Tanzina is a dynamic and passionate Bangladeshi-Canadian visual artist, recognized for her vibrant and expressive artworks. With a background in architecture and extensive experience in corporate management roles, she brings a unique perspective to her artistic endeavors. Tanzina is the co-founder of Artusiasm, an innovative art gallery and curatorial business that provides an inclusive platform for artists.
Driven by a transformative personal journey, Tanzina shifted her priorities in life after undergoing intensive grief therapy in 2019. She decided to leave the corporate world and dedicate her time to volunteering, art creation, and practicing wellness programs. As a certified Reiki Master and palliative and bereavement support volunteer, she utilizes creative and holistic approaches to support others in their healing processes. Tanzina completed a certificate course on Healing with the Arts through the University of Florida, further enhancing her ability to facilitate healing through art.
Tanzina not only creates captivating artworks but also shares her knowledge and passion through teaching. She offers drawing and painting lessons and conducts innovative workshops, such as meditative art, pet portraits, and expressive self-portraits. Tanzina also offers 1:1 and group healing workshops to help individuals that are dealing with stress, anxiety, grief and loss. Since 2020 she has been conducting virtual art classes and workshops, making her expertise accessible to a broader audience.
Although primarily self-taught, Tanzina has expanded her artistic skills through professional courses and lessons in oil painting, acrylics, abstract expressionism, and design theories both in Bangladesh and Canada. Her diverse portfolio showcases a range of styles, from realism to abstraction, with a particular focus on expressionist portraits and figures characterized by vivid colours and bold strokes. Tanzina’s artworks have found homes in private collections across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Colourful ethnic cultures and traditions serve as a constant source of inspiration for Tanzina. She is particularly drawn to forms that exhibit powerful simplicity and embrace an abstract style. Art has always been Tanzina’s refuge from the demands of a fast-paced life, and she channels this passion into her creations.
Tanzina strongly believes in the transformative power of art for mental health and overall well-being. Her art and holistic approach aim to bring positivity and healing to individuals’ lives, making a lasting impact through creativity and self-expression.
Christi Anne Abraham is a self-taught Caribbean Canadian artist who uses acrylic, watercolour, and multi-media to create illustrations and fine art inspired by nature. She is a muralist for Mississauga Arts Council, a children’s book illustrator, art instructor, and a member of SONSI. Growing up near a rain-forest, and helping her father show tourists the coral reefs of Trinidad and Tobago, she quickly became obsessed with all the fishes, birds, and beetles in her backyard. Christi’s passion for nature has led her to explore the beauty of our planet through an artistic lense, and she hopes her paintings can inspire others to take action to protect and preserve nature for future generations.
Nazrin is an illustrator and a designer experienced in creating logos, album covers, as well as marketing animations and infographics for companies like Stratford Festival, Sheridan College and Toronto Cat Rescue.
She acquired her Honours Bachelor of Illustration degree from Sheridan, where she also completed her internship with the college’s film department. Her personal work is heavily inspired by great stories of adventure and classic fairy tales, as well as the great artistic mentors that motivated her throughout her journey.
Bhavna Bhatnagar was born in New Delhi, India. After arriving to Canada in 1989 she volunteered at Ontario’s London Art Gallery and was a part of their corporate department. Taking classes in French paper tole art at Fanshawe college, she then mastered and taught art at a community centre in London, Ontario. Bhavna also built her teaching experience by leading part time French paper tole adult classes at the local community centre. After moving to Toronto in 1994 Bhavna attended George Brown College where she graduated with a professional diploma in ceramics. Her ceramic work was shown on City TV in 1997 during her second year at George Brown. In addition to her artistic endeavours, her passion of event planning led her to co-chairing the Trillium Diwali Gala in 2005and 2008, allowing her artistic experience to create a more aesthetically pleasing event. Additionally, Bhavna was actively involved in both the Lion’s Club and Rainbow Galas.
Her passion in the arts and event planning inspired her to open a family entertainment centre in 2006. By organizing clay workshops/parties Bhavna provided opportunities to both adults and children to pursue their own interests in art. In addition, she coordinated corporate events at her centre for large companies such as WestJet, Home Depot, and multiple others.
