Here at Slowdown Studio we love collaborating with emerging and established artists from across the globe. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Lay Hoon Ho, the artist behind the new Marais Throw Blanket. Lay Hoon is a Malaysian-born, Vancouver-based artist celebrated for her vibrant, nature-inspired works that radiate warmth, joy, and connection. 
1. Who do you think is the most exciting emerging creative in your city?
I don’t have one specific person in mind, but I really love the creative energy of Vancouver. I come across so many unique voices - in music, art, design, food - and sometimes I don’t pause long enough to truly get to know the work or the artist at a deeper level. But on the rare occasions that I do, I’m always drawn in by the stories behind what they create. People may have very different reasons that compel them to make art, but that urge to create is such a unifying human experience. It makes me feel connected - like we’re all small pieces of a much larger puzzle. In many ways, I think the city of Vancouver itself is the most exciting emerging creative.
2. Where are your favourite places to go in your city?
The Vancouver Public Library Central Branch. It’s part of my weekly ritual to visit the library and gather a stack of visual references. I flip through them slowly before bed each night.It is a nice way to slow down before I sleep. The False Creek area is another well-trodden path for me. There’s a beautiful walkway near my home where I wander for an hour or two in the morning until I feel ready to begin my day. The light on the water is always different. And Gastown. I love its cobbled streets and preserved historic façades. There’s something romantic about wandering into small cafés and boutiques and discovering something unexpected.
3. What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself when you were starting out in art?
Trust that you will find your way, even when the road ahead feels unclear. Choosing a path that no one before you has taken - or even dared to try - is extremely daunting.
Just try anyway. And surround yourself with people who will cheer you on, especially when you don’t quite know what you’re doing yet.
Marais Throw Blanket
5. What inspired your design for this latest blanket design?
My dad is moving to a new home and asked me to create something for him. The three figures represent me and my two sisters, and the background is a nod to the lush nature of Malaysia, where I grew up. We’re a big fruit-eating family, so fruit naturally made its way into the piece - it’s such a simple but constant presence in our lives. The initial draft of the design featured black abstract figures. That’s instinctively how I saw it - bold,
contemporary, slightly graphic. It’s also the version I submitted to Slowdown. I personally love the boldness and clarity of those black forms. But when I began painting the canvas version for my dad, I could almost hear him in my head reminding me that black isn’t considered auspicious in the home. So I adapted it into actual figures wearing colourful clothes. It felt like a small but meaningful way to respect his beliefs.
6. What's your favorite way to slow down?
I’m an old granny at heart. A warm scone, a hot cup of tea, sitting by the window with a book in my hands. That’s my version of luxury.
8. What has been the happiest/most rewarding moment of your art career?
When Oprah Winfrey mentioned my name on a show she hosted. Watching her show with my parents was one of our favourite pastimes growing up, so it holds so much
nostalgia for me. To hear my name spoken there felt surreal. I just knew in my heart that my mum, who has since passed, would have been ecstatic. She would have immediately speed-dialled every aunty she knew to tell them. That moment felt bigger than career - it
felt personal.
9. How does living in your city influence your work? Is there anything about your city that has defined how or what you create?
When I lived in Malaysia and Singapore, there was sunlight all year round. I never really noticed how dramatically colours shift with the seasons until I moved to Vancouver.
The quality of light changes. The greens in spring are different from the greens in summer. There’s a visible cycle to things - growth, fullness, fading, rest.
I think those subtle shifts seep into my work. The palettes I’m drawn to change depending on the time of year. Living here has made me more aware of rhythm - and that rhythm finds its way into what I create.
10. What are you most excited/looking forward to this year?
There isn’t one big thing. Every day holds surprises big and small and I’m excited to see each day slowly reveal itself.
Instagram: @artyguava
Website: https://artyguava.com/shop
