Phong loves to paint landscapes, animals, and nature (things that strike him as fun or beautiful). As a child, he was an avid drawer and then began painting as an adult after being inspired by a Japanese dragon mural that he saw in a magazine. Over time, his painting feel by the wayside due to the busyness of work and life, and after his stroke in 2012 he felt he would not be able to ever again paint. Phong’s therapists at Rancho encouraged him to return to the things he loved to do prior to his stroke, and through the help of his wife, he joined Rancho’s visual arts program* and began painting again. He grew up in a generation and social construct where art was not anything that was encouraged or appreciated. It took a lot of internal reprogramming for Phong to fully appreciate the value and importance of creating art.
*The year-round adult and pediatric patient art program is fully funded through the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation.
