Exploring Cerebral Landscapes: An Interview with Eric Louie
Artist Eric Louie has been fully immersed in the world of art since graduating from ACAD (Alberta University of the Arts) in 2002. Having relocated to Vancouver a decade ago, he has collaborated with esteemed galleries such as Elissa Cristall Gallery and currently works with Bau-Xi Gallery. Louie’s paintings, characterized by their cerebral and abstract nature, often evoke the natural world while integrating elements of landscape, still life, portraiture, and architecture. The outcome is a fusion of organic and geometric elements with digital aesthetics, offering viewers a unique visual experience.
Integrating Art into Community: PARKWAY Project
Eric Louie is among the ten artists chosen to participate in a community initiative by BlueSky Properties in Downtown Surrey known as PARKWAY. The overarching goal of PARKWAY is to infuse vitality into the Surrey community, with a special emphasis on promoting art and culture as catalysts for community engagement. To this end, the new sales center serves as a platform to showcase art and artists inspired by life in British Columbia.
Booooooom: How would you describe your work to someone unfamiliar with it?
Eric Louie: I envision my work as two-dimensional sculptures occupying ethereal spaces or uncharted territories. Smooth to the touch yet sharp in their portrayal of metallic-looking forms interacting with one another, my paintings exist in a realm that is both metaphysical and abstract.
Unveiling Artistic Motivations
Booooooom: What drives you to create?
Eric Louie: Creating art is a daily ritual for me. It’s a continuous process where thoughts about paintings permeate even my leisure time. It’s akin to an obsession or addiction, this relentless pursuit to materialize my thoughts and unravel them in the process. There’s an inherent need to explore and contribute something meaningful to the world around me.
Unraveling “Early Riser #1”
Booooooom: Can you provide context or a narrative behind one of the artworks purchased for PARKWAY, “Early Riser #1”?
Eric Louie: “Early Riser #1” emerged from my experimentation with bird-like forms, eventually evolving into a hybrid creation with botanical attributes. It’s a synthesis that often characterizes my artistic process, where diverse elements converge and interact, giving rise to intriguing compositions.
Drawing Inspiration from BC
Booooooom: How has living in British Columbia influenced your creative journey?
Eric Louie: BC’s natural beauty has profoundly impacted both my work and my life. Even amidst the urban landscape, the profound connection with nature permeates my art on multiple levels, enriching my artistic expression.
Nurturing Artistic Communities
Booooooom: In today’s virtual landscape, how crucial is it for you to engage with the local arts community?
Eric Louie: The pandemic has underscored the importance of real-life interactions and communal engagement in the arts. Exhibitions and shows felt incomplete without the physical presence of viewers and the camaraderie of fellow artists. As artists, we thrive on community support and dialogue, which fuels our creative endeavors.
Aspirations for the Future
Booooooom: What’s a goal you hope to achieve in the coming year?
Eric Louie: This year, I aim to delve into experimentation and discovery, exploring new artistic approaches through research and development.
A Lifetime Ambition
Booooooom: Lastly, what’s one accomplishment you aspire to achieve in your lifetime?
Eric Louie: It would be a profound honor to be invited to showcase my work in a major museum exhibition. That would truly be a pinnacle moment in my artistic journey.
