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.