The art of intertwining life and work.

1598 Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 20, No. 9, September 2014 P Jaima grew up in rural northern Thailand, where village life, work, and worship were all intertwined. His parents were wood carvers at the local Buddhist temple, where at age 10 he began studying traditional northern Thai Buddhist scriptures. Upon entering the sixth school grade at age 12, Jaima became a Buddhist novice for three years of study and meditation. After completing high school, Jaima attended a local fine arts college in Chiangmai and began painting murals. Inspired after meeting the artist Chalermchai, he continued his studies at Silpakorn University. Before taking the admission examination, Jaima vowed to Khruba Srivichai, a Buddhist saint of northern Thailand, that if he passed, he would return home to build temples. At the university, he began painting in the traditional northern Thai mural style, focusing on work, leisure, and customs of everyday village life in northern Thailand. Pornchai Jaima has exhibited his work in the United States, Pornchai Jaima (b. 1970) Integrated Farming (2013) (detail). Acrylic on canvas (39 1/4 × 31 1/2 inches/100 cm × 80 cm). Courtesy of the Artist