Despite her numerous successes, in 2012, Bhavna sold her company in order to continue her passion by joining the Mississauga Potter’s Guild. She took a position on the board of directors at the Guild, serving as an exhibition coordinator. One notable activity she organized was the 2016 Biennial Exhibition at the Living Arts Centre. Through the Mississauga Arts Council she has administered clay workshops for children. She also separately organized clay workshops for Montessori’s and temples.
Bhavna has been participating in several juried shows and exhibitions, winning multiple awards in Art category. Her work was selected at the Art gallery of Mississauga for their border crossing project. In 2020-2021 Presently she has her own studio and also giving workshops at VAM , AGM and other organizations. She has been on the public board advisory at AGM. Hence, Bhavna looks forward to maintaining her involvement in the community to promote the medium of ceramics and her style of work internationally.
Tritan is an accomplished artist with expertise with oil on canvas, watercolor, pencil and charcoal drawings, and life drawings.
He was a London, England based artist for over 18 years and received his Masters of Fine Art from Byam Shaw School of Art, London England. I have been living and working as an artist in Oakville and Toronto, Ontario since 2011. You can see his most recent work on
Jasmine Canaviri is an interdisciplinary artist from Brampton, Ontario. Her practice engages with the love and labour that goes into ceramics, textiles, and the handmade as a way of self-healing. She’s inspired by those around her, both objects and people, alongside her lived experience. Canaviri’s current focus is on colour and tactility (the ability to touch; to hold) to contrast her research-driven practice. During her MFA, her focus was on her own trauma, identity, and fragmented memories. After learning and creating a thesis centered around this, Canaviri found that by playing with colour and creating works meant to be touched, the heaviness of her subjectivity felt lighter. Now, with a focus on vibrancy and a renewed interest in all things art, Canaviri creates works to heal and to be in the present – as opposed to focusing on the past. Canaviri completed her Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts at York University in 2022. While there, she was a recipient of a Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC-M). As of 2023, she is Resident Artist at the Living Arts Centre for the City of Mississauga.
Alethia is an artist, art instructor and art facilitator. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts Visual Arts from York University and is currently completing her thesis for her post-graduate diploma in Art Therapy from The Toronto Art Therapy Institute. Alethia is interested in the creative process as a means for healing and self-care and views the artistic process as a supportive outlet for mental health and well-being.
Alethia has experience connecting with several communities through the arts as an art instructor and art therapy student. She deeply values the unique and enriching experiences of creating connections within communities through the artistic process.
My art practice focuses mainly on paper floral sculptures and photography. I began my art journey by commission work and then quickly began teaching as well. I have taught workshops at the Aurora Cultural Centre since 2017 (their Spring/Fall programs) and at The Paper Place on Queen Street West since 2016. I have also taught classes at multi-day conferences in Miami, Seattle, and a 2-day Paper Flower Intensive Workshop in Toronto. I offer online pre-recorded courses and live Zoom workshops through my educational website, Crafted to Bloom, and through my podcast community, Paper Talk Podcast. I am the author of Paper Flower Art: Create Beautifully Realistic Floral Arrangements (the paperback is called Paper Flower Art) published in 2019 by GMC Publications.
I also sell my work on my art website: www.jessiechui.com. I only recently started to shift my focus to exhibition/gallery work so I don’t have a CV on my website yet, although I am working on it! I have exhibited my floral sculptures at a group exhibition in Toronto in 2019 and won a juried prize (2nd), and I collaborated on a piece with an artist that is now in the permanent collection at the Cincinnati Art Museum. One of my still art photographs is exhibiting at the Why We Create show at the VAM.
Scott Cooper graduated from the Communication and Design department of Ontario College of Art (now OCAD University) in 1978. He spent many years as a studio artist producing illustrations, cartoons, comic books, character design for animation and graphic design and illustration for advertising and CDs. He went the route of a freelancer in the early 90s.
Scott began teaching in the early 2000s, offering courses in cartooning, fundamental drawing, and painting to adults and children at the Mississauga Valley School of Art, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Barry Coombs Studio. Currently he teaches adults and teens at Visual Arts Mississauga, takes painting commissions and continues with some freelance illustration and design.
Adam de Vries is a Canadian character designer known for his appealing posing ability. Born in Toronto and raised in Mississauga, he loved Looney Tunes cartoons and the Muppet show, Calvin and Hobbes comics, movies, and ice hockey, which led him to his logical career choice, drawing silly stuff for tv.
