Fine Art Painter
Artist Statement
The miraculousness of life touches me like the shimmering of something sacred. I am captivated by the explosions of colour in flowers, the way children bounce about like pop corn, and the healing power of laughter. I paint to re-experience and savour the magic of what my eyes see and my heart feels.
Painting fills me with joy - it is a welcome counterweight to the sorrow I feel over humanity’s wounds.
Painting teaches me to look more deeply: to notice the richness of design, the power of light, the subtlety of colour, the variety of shapes and the complexity of emotional expression.
For me, painting is both soothing and exhilarating. At times, I think of my work as an homage to creativity itself. My hope is that my paintings awaken in others a renewed sense of wonder while offering a quiet respite from the anxieties of today’s world.
“To savour is to make the fleeting last.” Fred Bryant
Artist Bio
Born in Postwar Germany to Hungarian father Emil Bukkfalvi and Ukrainian mother, Alla, Erika immigrated with her family to Canada in 1949 as refugees. Emil introduced Erika to drawing, photography, and weekend classes at L’École des Beaux-Arts in Montreal.
After teaching in West Africa, Erika settled in Vancouver in 1971, where she earned a master’s degree in social work and worked as a therapist, educator and author regarding relationship and mental health issues.
Later, inspired by the works of artist and close friend, Caro Guille, she embraced painting. Erika’s mentors have included Mandy Boursicot (drawing), Meeta Dani (watercolour) and, more extensively, Lalita Hamill (oil painting).
Today, Erika is an exhibiting member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, a member of the Lower Mainland Contemporary Atelier, and a member of the Burnaby Artists Guild. Her favourite artists - Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, and Nicolas Party - inspire her with their originality and bold use of colour.