Bai taking the time to be flexible to accommodate my needs. I did not have to settle for any sinh for my wedding; I got exactly what I wanted. I recommend Lao Essential Artistry to anyone searching for a Laotian sinh and I will use them again. They are a remarkable company to work with and show their customers personal attention to make sure the customer is satisfied. They really did go the extra mile for me and helped make my wedding closer to perfect."

Phaileen Vankham