Adam graduated from Algonquin College’s Animation Program and went on to work for John K (Ren and Stimpy creator) as a character layout artist, and then later worked for multiple tv animation studios. He worked as an animation artist on Peep and the Big Wide World, then as animation director on Iggy Arbunkle where he used to hand draw a lot of the main poses to guide the artists like in ways Chuck Jones used to back in the day. Later on, he worked on shows such as Scaredy Squirrel and Sidekick, where he really pushed the animation posing. He then continued to excel in hand drawn posing as he moved onto such shows as Peabody and Sherman for Netflix, and then Tom and Jerry.
When he’s not drawing, he enjoys being outdoors, photography, and playing ice hockey. Adam and his wife and their two daughters live in Mississauga where they have fun drawing together and having ice cream.
Cristina Delago was born in Italy, where her artistic spirit was nurtured. She moved to Toronto and attended the Ontario College of Art and Design. Cristina graduated with honours from the Design Department and shortly after graduation she participated to numerous art shows. At the same time she started her own business creating handcrafted tiles, architectural elements and mosaics. On these projects, she works with some of Toronto’s most recognized interior designers and architects. Cristina’s passion for teaching and community art work brought her to lead many mosaic mural workshops and mentoring upcoming artists. Some of her latest mosaic installation and most prestigious works are “Almonds and Wine” Bathurst and Lawrence of which she was awarded through an artist call, and lead artist for some of the following murals: Coxwell Subway Station, Jack Layton Ferry Docks, Cedar Ridge Community Center to name just a few. She also served on board of Mural Routes and presently also is the lead artist for 2 large community mosaic murals for Toronto Pearson airport. Her work was published national and international and she received many awards and grants throughout her art career. Cristina is passionate about engaging communities and creating more beautiful and safe environments through her art.
Cathy Disbrow is a fibre artist who creates unique needle felted creations. She sculpts and paints her art by connecting wool fibers: whether it’s stabbing wool with a felting needle OR using hot water and agitation. She’s been an artist her entire life working in craft, digital art, and hand drawn illustrations. She loves working with wool because it’s organic, making each creation unique.
Cathy started needle felting back in 2014 and been teaching felting classes and workshops since March 2017. She loves to talk about needle felting and all things felting. She’s energetic and passionate about what she does. She enjoys spreading the love of needle felting through workshops and do-it-yourself craft kits.
Fausta is a visual artist and professor of photography in the Art and Art History Program at University of Toronto Mississauga and Sheridan College. She received her BA from the University of Toronto and her MFA from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Fausta has shown her work both nationally and internationally and has received grants from The Canada Council of the Arts and Ontario Arts Council; and in 2018 Fausta was a finalist for the K.M. Hunter Award. In 2020, she received a grant from the Canada Arts Council to create a series of digital originals for online sharing in response to the pandemic. She has been acknowledged for her work by the Globe and Mail, Carousel Magazine, Now Magazine, Eyes In, and Flavorwire Magazine. Her photographs are in the collections at McMaster Museum of Art, Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives, Art Gallery of Mississauga and Shelter Hotel in LA, California. Her work is part of a project and publication with the John Hopkins University of Medicine (Baltimore), and MAPS – a project co-organized by the McMaster Museum and the School of Nursing that teaches medical students visual literacy.
Nancy Falconi is a photography based artist. She combines her photographic images with fine art painting mediums to create mixed media paintings.
She completed a photographic certificate at Humber College, studied fine art mediums at The Toronto School of Art, Haliburton School of Art, Centre for Photography at Woodstock and R&F handmade paint.
Her courses are a result of her experimentation with the combination of photographic images with fine art mediums and techniques. Her courses feature acrylic mediums combined with graphite, charcoal, pastel, watercolour, oil and encaustic mediums.
Discover new and exciting ways to use your photographs as the foundation for artistic growth and experimentation with new mediums.
