MEET THE ARTIST: PAT “HAPPY PILLS”

 

Let us introduce you to HappyPills a brand that designs and produces home decor goods. She is mostly focused on handmade products: pillows, bolsters, blankets, tufted rugs, and bean bags. she designs her products by herself and also does custom orders.

Her customers will receive a product that is unique and meaningful. She would like her products to be like everyone’s happy pill, like her name, “HappyPills”.

Please introduce yourself a little bit.

Hello,  my name is Patty, Phatchariya Archvichai. I’m the owner and founder of HappyPills.

What inspired you to create HappyPills, and why did you choose tufting as your technique?

Ten years ago, HappyPills started out making printed pillows. The prints were realistic, and the cushions and pillows were tailored to fit the image printed perfectly. For example, we had a salmon pillow that was printed with an image of a real salmon.

That product was so very popular because we made it so realistic, and it stuck with people. I was making those until I arrived at a point where I wanted to grow and change.

I started learning new techniques from online courses, and then I found a tufting class, which I was especially interested in, and it was considered very new last year. Once I had studied it, I thought it was very probable that I could do it myself, so I tried hard to work out the details, like what type of fabric they were using or what type of gun they had.

At first, I looked all over the Phahurat textile market for a suitable fabric. I experimented a lot. I thought that I needed fabric porous enough for the yarn to seep through, but in reality, most fabrics would just fall apart (laughs).

When that didn’t work, I decided to import my fabric. I experimented for two months. Once that was successful, another challenge presented itself physically. My arms would go numb for a whole week each time I tufted; after getting used to it, they’re now super strong.

There are also many techniques to tufting that I needed to learn. Creating the rug’s surface, you should have an idea of what the finished product would look like. You can design how thick you’d like your rug to be.

There are no limits to your imagination. After doing it for a while, it became really fun, and most importantly, the finished products are functional. I am sometimes mesmerized by myself that I was able to create some intricate pieces. (laughs)

How did you find your style, and what did you do to develop it?

There’s not a roadmap to how I found myself. When I think of something, I usually do it straight away, without even knowing if it’s going to turn out well, but I need to start by being confident that I’m able to do it. Like with tufting, it all came from curiosity, wondering how other people did it. Then, I started to study and research how it was done.

Once I became confident that I could do it, I started doing it. In doing all things, you’ll have to start somewhere. Expertise is acquired with time and practice, and skill development will come after that. Keep finding new inspirations, take some things, and mix them in with others, and you’ll get something new. 

How do you usually work?

I start by talking with the client, trying to understand their personality as much as possible to see what kind of product they are looking for, like what color palettes or where they’d like to install the finished work.

This information will allow me to design things more easily and create the product in a suitable size.

In which direction do you see the brand going in the future?

I see it as a lifestyle store. I’d like to incorporate fashion into my brand too. I love animals, and I like to decorate my home. I think including home decor that is also pet-friendly would be something nice. I also used to make pet toys, when I have some time to develop some new products from that I’ll do it. 

Which product is your favorite piece?

As of now, it would be the 3D poisonous mushroom forest landscape rug. It was one of my first pieces.

I designed it with a client who gave me a rough idea of what they wanted. I had to imagine how thick or thin the rug had to be in certain places or where certain colors needed to be mixed to create a grass-like feel.

It took me about a month and a half to finish because there were certain parts where hand embroidery was necessary, which was done with needles imported from India. When my arms get tired, I would need to rest in between all the work. It was quite a daunting task and such a relief once completed. 

The client loved animals, their pets included a cat, a mouse, a frog, a snake, and a spider, so this piece suited their space well. It’s still stuck in my mind.

I’m happy that my work can go in many different directions, and I’d also like to thank the client that they trusted me with that rug even when I’d only started tufting.

Tell us a bit about your experience working with us.

I’ve always been a Morph8ne fan. We’ve worked together twice before when I was a stylist for the artist, but Morph8ne might not know it. I’m so pleased that you’ve chosen to work with HappyPills;
I would never have thought this possible. I love everything Morph8ne does. I’m a huge supporter.

As an artist and a handmade craft designer, what is your opinion of the handmade craft industry in Thailand?

It requires a lot of patience, it’s all made by hand, so it’s immensely valuable. There are so many Thai artists who create great work. It would be nice to support them so that Thai handmade crafts would be more known worldwide. 

Is there anything you’d like to say to other handmade craft designers?

I’d like to thank them for creating new products and coming up with new ideas. Keep on growing and developing your products. I support all of you.