Won Kang is an urban sketch artist. His prints are now on our e-store, with proceeds helping to support our newsroom.<\/p>\n
Urban sketch artist Won Kang is fascinated with the temporary nature of things.<\/p>\n
\u201cA building disintegrates way faster when no one\u2019s in there,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s sort of a life force that sustains it. I find that very interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n
That quality of impermanence is what drove Kang to first start a sketch blog, documenting various buildings and facades around Vancouver.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to start a sketch blog of some sort because I was looking at these neon signs in the downtown Eastside on Hastings, and in my own way, I wanted to preserve it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
His colourful illustrations include Ted Harris Paints & Wallpaper sign, the Bowmac sign<\/a>, the 2400 Motel<\/a>, Nick\u2019s Spaghetti House<\/a> and even the iconic \u201cHobbit House\u201d<\/a> from King Edward Avenue.<\/p>\n A passion to record character buildings<\/p>\n Kang first started drawing a sketch a day, a practice that he enjoyed, but at a pace that he wouldn\u2019t be able to maintain forever.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve always had a passion to record those character buildings,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n After retiring from a career in architecture, Kang started to wonder if he could turn his sketching into something more than a personal blog.<\/p>\n Following\u00a0success sharing his images on social media, he began to reach out to stores to stock them.<\/p>\n First was Kinder Books in New West. Then others followed, like Artrageous on Commercial Drive and Kimprints in Gastown.<\/p>\n