Carla Gonzalez was born in Caracas -Venezuela but left her native land at the early age of 3 to travel the world with he parents, this gave her an opportunity to explore and learn a lot about cultures and colours which will come into play when she started picking up drawing and painting at an early age, her first drawing class took place in Hong Kong, Design & Caribbean history in Trinidad and Tobago, back to Caracas for Art Fundamentals and finally she earned her Fine Arts Diploma from Toronto School of Arts in 1997, in the following years she worked as a Graphic Designer in Colour Vision Inc. and after she went on to one of her favourite journeys teaching art to kids and adults alike. Her favourite subjects for art are women & mother nature, her mediums go from pencil crayon, ink, acrylics & oils. She believes life is a collective journey and is her intention to make it a colourful one for her and those who she is blessed to share it with.
Katya (Kat) Honey is an artist, art instructor and recovering graphic designer. An award-winning graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design, her practice includes collage, signage and painting. Often bold (but sometimes subtle), Kat’s work is informed by her design sensitivity and training, her love of contrasts, and her penchant for text, wit and wordplay. Recent exhibitions include: In Situ Multi Arts Festival, Mississauga, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Otto Art, Red Head Gallery, Gladstone House’s Come Up to My Room and The Artist Project 2023. In 2021, Kat designed a permanent neon installation (fabricated by FUSE Neon) for Gladstone House, which was also featured on a limited-edition beer can by Henderson Brewing and a Gladstone tote bag. In 2022, Kat designed and illustrated (with collage), Bright Fish, a collection of poetry by the late Lavell Ferris Baldock, published by Barlow Books. In 2023, Kat put out the first book of her work on Collage & Decollage. As an instructor, Kat teaches artist-to-artist: inspiration, challenge, structure, support, artistic freedom, lively discussion — and laughter. Since the onset of the pandemic, Kat has discovered a love for teaching online courses. In addition to Visual Arts Mississauga, Kat teaches online and in-person through several other channels — as well as leading workshops, giving lectures and jurying exhibitions throughout Southern Ontario. Along with her wife, Kim-Lee Kho, Kat hosts the popular free Virtual Collage Jam on YouTube – featured in Cherie Rahkola’s article in Kolaj Magazine issue #34.
Alexandra Iorgu is an Etobicoke land-based artist who received a rigorous art education in Romania as well as art and education degrees from OCAD U and York U. In her current art practice, she is developing Living Sculptures, a series of site-specific ephemeral sculptures using natural materials and clay. Exhibiting themes of transformation and endurance, the sculptures will deconstruct, eventually disappearing. Her belief in the power of making and creating is often executed in the context of community. Alexandra involves participants in slow artmaking experiences, inspiring them to form connections with the land where they live, before they are invited to explore materials and co-create. She strives to connect communities to nature through art.
Kaitlin received her B.A. in Visual Arts from The University of Western Ontario as well as her art teaching degree from The University of Wollongong in Australia. In addition to teaching art classes with Visual Arts Mississauga, she works as an artist, painting floral inspired artwork with acrylics on canvas.
Deepa Krishnan is a self-taught artist based in Mississauga. She specializes in the art of Paper Quilling which involves manipulating narrow strips of paper to create exquisite designs. She discovered this art form when she was looking for a creative outlet from her engineering job. She was amazed by the possibilities and beauty of paper quilling, that she decided to pursue it as a full-time career. Since then, she has been passionately mastering this technique and has created many artworks drawing inspiration from nature, music and travel. She cuts the paper strips in different widths to add depth and dimension to her creations. She loves to play with the colours and experiment with the quilling techniques to create her own distinctive style. Deepa believes that anyone can learn this art form, regardless of their age or skill level and she hosts many workshops to spread the joy of quilling. She enjoys seeing her students discover their own creativity and style in paper quilling.
Aniça is an artist and educator with a passion for sculpting, painting, and printmaking. She is a graduate from the University of Toronto and Sheridan College with an HBA in Art and Art History as well as a certificate in Curatorial Studies. Aniça’s work often deals with topics of identity and self perception. Through curiosity and experimentation, Aniça challenges traditional ways of art exhibition and likes playing with whatever materials she can get her hands on.
Connie is a classically trained artist who was born and raised in South Korea. During her study of fine arts in the diploma program of Visual and Creative Arts at Sheridan College, she experienced using different mediums to create representational art. Aside from being a studio artist, she also has a great passion for teaching and guiding students. Through the lessons carefully designed for her students, she always makes sure her students get artistic knowledge and stimulation, and acquire the right skills to become competent future artists.
