It's really hard when you read literature in a language that's not your own. There are all these cultural references you have to be born into that particular language to get.

It's like you're organically developing yourself, moving out, metamorphosing into other forms depending on where you are, what you're doing at the time, how you want to play on things.

Everything around you can use. It's like your tools and your material. Whether it's in performing arts like dance, or visual arts, or poetry, a lot of those elements can come and help you, can trigger your creativity. But you have to be open, be aware, and you have to be ready to look.

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

All throughout my work, even in the United States, I have worked with the greater Cambodian community.

When I was in the sixth grade my friend and I always won writing contests, and we read a lot of books. We were always the ones that read the most books in class. I thought about writing but visual arts weren't part of my vocabulary.

I read a lot when I was in school in the United States, and even though writing in English is very difficult for me, I wrote in journals.