The LGBTQ+ Business Spotlight is a collaboration between Pride Vancouver and Daily Hive. Together, we’re turning the spotlight onto local businesses, organizations, and individuals who are supporting the Pride community.
This multidisciplinary artist-educator is creating unique homemade art for the communities that they belong to.
Pree Rehal is the artist and owner behind the interdisciplinary art practice known as Sticky Mangos online. They also co-founded the Non-Binary Colour Collective, when they were the pandemic as a time to develop their work and pass time.
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“I’m a queer, disabled, trans, people of colour artist who is passionate about food, and food justice — I also make stickers, zines and prints about those things,” said Rehal in an interview with the Daily Hive.
They also are a child of immigrant settlers from Punjab but are based in Tkaronto/Toronto.
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Rehal offers cool art ranging from pints, stickers, zines, embroideries, cards, and more for sale on their website.
What makes their work unique is that they centre their own experiences and identity in their art.
Also, “there’s not a lot of brown, trans, disabled owned businesses out there,” said Rehal.
You can find cool queer affirmation stickers with slogans like “you are loved,” and “be kind to your mind.”
They also design berry-life cycle prints, which include 4×6 prints of their original watercolour paintings of different types of berries. You can buy them in sets of three.
Another popular item is the limited edition wooden embroidery hoops with hand-embroidered fruits in the centre. Each one is hanging from gold thread, and comes packed in a gold sachet.
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Rehal was inspired to start this small business online to help create meaningful art that tells one’s stories and experiences.
“[I wanted] to create the kinds of things I would want to buy, and to share stories I want to tell,” they said.
In fact, the name, “Sticky Mangos, [was] inspired by the best fruit and flavour of all things of all time.”
To all fellow entrepreneurs wanting to help their communities through art, Rehal said you should “go for it, do the thing” that you want to do.
They said their goal was to share the joy and create a sense of belonging through art.
Although they weren’t able to have fairs or meet people in person because of COVID-19, they said that the community online has been extremely supportive regardless.
“People should believe in my business because it makes people feel seen,” they said.
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In addition to selling artwork, Rehal uses Instagram and their website as a platform to educate many on different areas.
“I work from a disability justice, trauma-informed, anti-racist, anti-oppressive framework that is survivor-focused,” they said on their website.
They hold workshops and seminars on topics such as 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, equity and diversity, consent culture, trans health care, community arts, and more.
They are also available for individual opportunities, ongoing projects and collaboration surrounding these topics.
Pride Month, and Pride in general, is important to them and their small business.
” Pride means remembering where we come from, and the Black trans sex workers who made this possible,” they said.
Be sure to stay updated on their socials and website for more great designs and informative workshops.
Also, be sure to check out the highly anticipated 2021 VanPrideFest unveiled by the Vancouver Pride Society. The festivities are taking place from now til August 3, the celebration itself will include over 60 events, including in-person and virtual experiences. Tickets are on sale so make sure to grab yours here.
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