We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Trang Hoang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Trang, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project for me was The Brief Moments We Are (Gorgeous). Inspired by my grandmother, my mother, and the women in my family who have endured generational trauma. It’s a response to their stories, and also an homage to them. The title is drawn from the novel On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, a Vietnamese-American writer whose words resonated deeply with me. Creating meaningful art has always been one of my core goals, and as I’ve refined my craft, I’ve come to understand the power of visual impact and how it can influence others. My aim has always been to inspire people to express themselves and use art for a positive purpose.

Art’s beauty lies in its versatility—it can be whatever you want it to be, from expressive to narrative. This series was born from a deeply personal place, following the loss of my grandmother at the beginning of the year. Being half a world away from my family, I was overcome with grief for many reasons: the pain of losing a loved one, the frustration of being unable to support my family, and the emotional weight of my mother being the one who had cared for her the most.

Stumbling upon On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous was a pivotal moment for me. The author’s perspective mirrored exactly what I was feeling—like having a friend who was going through the same pain. That sense of shared empathy became a powerful consolation. It was then that I realized how this book had helped me move forward from the past, and I wanted my painting series to have a similar healing effect. I want my art to not only serve myself but other who are in similar circumstances and I feel like creating meaningful projects is the motivation to me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Since I was a child, I’ve always received compliments on my drawings from my peers. As I continued to pursue art, I created primarily to please others, never really considering what I truly wanted to express. This led to a sense of uncertainty about what I was trying to accomplish or what I was meant to give back through my work. It wasn’t until college, when I had the opportunity to study abroad, that I began to immerse myself in a wider range of art—from expressionism to abstraction, hyper-realism, and beyond. I was exposed to so many different shapes, styles, and possibilities within art. Inevitably, the question everyone faces came to me: What am I doing this for? When doubt started to creep in and like many others, I was lost, and it was my passion for art that kept me moving forward.
I realized I wanted to create art that allowed people to see their own stories through my eyes—pieces that others could connect with, feel, and empathize with. Though my themes are often sad and gloomy, I believe it’s those moments of sadness that are often underappreciated. I think having a clear drive, a reason that resonates with you on a deeper level, is what truly pushes you forward in your creative journey.
I create paintings with the intention of inspiring others. My goal is to share my insights on various aspects of life through my work. I focus on life itself and my personal interpretation of it, because I believe life is a subject worth exploring—whether it’s addressing social issues, sharing knowledge, or simply appreciating the small moments. I aim to create art that serves as a rhetorical question, prompting people to reflect
and come to their own conclusions.
My inspiration comes from life itself. Every little detail can spark a story, and every story carries a message worth sharing. What motivates me to make art is the desire to create with purpose—to craft something that feels meaningful, that I consider thoughtfully executed, and where I know I’ve invested the right amount of effort. I want to do work that serves myself and what my mind and heart believes in, as I have already spent the prior years serving others.,

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

One of the things that I think non-creative would not yet to understand about creative field is that working in creative fields is fundamentally about communication. It’s more than just painting, writing down thoughts, or assembling random pieces that “look nice.” Our primary goal is to communicate— to guide the audience toward understanding our true intentions without confusion. In many ways, it’s a form of problem-solving. It’s not just about putting paint on a canvas, but about finding different solutions to a broader challenge, like expressing yourself through art or revealing your ideas in a way that entertains while still leaving some mystery. This approach applies across all creative fields: the aim is always to convey our intentions successfully. Art is a language, a tool for expressing thoughts and values to others. It allows us to deliver ideas without explanation, to evoke feelings with just the artwork itself. Art can serve many purposes, but what matters most is aligning those purposes with your original intention.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

It’s not so much an unknown resource to me, but rather one that’s often overlooked—anything outside of your phone screen. In today’s age, everything is incredibly accessible thanks to modern technology. Every artist, every painting, and every art element can be found on social media with just a few taps. Yet, this abundance has led to an oversaturation of resources, and our minds can only process so much. The resource I regret not seeking out more is anything outside of my device—whether it’s books from the library, visits to galleries, or simply observing the trees in a park. These experiences don’t always need to directly contribute to your work; sometimes, they serve as a source of inspiration for a creative mind.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tranghoangart.com
• Instagram: eunoiaworkroom