Artist and conservationist Alan Li uses pencil, ink and paint to document the wonders of the natural world. Alan’s mission is to build connections to nature through arts-based education. Since 2015, he has been partnering with non-profit environmental organizations to lead nature focused art programs and workshops
Mary Ma is a multidisciplinary visual artist and educator based in the GTA. She has trained extensively in drawing and painting at the Academy of Realist Art, and holds a BFA from OCAD University in Sculpture and Installation. She teaches classes and workshops for children, teens, and adults, and is passionate about sharing her knowledge to support arts education in her community.
Mary own artistic practice spans a variety of media, with a particular interest in drawing/painting, video projection, large scale installations, and public art projects based on themes inspired by nature. She has exhibited variously in Canada and the United States, including exhibitions for the Mississauga Art Gallery, CAFKA Biennial, Nuit Blanche Toronto, Art Mur Gallery, and No Foundation Gallery, among others.
Minoya insists that she has the best job in the world – using art education to peek into children’s imaginations where societal constraints and the laws of physics don’t exist. She finds herself inspired by growing brains and plans to become an Ontario Certified Teacher. She currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and psychology from McMaster University. Some of her favourite things include colours, the human brain, and nature. She hopes to build her own treehouse one day – complete with a greenhouse and art studio. If she isn’t sketching somewhere along the Credit River, you can find Minoya at the bouldering gym, trying to forget her fear of heights.
I have a passion for art and have been teaching art from a tender age with my mother in her art school after graduating with fine art. I started teaching different art mediums in Interior Design & Fashion Design schools then teaching in a University in Architecture and Fine Arts departments. Recently in 2023 I got selected for 3 group exhibitions and a mural commission work from Mississauga Arts Council to paint Bell Box.
I participated in Art in the Park Oakville on 1 August 2022. My first exhibition was in the year 1999 and In 2022, my Solo exhibition for April 2022 was at Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga. I participated in a group show by “Arts On Credit ” at Waterside Inn in Mississauga and two of my paintings got selected for a group show at Visual Arts Gallery at Riverwood and at OCAD University. Two of my works got selected for the Arts Etobicoke exhibition “Roots” which will be going on from March 28th till 2nd May 2023.
My favourite medium has been “Soft Pastels” and I have been doing commission work for an office and online workshops with youth and seniors. For the last two years did one on one workshops with adults with special needs & had an exhibition of their artwork at Bradley museum in Mississauga.
Judy Mayer-Grieve is an honours graduate of OCAD University, Toronto ON. Majoring in Communication and Design and a graduate from The Art Centre, Toronto, ON. She brings with her 20+ years of experience as a Visual Artist in Advertising as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator for National and International Clients plus 15+ years as an art instructor.
Her source and inspiration is focused on learning more about neuroscience research and how this connects with creating expression. This research continues to grow and generate new ideas in visual art that has no limitations. It feels fresh, exciting, uninhibited, challenging and connects with all living things.
Through her art, she invites students and viewers to embark on a journey of creative expression through introspection, rediscovery, and a renewed appreciation for the intricate wonder that exists within and around us. At times her representational artwork such as figurative, portrait and landscape paintings cross over into abstraction and vice versa.
There is still much to learn and she is a student and teacher at the same time. Her focus in teaching is about the creative balance between life experiences, nature and humanity. This motives her to continue to work as a visual artist and teacher on a variety of subjects in natural media and digital media.
Sima Naseem is a Pakistani-Canadian mixed media artist who works with multiple mediums with a focus on animation, illustration and public art. She enjoys telling stories of exploration, discovery, and personal family life. She enjoys using bright colours and playful designs that have a positive impact on her community through inclusivity, diversity and inspirational imagery. Sima is always looking for new and creative ways to share her cultural and personal experiences through art.
Sierra Peca is a second-generation Maltese/Italian Canadian painter and writer with a passion for art history. She holds a BA from the University of Toronto with a double major in Art & Art History (joint with Sheridan College) and Professional Writing & Communication. She is trained in painting, drawing, and photography, and combines these media in the production of her paintings. She has worked as a painting assistant for Tony Scherman and an assistant for the Painting 1 class at Sheridan College. She is also the recipient of the Excellence in Painting 3 Award from the University of Toronto and the Dr. Annie Smith Travel Scholarship from Sheridan College. Her work has been exhibited at the Women’s Art Association of Canada, the Blackwood Gallery, and Visual Arts Mississauga. She has a passion for storytelling and hopes that her paintings offer small glimpses into individual stories that relate across borders. Her first book titled Mizia follows the life of 17th century artist Artemisia Gentileschi and combines her passion for art and literature.
