I liked museums but I wanted to be a dancer, I wanted to go into performing arts, or be a writer.

I've been coming to Cambodia off and on, six months of the year usually.

I think every writer has their waves of inspiration and their ways of doing things. But writing is very difficult for me. It's something I haven't practiced as diligently as my visual art. I've been doing visual art because I think it's easier for me to construct, whereas words are very difficult.

For me, the more I understand the story of others, the greater I am able to learn and help other people.

I'm also developing my own narrative, because I'm the son of a widow. And so, while working with women and gathering their oral histories, I'm taking a step back to do my own art book and visual work.

I thought of the pillowcases as a symbol of love and loss, of retaining the memory of your loved one.

I started to paint in the year 2000. I never thought of going to an art school, even though I loved art.