My name is Otto Chanyakorn. I was born in a rural area of northeast Thailand. Growing up in the farmland of my father, I spent most of my childhood outdoor and that has influenced me to love Plein Air painting. Earning my undergraduate degree in architecture in Thailand and a master's degree in the US has lead me to work in the field of architecture. I currently work as an assistant professor at Kansas State University. Combining my love of painting and my educational background is my approach to watercolor painting. I began my professorship with KSU in fall of 2019. In 2020, I was awarded the prestigious Gabriel Prize by Western European Architecture.

I regularly teach architecture students to draw and paint to diversify their approach to design and creativity. Taking students to do on-site painting and sketching is a joyful thing to do for me. Experiencing architecture, places, and towns through a slow process of watercolor painting is a wonderful part of being. The opportunities to travel and learn of places across cultural boundaries are the primary motif of my painting.