Born in Bogota,Colombia,Gustavo is a self-taught artist specializing in portrait drawing in pastel,pencil and colored pencil.In elementary school he would help classmates with their art projects and in high school he would be selected by teachers to work in art project for the entire school,during these years,Gustavo enhanced his skills by enrolling at the school of art.During his working years,Gustavo made a living by working in art,graphics and art commissions In 1991,Gustavo and his family moved to Canada,here he continued working with his arts as well as in a factory until retirement.
Since retiring,Gustavo has worked as an art teacher in mani locations in the GTA such as the City of Mississauga,Dufferin peel and Visual Arts Mississauga,to name a few. Gustavo Currently teaches at the Mississauga Valley Seniors club,Visual art Brampton,Visual arts Mississauga and several retirement facilities.
Gustavo is very grateful for the opportunities to be able to work with art which is his passion.
Matthew is a freelance illustrator with a great passion for narrative sequential storytelling which includes comic books and storyboarding as well as for painting lush landscapes.
He is in his final year studying the Bachelors of Illustration degree program at Sheridan College.
He loves to inspire and see what ideas his students can create in their work.
Tiina Salo-Devries is a Finnish artist and teacher living and working in Mississauga. She likes to work on her own art projects and teach students of all ages and levels. Her education credentials, BA and Specialization Studies in arts and crafts, are from Finland as well as her Vocational Teachers’ Training.
From 1988, Tiina has sustained an active record of exhibitions both locally and internationally such as Florence Biennale in Italy and solo exhibitions in Dubai, UAE. She has taken part in international art camps and symposiums in Europe. Her artworks have been integrated into public spaces such as city halls, banks, and collections. As a founder of an artist’s group Liite in Finland, she has made installations, exhibitions, and performances. Additionally meantime, Tiina has given many lectures and workshops in arts, crafts, and design.
After moving to Canada in 2016, Tiina has actively been exploring Canadian art and taking part in various exhibitions. From the 2019 exhibition “In the wild” at Beaux Arts Brampton, she received the First Place Award. In addition, in the 2022 Halton & Peel Juried Exhibition in Joshua Creek Arts Centre, she received a certificate of excellence for her painted textile collage.
Tiina´s inspiration and theme of work evolve around the study of natural elements, light and color, found objects, and human spirits. Tiina´s philosophy is inspired by the fact that art is an endless learning endeavor. Travelling and living in different countries has giving her a new perspective to her own background and culture. New cultural influences are filtered and accompanied with important themes from the past in her artworks. Her artworks have both symbolic and surrealistic elements. She does not give answers, she raises more questions, and she wants to lead the viewer onto the thinking journey. For the most of the time she paints with acrylics on canvas, paper, and textile collages.
Tiina is now an art instructor in Visual Arts Mississauga and a principal and teacher in the Toronto Finnish Language School.
Stephanie began her career as a fashion designer, studying in Europe. While designing in the Toronto fashion district, she also created fashion illustrations for catalogues, storyboards, and advertisements for Canadian Designers.
She eventually left the fashion industry to become a graduate of Communication and Design at OCAD in Toronto. Only then to enter the Liturgical world of Design, where she established Labyrinth Studios Inc., designing and manufacturing sanctuary décor for Churches across Canada and the US.
Stephanie is an established multi-Disciplinary visual artist with over 40 years of experience, in portrait and figurative painting.She is a member of the Portrait Society of Canada, Ontario Society of Artists, and the Society of Canadian Artists, and has over 25 years of experience teaching visual arts.
Her ability as a multi- disciplinary artist enables her to focus more on leading and fostering students, whether privately or as groups, towards imagination & self -expression in her workshops.
Stephanie has been with the VAMILY since 2008, teaching multiple disciplines from Drawing to Mixed Media to figurative painting.
Recently she is the recipient of the 2023 Marty Award, from the Mississauga Arts Council, for the category of Established Artist in Traditional form and her mentorship in the arts for Peel region.
