As a child of royal lineage in 1960’s Luang Prabang, Laos, Somsanith grew up surrounded by courtly arts, such as painting, lacquer, embroidery, dancing, and flower and banana leaf arrangements. He watched his grandmother and mother patiently practice this aristocratic art, making traditional triangular pillows, royal sashes and sabai, jackets, collars and dowry pieces. Exiled in France in the 1980’s, Somsanith returned to Laos in 2005 where he now devotes his time to art and education programs for the community with the mission to preserve, promote, and transmit the cultural and artistic heritage of Laos. Somsanith is well known as an international embroidery artist with his contemporary creations rooted in the traditions of his youth. In the last ten years he has exhibited his works in France, Germany, England, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the USA. He received his master’s degree in France, from the Institute of Visual Arts, University of Orleans, and his Ph.D. in Psychology from Sorbonne.