Artist Category: Adult 19+

Biography

My name is Kaela Ho and I am from Richmond, BC. I am currently a student at Emily Carr University of Art and Design where I study visual arts, with a focus on drawing and painting.

Artist Statement

My family is Chinese-South African. My painting reflects multiculturalism within my family and how my family has influenced my way of thinking.

I wanted to use a mixture of Chinese elements with African-inspired imagery to express the culture I grew up in. The base is made of chopsticks. I am Asian. Chopsticks are Asian, and therefore the chopsticks represent the base of who I am as a Chinese person. I grew up more around African art and I wanted to show the rich colours and some of the geometric qualities that can show up in African art.

The painting is a self-portrait. There is a tree growing out of my head to represent my family tree or the idea of growth. Trees often show up in a lot of Chinese and African art. I wanted to show how my family is planted within me or the sprouting of ideas that is influenced by my family.

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