Bonnie Steinberg is a practicing artist with a great passion for capturing colour and light through her transparent watercolour paintings. She teaches watercolour painting courses online and in-person workshops at Visual Arts Mississauga. Her focus is on teaching colour theory, its interpretation and design emphasizing architectural elements from urban and rural landscapes.
Bonnie is also a guest artist and teacher for many art groups in Canada, the United States and Europe. Before Covid-19 Bonnie taught a watercolour painting workshop in Halifax ,Nova Scotia. She has also taught in Newfoundland, in Italy, including Florence, Venice and Tuscany, and a weeklong watercolour workshop in Sedona, Arizona. She has also taught in Quebec City, and Victoria, British Columbia and also for Leading Edge workshops in Winnipeg Manitoba. For the summer of 2022, she taught in Prince Edward Island, in a week-long Watercolour workshop. For the summer of 2023, she will be returning to Newfoundland to teach a one week watercolour workshop. .
Bonnie Steinberg is a graduate of York University where she received her Honours (B.F.A) Bachelor of Fine Arts. Bonnie is also an elected member of the C.S.P.W.C.,(the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, the S.C.A.(the Society of Canadian Artists, the IWS, (the International Watercolour Society) and a platinum member of the Toronto Watercolor Society(T.W.S) where she has been juried into 50 plus art shows. She has also studied under Jack Reid, John Joy, Zalton Szabo, and Steven Quiller.
“My visions encompass my views of the world and will aim to give the viewer a glimpse into the world. If this relationship occurs, the painting has been successful.”
Yen Linh Thai is a multi-disciplinary artist, illustrator and muralist based in Mississauga.
Her work explores the whimsical and is largely inspired by stories and storytelling. She strives to make art that exists between 2 and 3 dimensions. In recent years, Linh has expanded her practice to public art projects, creating artworks inspired by the communities they live in.
Linh has created artwork for the Art Gallery of Burlington, Peel Children’s Aid Foundation, the Art Gallery of Ontario and BMO. Linh was awarded the MARTY (Mississauga Arts Award) in Emerging Visual Arts (2021) and graduated with a BScH in Animal Biology and Studio Art from the University of Guelph (2016).
Joanna Turlej graduated from OCAD University with honours degree and an Award of Excellence.
During the last 35 years working as a fine artist, she has explored different media. In 2014 she began working with paper collage on canvas for which she received numerous awards.
In 2015, Joanna participated in the Art Monaco exhibition. In 2015-2017, she participated in The Artist Project, Toronto. In 2017 she participated in UNESCO sponsored international exhibition in Italy “Human Rights? #H2O”. In 2023, she exhibited in CFS Members’ exhibition at NPCC and received first place award. Most recently her work was juried into Impact 2023 exhibition at NPCC.
Joanna exhibits 3-5 times a year in juried exhibitions in Canada and internationally. She is an elected, life member and current president of Colour and Form Society.
Joanna teaches at VAM and has taught a Paper Collage course at the Fleming Collage in Haliburton (Summer 2022)
Born in 1997, Theo Vandergraaf is a self taught artist practicing and teaching in Calgary and Toronto.
Falling in love with stories at a young age, he pursued his passion by studying theatre and direction at Sheridan College. During the program he started exploring and pushing the boundaries of his artistry – bridging disciplines of storytelling from the theatre to the canvas.
Working primarily in oil and graphite, his work has been described as “dramatic and story-driven.” His narrative and spiritual style has captured widespread attention, and his work now hangs in private collections across North America.
On stage, film, paper, or canvas, Theo creates in an attempt to awaken possibility within people. In the midst of all the noise, division, and conflict in our world, art invites us into a state of wonder; where we can slow down and discover beauty in places we might overlook.
His work aims to inspire and challenge viewers to contend rather than consume, and ultimately invite audiences into their own story.
Amrita Virdi, an artist and educator, holds degrees in Art and Art History from the University of Toronto and Sheridan College. With a strong foundation in both artistic theory and practice, she imparts her expertise as an art teacher at NorthStar Montessori and a dedicated instructor at Visual Arts Mississauga since 2014.
Amrita’s versatility shines through her adeptness in teaching an array of mediums and working with students of all ages. Her personal artistic journey is marked by a love for experimental techniques, oil painting, collage, and digital software manipulation. She thrives on pushing boundaries, and her commitment to innovative approaches resonates deeply in her teachings.
