“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

For 23 years, the Eastside Culture Crawl hosts a 4-day visual arts festival in Vancouver’s eastside. Artists of all kinds (painters, jewellers, sculptors, potters, furniture makers, etc.) open up their studio doors to the public. This year, I was lucky enough to be one of 500 artists to participate! I worked tirelessly the past few months and created a new painting series to share. My work is inspired by my journey of life, the hard lessons I had to learn this year and the beautiful teachings I gained. I intuitively paint what I feel, not what I think and always try to surrender to the process. What came about in this series are bolder colours and brushstrokes, something that is reflective of my growth as a woman.

My studio is located in Vancouver’s Chinatown and holds a very special place in my heart. With a desire to live a better life, my grandpa jumped off a ship from Hong Kong and settled a block away from where my studio is located. He only had 40 cents in his pocket. Without his bravery, I would not be able to pursue my dream career of being an artist. I am grateful everyday for it!

As an Art Therapist, I knew I had to create an interactive art project for people coming through the studio. I created an art station with an array of art supplies, a bare tree and leaf shaped cutouts. I asked everyone to “help the tree grow” and within 4 days, the tree bloomed more than I could ever imagined!

~ Erica Pang

To see more of Erica’s work visit: www.ericapang.com