Delicate Petals, Powerful Dreams: The Clay Flower Artistry of Pundhariga Kight
In 2000, Pundhariga “Apple” Kight, turned on the TV at her home in Thailand. When she heard the woman speaking on the screen, she was immediately entranced. With delicate handwork, she took small dots of clay and gently pressed them into the form of flower petals. After applying layers of paint, the humble clay transformed into a beautiful floral arrangement, permanent in its beauty.
"I thought—maybe one day, I can do that too."
That day came not long after in the same year. With no experience in sculpture, Apple drove long distances to take classes, failing early and often. She recalls when her first attempt at a jasmine bloom fell apart mid-cut but she kept going. “If someone else can do it, I can do it,” she told herself. That mantra carried her through countless hours of trial and error, until she slowly began to master her craft.
Her hard work and dedication paid off and her work became nationally recognized across Thailand. The Thai government selected her for the “One Tambon, One Product” program, an elite initiative showcasing regional excellence where she earned five-star honors and national awards. Now she would find herself sitting in front of the camera, teaching classes to thousands of viewers across the nation just like the woman who originally inspired her journey.
She took great pride in the opportunity to teach others her craft, and giving working mothers like her a way to provide for their families. “I opened my little home,” she says with a soft laugh. “It was small, but people came anyway. I moved the furniture, and I taught them for free. Some were mothers who couldn’t leave home. If I could help them earn money, that made me happy.”
Apple continued to refine her craft over the years. Today her flowers aren’t made with store-bought materials. She blends her own clay so that it can withstand temperatures and long shipments without cracking. Ceramic clay is blended, flattened and cut with handmade templates, then each petal is shaped using precise and specialized tools. Some petals are wire-reinforced to withstand the strains of shipping, others are so fine they seem like glass. Once sculpted, she paints each one by hand—layer after layer—until the radiance of the petal comes to life. Apple takes her time, making each and every piece with care and attention. Customers often remark on her finished work that they can’t believe the flowers aren’t real.
“It takes about 24 hours for one piece,” she explains. “I do many petals at once. Then I assemble. I never rush. I want it to be professional.”
Apple came to the United States with her children in 2015 and settled in Franklinton balancing work with raising her family and keeping her art alive. Her husband passed away in 2021 and she’s been navigating life since with strength and determination. “I pay taxes. I work hard. I bought my house. I do everything like an American,” she says proudly. “That makes me proud.”
She now runs her own business online where her Etsy page draws in buyers from across the country, including one dedicated customer that’s made nearly $5,000 worth of purchases. Her earrings, made from hypoallergenic clay, are miniature marvels. Her flowers have adorned weddings, homes, and hearts alike.
The point cannot be underscored enough — photos of her work are not photos of actual, living flowers. Apple’s attention to detail is so masterful, so precise and so incredible that her work appears truly alive.
Workshops in our community, too, have found their way into her story. In recent years, she’s taught classes from her home or at places like Sunflower Studio, drawing students eager to learn the intricate art of shaping stillness into beauty. Space, and time, remain challenges. Her work is currently housed at home but she dreams of one day opening a small gallery where people can learn, shop, and share a meal. “Like a community corner,” she says. “Art and food. People come together.”
And they will because Apple’s flowers are more than decorative, but declarations of resilience, resourcefulness and of a life shaped by love and determination.
She smiles as she shows a tiny bloom, no more than an inch wide, perfect in its shape and color. “This is what I do,” she says. “I make people smile.”
And she does—one petal at a time.
Apple’s beautiful work is available for purchase on her Etsy Page and her website.
Be sure to follow her on Instagram for new work, updates and upcoming classes.
