Inspired by skies, local artist sends “art hugs” amid pandemic isolation
Surrey Art Gallery Association announces its October Thursday Artist Talk live online with landscape painter Olive Chan
Olive Chan, Goodness, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 24 inches.
Surrey Art Gallery Association is pleased to present its October Thursday Artist Talk, #LittleArtsOfKindness, with local artist Olive Chan on October 7 from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. This live event takes place on Surrey Art Gallery Association’s Facebook page and is available for replay afterward.
In the face of widespread isolation and grief due to COVID-19, Chan began an “art hug” movement that spanned the continent. Through #littleartsofkindness, artists across Canada and the U.S. sent small works of art to bring hope and encouragement to front-line workers as well as people living alone.
Chan is a Chinese-Canadian landscape artist based in Port Coquitlam, who works primarily in acrylics on both large and small scale. Art, for Chan, is an attempt to convey to others that they are loved. With a focus on skies, Chan hopes that her paintings can offer viewers a moment to breathe and rest their souls a little. She hopes her paintings of skies can remind people to "keep looking up."
Olive Chan, Effervescent, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 2.5 x 2.5 inches.
In her SAGA artist talk, Chan will tell the story of how the #littleartsofkindness movement began. She will also demonstrate how she creates her 2-by-2-inch paintings using acrylic paint. She will also share about how other artists can get involved in the #littleartsofkindness movement, particularly with more people struggling as the pandemic wears on.
Chan will also talk about her journey to becoming an artist, along with how art has helped her cope with the stresses of motherhood and the pandemic.
Landscape artist Olive Chan.
As a landscape artist who focuses on painting skies and light, Chan believes that the beauty of nature can be an uplifting source of consolation despite the struggles and losses in life. She holds an Honours BFA in Theatre Set Design from York University in Toronto and has been painting for over 20 years, mostly as a hobby. She officially launched her art career at the beginning of 2020.
Surrey Art Gallery Association (SAGA) is a non-profit society that offers its members the opportunity to participate in and respond to contemporary art and be part of a community that actively supports Surrey Art Gallery, which is internationally recognized for its award-winning programs.
For more information, see Surrey Art Gallery Association.
Post sponsored by Surrey Art Gallery Association.