At the heart of Amrita’s pedagogy lies the desire to nurture creative confidence. By cultivating safe and inclusive spaces, she empowers her students to embrace their unique artistic voices. Her ultimate goal is to guide others in producing art they are genuinely proud of, instilling in them a profound sense of its significance.
Amrita Virdi’s dedication to sharing her creativity and fostering the creative genius of her students exemplifies the transformative power of art education. Through her unwavering commitment to innovative expression and personalized growth, she contributes significantly to the artistic landscape, both as an artist and as an inspirational mentor.
Min Yi (Joyce) Wang was born in Shanghai, China. She wanted to be an artist at her young age. Due to the Cultural Revolution in China, Joyce was not able to get into the Art School, but she learnt a lot of painting skills privately from a famous Artist Min Chau in Shanghai. She never gave up the dream she had. In 1982, she enrolled the Arts and Crafts Institute of Shanghai Adult whi_le she worked as a full time Mechanical Designer in a company. She had put herself in developing the good tradition of Chinese painting.
Joyce applies small and detailed objects in her paintings. Whatever she paints, she captures the essence of the object in a brilliant composition. Adept in painting flowers, fruit and plants, her paintings are vivid, refreshing and interesting. Having well developed traditional techniques, she unfolds a personal vision of particularly feminine softness and spiritual charm.
Joyce’s artwork is very well developed. Her style is unique as it shows an integration of the Chinese and Western arts. Her artwork is about everyday life experiences and observations. Joyce hopes all can enjoy her visions of favorite moods, places, things and shapes. Joyce is now a member of Visual Arts of
Mississauga (VAM). Also, she is a member of Mississauga Sumi-e Society.
Based in Toronto, Canada, Sharlena Wood is a consummate artist, inspired by a deep connection to the natural world. Her works of art have been both exhibited and published in Canada as well as commissioned and privately collected.
Sharlena’s unique artistic signature in mixed media demonstrates her expert knowledge of art materials. Her creative process is informed by the medium used to represent what is seen and felt in the landscape.
A popular art teacher and demonstrator in Canada and the United States, now globally with zoom classes, Sharlena shares her passion through unique projects that nurture authenticity and joy in the creative process.
Beginning with Watercolour from a very early age, Ian’s journey in the visual arts was honed in the visual arts program at Etobicoke School of the Arts. Despite the prevailing preference for oils, Ian maintained a loose watercolour effect using Liquin, a quick-drying medium for oil and alkyd paint used as an additive in many forms of artwork.
In the late ’90s, the digital age beckoned, leading Ian to study Media Arts at Sheridan College. However, the allure of watercolour persisted, prompting him to return to solve the intricate puzzles that had frustrated him in the past. Ian embarked on a journey of exhibitions, focusing on Toronto cityscapes, where he discovered a scarcity of fellow artists who favoured water media.
The turning point came when Ian stumbled upon the Art of Watercolour magazine, leading him to Ona Kingdon and IWS Canada. Intrigued by the prospect of a dedicated group promoting the medium globally. Ian offered his services, eventually becoming the Media Manager. The role allowed him to blend his love for watercolour and media arts, revamping IWS Canada’s image with new website graphics and social media elements.
Ian’s involvement with IWS Canada expanded internationally, leading him to collaborate with artists from Holland, Mexico, and beyond. Unexpectedly thrust into a leadership role alongside Rene Lippa, Ian navigated the challenges brought on by Ona Kingdon’s resignation and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the hurdles, Ian and the team worked diligently to enhance member experiences through virtual galleries, Zoom meetings, and a YouTube channel.
Success came in the form of the Stories in Light exhibition, rejuvenating IWS Canada’s live events. Ian, now steering the ship alongside Luan Quach, envisions a future filled with more live demonstrations, workshops, and an exciting venue in Mississauga for September 2024. Grateful for the opportunity to guide the organization and promote watercolour both locally and globally, Ian emphasizes the need for more art in the world. The zen-like nature of watercolour, he believes, contributes to a happier and more peaceful existence.
Despite the responsibilities that come with leading IWS Canada into the future, Ian finds solace in the simple joy of sitting down to sketch, test new paints and brushes, and, most importantly, watch the paint dry—a reminder of the timeless and therapeutic nature of his artistic journey.
