Melon is a Melody of Art

Melon - Artist
www.melodyshaiken.com
instagram - @enterthemelon
melodyshaiken@gmail.com

What is your Koh Phangan story?
The first time I came was 2010 with my good friend Tasha. I’ve lived in several different places, but Phangan has a different energy- eclectic, free and wild. I was able to stay for two years doing various art projects and other things, so I guess the mix of both elements keeps drawing me back. I have such a beautiful life here.

Tell us a bit about your background?
I’m from the San Francsico Bay Area in California but I’ve lived in Seattle, New York City, Bangkok, Puerto Rico, and Koh Phangan. I went to school in New York and have a BFA in Traditional Animation, but my real love is drawing/illustration and painting. Murals and big pieces are my favorite because you get your whole body involved in the process and I find innate satisfaction in putting something where there was nothing much before. Really, anything I can get my hands into and experiment with is interesting for me. I feel like the more you learn and know the more you can put together and build. I’m really lucky that I can use my creative skills to fuel my obsession with traveling and exploring. I’ve been vagabonding around for the last decade, but Phangan is kind of like the twinkle in my eye.

Why the name Melon?
It’s been my nickname for sixteen years now, penned by my dear friend Naz. I just naturally introduce myself as Melon much of the time, which ends up with many people not knowing my real name, which is Melody. I also go by Melo though...maybe I have three personalities (haha).
‘Daeng Mo’ is my Thai nickname. It’s the direct translation for watermelon in thai. One day a guy selling watermelon in the street was yelling “daeng mo! daeng mo!” and I opened my door and shouted ‘what?!’ but at first I didn’t see anyone. It happened again and I looked down to see a lady buying watermelon!

What projects have you been involved with on Koh Phangan?
The easiest one to recognise is the alligator lady wall at Echo Beach in Baan Tai;

I also did the wall at Dancing Elephant in Haad Rin. I just painted the octopus lady at the Jungle Party in Baan Tai. 

I’ve also been doing costumes at Jungle Experience which has been amazing. I started making costumes with the Alien Sisters (Queen Luana) a couple years ago, but I’ve recently gotten way more into it with using lights and crazy headpieces.

What is your inspiration?
Probably nature is one of the biggest things, it’s always an element in things I do. If you see my work it will almost always have at least one natural element in it. Koh Phangan is so inspirational as it has everything that fascinates me- the earth, water, sky.
I like to take walks outside by myself and spend too much time looking at plants/trees/flowers. I’m also interested in women’s places in societies. I study this a lot in the different places I live, and think about various trials for women throughout different histories. I do lots of female characters so sometimes whatever is on my mind comes out in a piece, or even I meet a girl or woman that’s interesting to me or subconsciously influences my work.
Music really sets the pace- I always put on the appropriate music for the piece or project; the vibe I intend to set. The last painting at Jungle I did I was listening to old blues and jazz- Fats Waller, Chick Corea, and The Bad Plus.

What do you think about the Phangan art scene?
I think it’s great that there are more serious artists and art on the island right now. Art is for everyone and I’m a believer that everyone should utilise it, but there’s a difference between hobby artists and people who live with it every day. It’s awesome to chop it up with another artist and they know what you’re talking about and you can relate with them. This is normal for any craft or interest. If I start blathering on about paint and glue to someone that is a chef, they will probably look at me with a big question mark and the conversation wouldn’t be very good for them.
I think Phangan could really develop in terms of having a reputation for artists and creative types. The Tourist Association of Thailand was making video shorts about the island two years ago and I got to help out a bit. They sought to move from the reputation of parties and full moon into more of the “eco-tourism” trend that’s been popular. I honestly think that the angle of an art-saturated island could be golden for Phangan, something interesting and healthy for the place.

What are you working on personally at the moment?
Right now I’m just doing whatever I want creatively, which has been a lot of experimenting with these costumes for Jungle. New materials, new methods...it turns out I’m decent at making these things so costume-making has solidly caught my attention but I’m still painting some murals and drawing at home. I typically just try to draw or paint things so that when the time to do a show comes up, I can select a nice body of work. Anything new I can learn about I try to get down, so that I can hopefully accumulate a broader set of skills and use them all together to make whatever I want. I would love to organize my time to make an animated short in 2016, it’s been quite a while since I animated anything.

What do you do in your free time on Phangan?
That’s funny because anyone that knows me knows I hardly ever have “free” time. I am notorious for working on projects non-stop, but in my spare time I am working on different things. If I go to the beach or whatever I have my sketchbook. If I am having lunch with someone I’m probably talking about something art-related. I get bored quite easily if I’m just sitting around, so I remedy this by filling up my time with various types of activities, even something like watching a film or cooking something. It’s probably a little obnoxious.

What is your life philosophy?
I guess it’s try to be good and do good things. You have to start with yourself, always improving and evaluating yourself or adjusting. When you are healthy inside your eyes are open and the world is a magical place with endless gifts to offer. I believe everything living is somehow minutely connected. When you’re in proper condition, it passes to others...and passes to others..