https://www.chanerynastudios.com/home daily 1.0 2026-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/5cfced87-9cee-4950-8cd7-2b00568fb3a9/Chaneryna_MoneyCrab_.calendar+.jpg Home money crab, chaneryna thach, digital illustration https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/76f5186d-b3df-44c9-9306-a9c1466433f1/CPS_Chaneryna_thach_Shapes_final_1.jpg Home water tiger, chaneryna thach, digital illustration https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/858154fa-a899-4649-b2ef-3590288a45df/Self+promotion-17320-Trespasser-1.jpg Home Trespasser, laser cut paper relief, chaneryna thach https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/d1f2d44a-fa8f-4d68-8556-e5d7672072d6/Water_tiger+2025.jpg Home water tiger, laser cut paper relief, chaneryna thach https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/02f77373-7558-468f-82b0-84305b2b0d09/Chaneryna_first+love+2025.jpg https://www.chanerynastudios.com/paper daily 0.75 2026-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/16965575-2c59-4627-b06c-762cd973211c/Chaneryna_first+love+2025.jpg Paper First Love portrays my deep connection to my culture, as discovering it felt much like falling in love for the first time. My culture is personified as we dance together beneath the moonlight in a field of grass. I was constantly devoted—always searching, always finding new ways to be in awe of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/15e75c6f-eede-4c25-823f-21c9e80614f8/Self+promotion-17320-Trespasser-1.jpg Paper Trespasser delves into my struggles with cultural identity, as I often feel like I am appropriating my own Cambodian heritage. Being born in the United States, not speaking the language fluently, and constantly researching aspects of my culture I feel I should already know has placed me in an in-between space. I feel like a stranger in my own home—always second-guessing where I belong. In the piece, I am hunted by figures from Khmer mythology—an angel, a demon, and the Queen Naga—while I hold my dying culture in my arms, as if I am to blame for its loss. This reflects the feeling of being an outcast within my own culture, a foreigner in my own country, and at times, undeserving of my place within it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/a313f10a-78a4-41d2-a4a0-70f7d7be0f5a/Chaneryna_Warm_Embrace.jpg Paper Warm Embrace envisions a future where I am fully accepted by my culture for who I am, living in harmony with it. It reflects a healing of past wounds and the growth of a stronger relationship not only with my family and friends, but with my community as a whole. This piece embraces the understanding that I do not need to know everything, and that it is okay I did not grow up with certain traditions. My culture is something I continue to build, shaped by my experiences, just as it is for others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/67c48ebe-8c5f-4421-b292-9ee57164da68/CTM_final_pic.jpg Paper Dragon Machine is inspired by the Year of the Dragon, which aligns with my own zodiac. Constructed from wood, laser-engraved acrylic, and 3D-printed elements, the piece reinterprets a familiar object through a cultural lens. Inspired by my love for Lunar New Year, one of my favorite holidays, this work translates my excitement and joy for the celebration into something tangible and interactive. By creating a capsule toy machine filled with zodiac animals—including both the twelve traditional figures and the cat from the Vietnamese zodiac—I invite viewers to experience a sense of curiosity, play, and discovery that reflects my own connection to the holiday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/7ec66e97-f6cb-4b48-b502-d02882fdabc1/Hanuman+Bust.+image+10.jpg Paper This piece is a paper-cut bust of Hanuman, a prominent figure in Cambodian mythology and performance traditions. Inspired by Cambodian masked theater known as Lakhon Khol, the design draws from its stylized forms and expressive visual language. Through cut paper, I reinterpret these traditional elements, merging cultural reference with my own artistic process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/00fe8e94-e646-4e8d-9757-573f976eb9ac/Water_tiger+2025.jpg Paper Water Tigers is a paper-cut piece based on a story my mother shared with me. Every fifty years, demonic water tigers are said to be released from hell, emerging to possess humans and bring destruction—an event known as the Year of the Triple Water Tiger. Through this work, I translate this oral story into a visual form, using cut paper to preserve and reimagine the narratives passed down to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/438b0640-9feb-42c4-b948-3baaade26b6a/KNYDoll_BACK_FINAL.jpg Paper This piece focuses on the identity of the New Year angel, depicting her alongside her symbolic animal companion. Together, these elements reflect her role, characteristics, and the traditions associated with her presence during the new year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/3dc7ad27-2036-40fd-bf70-918337e98551/KNYDoll_front_FINAL.jpg Paper This diptych draws from the Cambodian New Year legend of the seven daughters of a god, each associated with a day of the week. Depending on the day the new year falls on, one daughter descends to carry her father’s head, bringing blessings for the year ahead. This piece presents the New Year angel in her full attire, emphasizing her form, ornamentation, and presence. Through intricate detail and composition, the work highlights the visual language and ceremonial significance of these figures within Cambodian culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/945c1500-debb-48e5-a443-d2c8ad04adb7/Year_+of+the_tiger_.jpg Paper This paper-cut accordion book depicts a tiger participating in the traditional preparations and celebrations of Lunar New Year. As the pages unfold, the tiger moves through different moments of the holiday, reflecting the rituals and joy that surround the celebration. Through this piece, I explore storytelling through cut paper, drawing from cultural traditions and the ways they are passed down and reimagined. