I am a Children’s books illustrator. Sometimes, I also write my own books. Like most artists, I enjoy experimenting with different media. My favorite medium is paper, because it offers me the most versatility to create 2D or 3D art. If my works can make someone smile, then I think I succeeded my goal as an artist. I hope my works brighten your day!
I was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Before the war, Cambodia was a beautiful country where rice, fish and tropical fruits were abundant. On the right is a photo of my grandmother and me. It is the only baby photo I have.
My family came to the United States in 1975 as refugees. We became citizens in 1983. As I was told, I used to cry A LOT. It drove my parents and siblings crazy! No one knew, including myself, why I cried so much. To this day, it is still a mystery. I remember my father recorded me crying. I would listened to the tape quietly and then picked up where it left off. My mother, in her effort, brought me a doll bank. She looked just like me, with a coconut haircut and a tear forever painted on her face. For awhile, she went everywhere and cried with me. Their effort went up in smoke, until...
One day, a pair of kid’s scissors in the Chinatown’s five and dime store caught my eyes and smile. Along with a tube of glue and construction papers, I traded in crying for creating.
My nickname is Coconut Voun. As you can see, I am quite fond of my coconut haircut. This guy next to me is my husband, SEIJI IKUTA. He is from Japan. He is also an artist. His favorite medium is oil. Whereas my artworks are no larger than 18 x 24, his are rarely smaller than that size!
Are you curious how my name, Lee Huy Voun (李 慧文), is pronounce and what it means in Chinese?
Click here to find out: http://www.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?aid=8396