A Phuket resident for more than three decades, Celine Masson has watched the island evolve – and evolved alongside it discovering her voice as an artist along the way.

The past year has been especially busy for her, with an exhibition at Pullman Naithon in northern Phuket and another in the south of France in collaboration with a French gallery.

This December, Celine will unveil a Pop Art show at the Tribe Hotel and is set to launch a new collaboration at the Kempinski Hotel Bangkok together with her designer friend from Touchable Bangkok.

Expanding her creative horizons while staying true to her signature approach, Celine continues to paint female portraits on canvases layered with original vintage Japanese manga pages.

“Recently, I’ve been experimenting with new techniques on fabric, and the feedback has been very positive – even though manga remains my favorite playground for artistic expression,” she says.

This high season coincides with Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025, which is expected to spark a wave of art-related events across the island. While Celine does not plan to participate in the biennale itself, she will present her Pop Art exhibition at the Tribe Hotel in parallel.

“I think it’s fantastic that Phuket will host the biennale. It’s such an amazing international event, and Phuket – being so globally connected – will benefit both the event and the local art scene. I’ll definitely be a big fan and will attend most of the events,” she says.

Hotels like Pullman and Kempinski remain Celine’s primary exhibition spaces. In the absence of dedicated art centers, Phuket offers something quite Phuketian instead – resorts and hotels that naturally integrate art into the island’s lifestyle.

“I find this model both refreshing and thought-provoking. I actually do it myself at Sole Mio wellness hotel with prints from my original works. On one hand, integrating art into non-traditional spaces like hotels, cafés, and event venues makes art more accessible and gives artists a chance to reach potential clients. However, I do wish Phuket offered more dedicated opportunities for artists – more galleries and art-focused spaces that genuinely celebrate creativity,” Celine says.

“There’s clearly a growing demand. With all the new housing developments and the many people relocating from neighboring countries to make Phuket their home, people are looking for artworks by local artists to decorate their beautiful homes,” she concludes.

You can read more about Celine Masson at reallifephuket.com. For additional information, please email celine@celine-masson.com or visit celine-masson.com.