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/957d4f3e-1330-4cf8-9485-7402d1ed75e4/ChanerynaThach_entry3+%285%29.jpg Paper Weeping Demon is inspired by Cambodian masked theater known as Lakhon Khol. It depicts a female demon weeping for what was lost, embodying the grief and pain left behind by the Cambodian genocide. The details are rendered in cut paper. https://www.chanerynastudios.com/commission daily 0.75 2026-03-19 https://www.chanerynastudios.com/illustration daily 0.75 2026-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/813921e5-3552-41fd-b0bf-8d31321d57d3/Electric_Poe_Chaneryna_Final.jpg Illustration This digital illustration was created as a poster for the Coterie Theatre’s annual production of Electric Poe. The design draws inspiration from the themes and atmosphere of Edgar Allan Poe’s work, translating them into a contemporary visual format. Through composition, imagery, and tone, the piece aims to capture the mood of the performance while engaging viewers in a visually striking and accessible way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/f5a04ec7-b297-489d-8ea4-96a43ad66dde/Gambling.jpg Illustration Afterparty draws from my memories of playing Klah Klok (Khmer) and Bầu cua cá cọp (Vietnamese), one of the many “friendly” gambling games that defined my Sundays with my big, chaotic family. Every weekend, we gathered at a cousin’s house to eat, drink, and gamble, the game mat spread across the floor beneath scattered coins and crumpled bills. We held our breath, eyes locked on the dice—then eruption: cheers, groans, laughter, the room alive with noise. As kids, we never gambled with our own money. Our aunts and uncles would slip us a few bills, just to make us feel included. I don’t remember if I ever won, but I remember feeling lucky—not in money, but in family. The kind of family that never said “I love you” outright, but showed it in quieter ways. I didn’t need to win to feel rich—I had already hit the jackpot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/13d8dfb4-b54f-49ba-a1a3-db0803076fcb/H_Ahp_postcard_Final+%281%29.jpg Illustration his paper-cut piece depicts Ahp, a figure from Southeast Asian folklore known as a beautiful young woman whose organs detach and float as she roams at night, feeding on corpses of humans and animals. I was first introduced to Ahp through movies I watched with my grandmother, where she both fascinated and terrified me. Despite her horror, she has become a recurring and enjoyable subject in my work. This piece reflects that duality—fear and fascination—while also holding space for the memories I share with my grandmother. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/6e8b491b-fcfe-47e7-9f06-990ee13efc24/Harvest+Newsletter+1+%281%29.jpg Illustration This illustration was created as a newsletter cover for Harvest, an annual event hosted by the Illustration Department. Inspired by the theme Mystiques, the composition features a potion emitting smoke, with the title integrated into the imagery and framed by decorative borders reminiscent of a spellbook. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/553547fc-b0a6-400d-bb86-0b27f4a9e386/Horsepower-Chaneryna_final+%281%29.jpg Illustration This poster was created for the Coterie Theatre’s production of Horse Power: Tom Bass, American Story. The piece draws from the life of Tom Bass, an American horse trainer who, despite being born into slavery, became one of the most respected figures in his field. The design reflects both the historical significance of his legacy and the central role of horsemanship, translating these elements into a visual composition that supports the storytelling of the production. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/37ce9d2d-4444-408a-8307-e4c5269cb55d/Chaneryna_Held_By_fate.jpg Illustration Mythic Witch was inspired by the prompt, “I stumbled upon a mythical witch the other day.” The piece imagines what that encounter might feel like, capturing a moment of curiosity, wonder, and uncertainty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/1bb79ba9-0408-4130-b55e-f198928919b9/Chaneryna_Messenger.jpg Illustration Apsara is inspired by the celestial dancers of Cambodian tradition, who are known to communicate with the gods through dance. Serving as both entertainers and messengers, their movements carry stories of devotion and spirituality. This piece depicts an Apsara dancing before the Hindu god Brahma, emphasizing the connection between movement, storytelling, and the divine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/f1c49f9c-c877-4f2b-bd17-673f098e7595/Chaneryna_MoneyCrab_.calendar+.jpg Illustration The Money Crab is for my dad. In my family, crab was never just food—it was celebration, reserved for special moments when we gathered together. I remember the air thick with steam, newspaper spread on the floor, my dad cracking each leg with care while my sisters and I bickered over the biggest pieces. He never complained, never fought for his share—his joy was in seeing us happy. Love in our family wasn’t spoken; it was shown in full dinner tables, warm meals, and quiet gestures like this. The postcard version reads: “May the Money Crab bless you with great fortune—not just in wealth, but in family and friends,” sharing that unspoken love and generosity with others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/cb2b04b6-3959-4b1d-994d-2f32ecad3126/Chaneryna_Silken_fish_Calendarjpg.jpg Illustration The Silken Fish is inspired by my mother, whose love is woven into the quiet rituals of every meal. Fried fish has always been my favorite, especially when returning home—the sizzle of oil, the gentle clatter of plates, and the careful way she sets aside the best pieces for us. She gives without hesitation, asking for nothing in return, showing devotion in the simplest acts. The postcard version reads: “May you find comfort even in the smallest bite,” sharing that quiet, selfless love with others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/bb9560bc-903d-4979-8986-23d86353dcde/CPS_Chaneryna_thach_Shapes_final_1.jpg Illustration Lantern is inspired by the belief that lanterns protect us from evil spirits. Here, a lantern spirit rises to battle a dark force while the crowd below remains unaware, turning folklore into a moment of hidden heroism and protection. https://www.chanerynastudios.com/cv-download daily 0.75 2026-03-19 https://www.chanerynastudios.com/about daily 0.75 2026-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/945c1500-debb-48e5-a443-d2c8ad04adb7/Year_+of+the_tiger_.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69b5e9b50e798c1ed8580a80/89980239-23df-478c-9c83-885f8d3ad326/Chaneryna_headshot+%281%29.jpg