04 — Angela Pan
Written by Ava Austria ✦ 3/2/2026
Angela Pan is an accomplished independent artist who uses acrylics to illustrate beautiful travel scenes, as well as creating her own travel art books. Since 2020, she’s been working independently to share her artwork with the world.
Angela began her work as an artist after graduating from Sheridan’s animation program in 2014, and started working as a background painter in Vancouver’s TV animation industry. However, becoming an independent artist always called to her. Angela fell in love with the idea of creating her own art books when she began tabling at local art events in 2015.
During this time, Angela’s primary medium was digital art, but she was always drawn to the texture of traditional mediums. Her path towards finding the perfect medium included much experimentation.
When asked about finding her preferred medium, Angela said, “I experimented with oil pastels, coloured pencils, and gouache, but none felt quite right. In 2019, I discovered acrylic paint markers and instantly knew they were the perfect medium for my art.”
Angela’s art draws inspiration from numerous traditional artists, including Claude Monet, Kaii Higashiyama, and Clarence Gagnon, as well as film and graphic novels.
Additionally, Angela has found inspiration in the paintings of Wu Guangzhong, paying homage to her Chinese heritage, as she spent the first twelve years of her life in China. She stated, “I do admire the paintings of Wu Guanzhong, whose approach to design has certainly inspired me. My family has always been very supportive of my pursuit of art, which has had a positive impact on my work. I hope that someday I can tell my story as a 1.5-generation immigrant and share my family’s stories through a graphic novel.”
In terms of measuring success, Angela believes in not letting the monetary aspect of art get in the way. She measures her success differently.
“But I try not to let these things distract me. Of course, it’s important to earn enough to stay afloat, but I think true success is just creating art that I love and bringing it to the level I want it to be. If I can complete a book and feel proud of the artwork and storytelling (if there's any), then I consider that project a success,” said Angela in regards to her definition of success as an artist.
Moving forward, Angela wants to continue creating art and staying healthy. She considers herself a perfectionist, always making art her priority. Despite this, she hopes to create a better balance between the important things in life, stating, “As an artist, I focus on making work that I enjoy and care about. I want to have fun while I draw or paint, and no matter how others receive my art, the most important thing is whether I love it and whether it turned out the way I envisioned.”
