Each month, Caribbean Queen at the Palm Beach Plaza Mall honors one local female artist who lives and creates here. The Caribbean Queen program was launched when the store opened in late 2011, and has been running successfully ever since.
For the month of November 2016, local artist Erika Moran is the boutique’s celebrated Caribbean Queen, showcasing her charming acrylic paintings.
Originally from Barranquilla, Colombia, Erika has been living in Aruba for the past seven years. Having been raised in a renowned artistic Colombian family, Erika is very proud of her rich heritage. She has been painting since childhood, and she loves it.
It was only natural, she explains, that she would study plastic art in Bogota, and when she moved to the island, she became further inspired by Aruba’s history and culture, and incorporated what she uncovered here in her artwork.
As a painter, Erika usually expresses herself on canvas, using acrylic paint. She also embellishes fedoras and sunhats with beautiful acrylic designs, capturing Aruba’s pristine beaches and the ocean’s contrasting colors. She also mixes in local icons and symbols such as Aruba’s national tree, the Alto Vista Chapel, the historic California Lighthouse, and cunucu landscapes.
Her art doesn’t only capture the island’s beauty and history; it also pays tribute to great experiences, memories, and stories enjoyed by visitors in our landscapes.
Caribbean Queen earmarks a percentage of all sales for its Tikkun Olam (Repair of the World) program. The collected funds are given annually to local not-for-profit organizations in an ongoing effort to serve the community. All the foundations served with donations from Caribbean Queen are dedicated to the promotion of art and artisan education on the island.
Enjoy paintings by Erika Moran throughout the month of November at the Palm Beach Plaza Mall.
