Erika Grande
Emily Grotta
The PebbleCreek Art Club is pleased to name Erika Grande the “Most Improved Artist” for the Month for November 2023.
Erika was born in Montreal and grew up in suburban New Jersey. She was drawn to medical science and earned her undergraduate degree at McGill University. After working in Manhattan for five years, she earned her master’s in civil/construction engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology. She worked for several firms, including one of the largest construction management firms in the country for more than 21 years.
Erika visited Arizona multiple times when her husband Joe was here on business and found the lifestyle, people, and weather inviting. In 2002, when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the treatments gave Erika time to research Arizona communities and gain a new perspective on life. In 2006 they decided to leave the cold weather behind, moved to PebbleCreek, and Erika transferred to the Phoenix office of her firm. In visits to China for her work, she began to see art and color in a whole new way. It opened the potential for new ideas, and one was to create silk scarves with scriptures on them—all she needed was art!
Working full time while living in PebbleCreek, she didn’t have the opportunity to really enjoy PebbleCreek’s amenities. Once she retired, her interest in creating art for scarves prompted her to join the art and photography clubs.
The transfer from engineering’s “left brain” way of thinking to art was somewhat of a challenge, but her background helped her define her style. After sampling several mediums, she found she preferred acrylics and pastels. Using a brush was difficult because she felt the need to paint “inside the lines”—until she tried the palette knife, allowing her more freedom and the ability to generate the texture she loves. She learned to see how an object is built up in multiple layers, colors and shadows that produce depth, contrast, and texture.
Erika, inspired by all of God’s creation, leans toward creating landscapes, oceans, trees, and paths. When she is not creating, Erika enjoys bible study, spending time with her husband of 22 years, growing herbs, tasting wine, working out, traveling, and good chocolate.
A vice president of the art club, Erika is responsible for posting art classes, monitoring enrollment and answering members’ questions about instructors and supplies. She has great respect for the people and talent here in PebbleCreek as well as how open and willing they are to share their knowledge, help, and teach others.
Growing constantly and learning from peers, Erika’s artwork has improved by leaps and bounds over the past year.
Erika’s scarves can be viewed online at www.scripturesinsilk.com. Samples of her work will be on display during the month of November in both clubhouses and at the Creative Arts Center.