Amanda Vergara is a queer, second-generation Filipinx and Chinese American artist who grew up in Minneapolis, MN, and is currently based in Los Angeles, CA. Thanks to their high school and community art teachers, Amanda has dabbled in several mediums throughout their life – including ceramics, fiber arts, Chinese calligraphy, and digital art. They are influenced by queer, leftist, and BIPOC artists, several of whom they are privileged to know in person. They are particularly inspired by their sibling, Margaret Vergara, an abstract painter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Amanda rekindled their childhood love for art through self-learning collaging and watercolor painting. They are currently taking Art History and Painting courses through the non-profit Art Division.
Artist’s Statement:
Each of these pieces was personalized for and given to a loved one. I had moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in late 2019, just months before the Stay at Home Order took effect, and I wanted to express gratitude to my existing community when I was feeling isolated both by the quarantine and having few connections in a new city. Creating art was my way of providing community care for my friends and nurturing my inner child. I am drawn to vibrant colors and dreamlike qualities, and I enjoy playing with different styles of art.
