For artist Andy Anh Ha, the lotus flower symbolizes how he relates to his life.
"To me, the lotus flower represents purity amidst adverse surroundings," he said. "A lotus flower blooms in muddy swamps but it still retains its beauty, and that's how I relate that to my life."
Ha is the son of immigrants who escaped Vietnam in 1980 and came to America
"We lived in government housing," Ha said. "My mom started working as a maid. My dad worked in a dry-cleaning business."
In 1986, his mother opened a seamstress shop and she continues running it with his father today.
"They are doing great," he said. "They own real estate, and they have accomplished the American dream," he said.
The lotus flower represents how beauty survives adversity, he said, and through his art, he pays tribute to his parents' success.
"My art is a great way to how my parents have evolved into such successful people," he said.
The Burbank painter has a series of contemporary paintings based on the flower and will show the work during the Downtown Burbank Fine Arts Festival on Nov. 11 and 12 along San Fernando Boulevard, from Magnolia Boulevard to Olive Avenue.
This will be Ha's first time in the Burbank show, said Ronda Mills, president of West Coast Artists, which produces the show.
"Andy's work is beautiful and his technique is different," she said. "His work is really bright and vibrant. He's only done one other show with me before and that was in Long Beach. His work was really well accepted with the community and he made a lot of sales."
There are so many artists participating in this twice-a-year event, organizers have extended the exhibit space an additional block from Orange Grove Avenue to Olive Avenue, said Gail Stewart, manager of the Downtown Burbank Partnership.
"We are just really looking forward to a bigger and better Fine Arts Festival and it's going a street further so we're excited about that," she said. "We hope everybody can come out and enjoy the Fine Arts Festival in Downtown Burbank and have a good time and maybe buy some holiday gifts early."
This is the sixth festival since it began in 2004, said Robin Faulk, marketing manager for the Downtown Burbank Partnership.
"In 2004, we had 50 artists we started off with, and every show has seen an increase in artists' attendance because the artists are selling their work and the word is spreading to other artists that this is an important market for them to attend," Faulk said.
There are 100 artists expected to participate in this show, he said.
Faulk credits the success of the arts festival to Burbank shoppers.
"They are very interested in art and buying art, so it's a very good market for the artists, that's why it's growing in Burbank, because the artists have spread the word to other artists that they have sold well here," he said.
More demonstrations are planned, Faulk said.
