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| Erika Varga, sitting amidst her wooden heads (Photo: Catherine Brunelle) |
by Catherine Brunelle
Erika Varga refuses to call herself an artist. Instead, over the years she has quietly composed folk-art in her Vanier apartment, remaining virtually unknown for her skills. For Erika, being an artist isn’t a question of talent, but rather a question of finding courage because, as many of us know, it can be daunting to say aloud: I am good at this. And yet, that’s exactly what Erika did during Vanier’s first Festival of Nations this past August 24th, following a call for artists that was sent into our local community. After a lifetime of not boasting, she decided to do something for herself and took her artwork public.
And what was her artwork to share with the world?
Giant wooden faces that you can hang your coat on.
!!
No, I’m not joking – and yes, they were awesome. Erika’s stall was entirely unexpected, filled with large wooded cuttings of the Queen of England, Sitting Bull, Audrey Hepburn, Geronimo, Gordon Ramsey, and Archie and Edith Bunker. (All with coat hanging hooks attached.)
And so, startled by something so unique, I was compelled to get Erika’s story. (Poor her, I basically assaulted Erika with questions. If she hadn’t had to guard the stall, I think she would have run away!)
Erika’s mother was a freedom fighter in Hungary back in 1956. After the communists put an end to the revolution, she immigrated to Canada and settled in Ottawa, were Erika then grew up. As a girl, Erika can remember being quite poor and getting picked on, having to fight off the bullies. However, she also remembers the pleasure of her art classes. For Erika, there was always a sense of joy and comfort in creating with her hands. Yet amazingly while in high school, Erika was told by a teacher that while she may have had a talent, she would never be an artist. That is why, even today, Erika refuses to go near the title. Instead, she is a self-described “creative person.”
So how does this lead up to her first-ever artistic debut at the Vanier Festival of Nations?
Erika shared with me two sources that inspired her artwork for the festival. First, there was her love of faces, and her tendency to find the beauty with every individual.
“I like faces. I like looking at people. I find every face has something really beautiful or not so beautiful – but there’s always something about faces.”
And then there was the loneliness. Growing up, Erika was a shy woman, and then with the loss of her mother and sister, a deep loneliness developed that lasted for many years. Now, having come out of that depression, she can relate to how others might feel when returning to an empty apartment. “It’s the loneliness. That’s part of why I created these . . . I just thought, wouldn’t it be nice to come home and get into your hall and see your favourite face smiling? It’s a nice way to come home.”
Working toward a showcase like the Festival of Nations has been a very new experience for Erika. “I was nervous, because I don’t take myself that seriously.”
But when she reached her goal of carving, painting and completing these characters/coat-hangers, Erika was “giggling like a little school girl. I just felt proud and happy. I was laughing, like, ‘oh my God, I’m here! I can’t believe I did this. I actually did something! I finished it!”
Now that Erika has had a taste of success with the Vanier festival, she’s hoping to continue showcasing her art within the community and selling to (or being commissioned to paint/create for) anyone interested.
Her aspirations? To keep using wood as her medium along with her Rockwell blade saw, and perhaps to buy more tools to incorporate carving elements. Also, she has hopes of raising money with her art for the Ottawa Humane Society, and one day travelling back to Hungary to visit family and spread her mother’s ashes.
There’s a whole lot of heart within Erika Varga, and the care behind her work embodies that consideration for others. If you would like to get in touch with her about buying one of the heads or commissioning a portrait (she also paints furniture and does excellent sketches), you can reach Erika, our local ‘creative person’ by phone at 613-321-6363.
To me, Erika’s story is inspiring. She was able to overcome her inhibitions and show her talent publically. The results are fantastic, and I’d like to acknowledge her for mustering all that courage a person needs in saying to the world: I am good at this.
Congratulations, Erika. It was a pleasure to meet with you and learn about your art.