Connection, 2021.

Connection: A Story of Returning Home, 2021.

About the Series
Inspired by Erica's trip to India to meet her family for the first time, "Connection" explores what it means to come home: home to those who share your blood, and home to yourself. Featuring 15 unreleased oil paintings, the work invites you into the space to feel seen and cherished for who you are and where you come from. In a time when human connection has been so limited, Erica hopes her work reminds us that there is still beauty in the world if we pause and take a moment to see it.

A Note From the Artist

Hello Dear Friends,

I cannot believe the day is finally here! What started as a somewhat arbitrary goal grew into one of the most meaningful journeys of my creative life. At the end of 2020 I set a goal of creating 15 paintings and hosting my first solo show by Fall 2021. I had started Bank of the Ganga before moving to Austin in September 2020 and little did I know it would become the inspiration for this whole series. One year later, here we are sharing this space together! To say I am grateful for the journey would be an understatement. So to begin, I’d like to share a bit about where the series comes from and then my hope for this show.

In 1965, my grandmother packed up her life and left her family in India to be with my grandfather who had moved to the United States. She left with my father, who was two months old, and moved to a place where she did not speak the language in hopes of securing a better future. Fifty years later, I traveled to India to meet my extended family for the first time. The experience of sharing tears, food, and hugs with women I had just met is impossible to put in words. It was amazing to see the love that can be shared between humans who barely know one another, yet recognize we share a piece of the same story. I believe this story is one that many individuals can relate to: a story of passage, a story of family, and a story of love.

This series titled “Connection” explores what it means to come home. These women and their stories have shaped me in ways I cannot fully comprehend, yet I recognize the strength of my grandmother and the love shared across oceans is not unique. It is an integral part of the immigrant experience and one that deserves to be shared.

Ultimately, I believe art should celebrate the ordinary. The people who have gone through incredible challenges and still show up everyday for their community. I hope it opens doors to a world that may feel like a different universe or feel like coming home. If this art can create even a moment of connection or a space for people to feel cherished for who they are, then it has done its job. Thank you for being here and being a part of this journey.

With Love, Erica