‘Art saved my life inside Thailand’s prisons’ – Shani Krebs
“I wanted to be heard through my art.”
Shani Krebs (60) has been drug-free for 25 years.
He was imprisoned in Thailand for drug trafficking and was returned to South Africa in December 2012 after serving 18 years of his sentence.
Art helped him survive Thailand’s prisons and he now aims to encourage his art students in Cyrildene to also benefit from painting.
“Being in Thailand’s prisons was hard but a blessing in disguise. I realised I had to calm down.
“I made a lot of bad decisions in my life and I almost died numerous times.
“I had to rehabilitate myself and develop something that will not only shock my family, but the world,” said Krebs.
He developed his love for painting after a friend, who was in prison with him, did a painting of Krebs and his family from a family photo.
Krebs sent it to his family who requested more paintings.
“I went back to him and he then gave me lessons. Mastering my painting, while in prison, was a blessing.
“Instead of destroying my life with drugs, I felt like I was reborn. It brought joy into other people’s lives including my family,” said Krebs.
He was determined to get himself cleaned up while he was in prison because drugs were easily accessible.
“Painting inside prison was challenging. There were no paintbrushes. I designed my own paintbrushes by using toothbrushes and attaching then to bamboo sticks. I used diluted coffee as paint and made birthday cards for other prisoners.
“I would spend two to three hours a day drawing. When you lose your freedom, it changes you. Through art I rediscovered who I am. I found a purpose. I have been doing art ever since and have sold some of my work all over the world.”
Krebs later established an organisation in prison to assist drug addicts and he became a poet and motivational speaker.
“I wanted to be heard through my art. It motivated me to fight for other prisoners to have rights. I wrote letters to every single human rights organisation in the world asking them to put pressure on Thailand’s government for equal treatment of traffic offenders inside prison.”
Krebs was among a group of foreigners convicted of drug trafficking who were granted amnesty by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
“Being in prison made me realise how many people I have hurt. I found that through art I managed to identify a way of asking for forgiveness and also a way to forgive myself.”
Today he paints and draws.
He is the author of Dragon and Butterflies in which he shares his journey in Thailand’s prisons with readers.
Krebs offers classes at his home in Cyrildene.
Contact him on 078 665 9656 on email at shanikrebs@hotmail.com
