Local talent Pamella Chang puts inspiring art on display
Published:Sunday | March 10, 2024 | 12:08 AMKrysta Anderson - Staff Reporter
From the moment Pamella Chang could hold a pencil, she began creating art. Since then, she has been harnessing and honing skills, taking her studies of the subject all the way up to the tertiary level. Three years into the profession, this young talent has already made a name for herself as an accomplished fine artist and muralist.
“The motivation to pursue art as a career came from the love and passion that I have, and the desire to share that creative expression with the world. The ability to be able to do what I love while making a living from it and make a meaningful impact was always appealing to me. To be able to use my hands to create something on a surface will always blow my mind; I think it is quite surreal,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.
Putting art on inspiring display, she has collaborated with other creatives to produce the One Love mural featuring reggae icons like the great Bob Marley, his wife Rita Marley, Bunny Wailer and Haile Selassie I, among others, painted in Trench Town, Kingston. This wasn’t her first time painting the Exodus legend. She also highlighted his face in the Reggae Universe mural on King Street.
Her other bodies of work in and around Kingston include Generational Women, promoting peace and unity on Water Lane; Beres Hammond painted on Church Street; The legendary Garnett Silk on Mark Lane; GraceKennedy mural on Port Royal Street; Kingston Harbour Clean-up Project on Michael Manley Boulevard and A series of Jamaican Literature on East Street, just to name a few.
“I am very grateful that the people who reach out to me to work with me are understanding and welcoming individuals. They make my job a lot easier. My favourite pieces to date would have to be the last two major murals that I created, one on Water Lane, downtown, and one in Trench Town. Both murals served different purposes theoretically. However, fundamentally I am always happy to give to the public work driven by passion that comes from the heart,” she shared.
As it relates to portraits, Chang’s most memorable was creating a portrait of her grandmother. “I created it for an art competition held by the Norman Manley International Airport. The portrait was displayed there for a few years. Contestants were asked to create a piece showcasing our heroes. For me, my grandmother is definitely my hero. Words would not begin to describe or express how much she has impacted my life. I am very grateful for her. And I placed third,” she revealed.
Being a full-time freelance visual artist is far from easy. The unpredictable nature presents itself in many forms. But she stays steadfast in her craft, researching and marketing to improve her workflow.
With full support from her family and partner, she remains confident and motivated on her artistic journey. Bringing her imaginations to life and freely exploring new ideas is also a major motivator. “The constant pursuit of growth and learning also motivates me. I enjoy discovering new things and pushing the boundaries of what I am currently capable of,” she pointed out
Chang is intent on creating art that not only makes a positive contribution to her country, but makes a difference in this world. “I would like to focus solely on creating beautiful work that challenges myself and the public. In the next five years, apart from being more established in my field, I would love to create murals in many other countries,” she concluded.