Oakland-based artist Malisa Suchanya paints expressive hand portraits immersed in florals and ornamental motifs using vivid pinks, reds, greens, and blues. During the pandemic, Suchanya found a deep love for expressing emotions and relationships through different arrangements, compositions, and entanglement of the human figure’s appendages. She participated in Var Gallery’s 30 x 30 x 30 project, where she completed 30 artworks in 30 days, making her technique of painting more time-efficient over time and having a close-to-meditative experience. The collection includes three sub-series: portraits of influential people in her life, reflections on being with others, and her cultural identity and upbringing in Singapore. You can find updates about Suchanya’s participation in markets and artist fairs and her upcoming solo exhibition at Mom and Pop Art Shop in Point Richmond, California, later this year, on her website and Instagram. “We’re gonna be okie,” she says.
