Phoebe Tsui’s impressionistic work in oil and acrylic evokes, through subtleties of colour, texture, and place, moments and memories of joyfulness and calm. Taking inspiration chiefly from floral arrangements and British Columbia’s Pacific Northwest coast, Tsui finds in the striking beauty of these natural environments an opportunity to pause and breathe. Her highest goal is for her floral and landscape paintings to invoke in viewers this same experience of emotional release or nostalgic consolation.

Tsui turns her artistic gaze to those places where she is most herself, where tranquility is far-reaching. On the beaches of Tofino or Vancouver’s Spanish Banks, looking out on the sea where vast ocean meets dancing sky, what is found is a sense of being fully present. A similar response arises in contemplating the gentle magnificence of a flower. Expressive brushstrokes speak to the bouquet’s potent vitality, but equal parts energy and restraint ensure the paintings call to mind an air of peace and serenity.

Tsui’s vision is for her artwork to create joyful and soothing environments, inspiring viewers to return to cherished moments in their life. Perhaps a return to Grandmother’s garden on a summer morning with the smell of a cherished flower on the air. Or a landscape might offer a reminder of an annual family trip to the coast, where endless beaches were the occasion for romantic strolling or a playful skipping of stones. In the space of such an artistic encounter, shoulders relax, breath deepens, and daily worries fade.

Every piece Tsui creates comes from a place of deep gratitude and a celebration of life’s wonders and blessings. Harnessing the power of memory and association, Tsui’s work gives viewers the possibility for stillness, reflection, and hopefully a gratefulness of their own.