Arty Guava

Lay Hoon, better known by her moniker Arty Guava, is a Malaysian-born artist who currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. Her designs feature vibrant flowers, celebratory poses, and animals moving freely through the wild, conveying a buoyant lust for life sprinkled with a hint of fantasy.

Arty Guava

Fantasy and beauty

Lay Hoon, better known by her moniker Arty Guava, is a Malaysian-born artist who currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. Her creative practice includes an array of mediums such as digital art, traditional painting, large-scale murals, and digital art installations. After graduating with a degree in Bioengineering, Lay Hoon pivoted towards the creative industry to pursue her passion. She spent a decade in Singapore, where she worked with globally renowned brands like Heineken, Shiseido, and SK2, primarily in branding and packaging. In 2019, Lay Hoon migrated with her family to Canada and rekindled her artistic practice during the pandemic.

Her work quickly gained popularity, and Lay Hoon began to receive commissions from notable brands such as Coach, Herschel, Society 6, Ong Shunmugam, and Frankie Magazine.

Lay Hoon draws inspiration from various sources, including her childhood in Malaysia, nature, and dance. Her designs feature vibrant flowers, celebratory poses, and animals moving freely through the wild, conveying a buoyant lust for life sprinkled with a hint of fantasy. She sees her art practice as a means to express her desire for more harmony in the world, encouraging people to live in harmony with one another, nature, the environment, and themselves. Over the past few years, Lay Hoon's exploration of themes such as sisterhood, dance as an expression of freedom, balance, and self-care has been a continuous driving force in her creative process. Her art embodies a sense of joy and positivity that reflects her passion for life and her love for the world around her.

This artist

Fascinates us by

Her art takes us to a fantastic world where beauty is the main protagonist. A classic art full of fantasy with the personal touch of a very promising artist.

References

Her artistic inspiration comes from a wide variety of sources, often drawn from the world around her on a daily basis, sometimes even unconsciously. However, if I were to single out specific artists who inspire and admire her, we would say Gauguin, for his vibrant use of colour and exotic subjects; Matisse, for his bold and expressive compositions; Pierre Boncompain, for his poetic depictions of everyday life; Hiroshi Yoshida, for his masterful prints that capture the beauty of nature; David Hockney, for his innovative approaches to modern life; and Frida Kahlo, for her deeply personal and emotive works. Each of these artists has left an indelible mark on their artistic careers, influencing their style, subject matter and creative vision.

Technique

Her artistic technique is deeply rooted in the use of art as a means of navigating and processing the emotions and experiences of my life. Whether it is moments of joy she wishes to commemorate or challenges she wants to reframe in a positive way, art serves as her expressive outlet. He starts by identifying the emotions he wants to convey and then channels them into his visual narrative. This can take shape digitally, on traditional canvases with acrylic paint or even in large-scale murals adorning buildings. For her, any surface is a canvas that hopes to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences.

A curiosity

Did you know that Lay studied bioengineering? At that time she never imagined that art would become her passion and profession. However, during the pandemic, while living in Canada, she rekindled her love for illustration and started sharing her work on Instagram. To her surprise, she gained a following, which led her to become a full-time artist. In her spare time, she enjoys drinking tea, watching anime and building Lego creations with her 7-year-old son. She also likes horror movies, which she enjoys as a thrilling escape from everyday life.

Discover her most outstanding work

Artworks