Cyanotype and Painting, 53" x 10"
Cyanotype and Painting
Website: www.Anamikanambiar.com
IG: @anamikan
Email: Anamika.nambiar@gmail.com
Being born and raised in India, I draw my creative inspiration from the country's diverse and rich cultural heritage.As a mixed media artist, I explore the traditional forms of Indian culture, incorporating elements such as color, vibrancy, symbolism, and mythology into my work. I enjoy experimenting with various mediums, including oil, acrylic, inks, chalk pastels, and printmaking, and taking on new and complex projects that challenge me to step outside my comfort zone. Through exploring themes and color palettes that are new to me, I am constantly pushed to generate fresh and unique ideas. The unpredictable nature of the creative process is what excites me the most, as it encourages me to take risks and approach my work with a sense of freedom and curiosity. Attending art exhibits and collaborating with other artists in the community is also a significant source of inspiration.Diptych - Acrylic on canvas, each 24” x 36”
This painting depicts the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and art, Saraswathi. This traditional mural art style originated in the southern state of Kerala, India, and is known for its vibrant colors, intricate designs, and unique storytelling. The Saraswathi Kerala mural is often painted on walls and ceilings of temples and other religious places, as well as in homes and other public spaces. The art form is still practiced and cherished today, as it represents the rich cultural heritage of Kerala.
Acrylic on canvas, 24” x 30”
This painting is influenced by the century’s old Indian Rajput school of Art. The scene plays out every Diwali in India as well as for the Indian diaspora in Canada, there is the glow of millions of sparkles lit on this auspicious day of Diwali. The bright sparkle held by the young princess juxtaposed against the dark background speaks to a celebration of a festival of good over evil. The innocent youthful face of the princess reminds me of the goodness we seek from ourselves and those around us, not only on Diwali but in our everyday lives. I used detailed brush work to depict attire and jewellery from the Rajput era. By using bright, jewel-like colours, vivid attire, bold and happy array of colours and the dazzling hues, still beloved in contemporary India, make people aware and hopefully they relate to and have much of the same emotions as the people painted in scenes hundreds of years ago.
Acrylic and sari on canvas, 5’ x 3’
Website: www.charmimehtaart.com
IG: @charmimehta_art
Email: charmim32@gmail.com
I am originally from Mumbai, India and I moved to Canada in 2019 to complete my post-graduation studies from Humber College. I started my art journey to heal myself and gain positivity. My childhood involved travelling across India from mountain to mountain, through rivers and back home. I observed captured and left inspired by the history, culture, architecture, colors, patterns and everything that made me feel and awaken including but not limited to nature, meditation, spirituality etc. A feather like symbol is noticeable in my recent works and is inspired by the national bird of India peacock also represents power, divinity and strength. My works are made up of pen, watercolor/gouache, gold ink and hand embroidery. I hope anyone who comes across my work is able to inhale positivity in some way.Gouache, pen, gold ink, 5” x 7”
Watercolour, pen and gold ink on paper
IG: @bluesouktoronto
Email: divya.bhandarkar@gmail.com
Divya is the founder and owner of Blue Souk. Blue Souk is a small business that started out of my passion for Indian arts and all handcrafted items. Blue Souk creates and curates traditional home decor pieces that are heavily inspired by Indian folk arts and culture.Acrylic on wood and brass embellishments, 12” x 12”
Acrylic on wood and brass embellishments, 12” x 12”
Ink and pens on illustration board, 12” x 15”
IG: @kreativelykavitaextras
Email: kavitadprasad@gmail.com
The artist is 21-year-old Kavita Deepa Prasad from Brampton, Ontario, currently enrolled in OCAD U in her 3rd year of Graphic Design. Although in Graphic Design, she is a self-taught artist and prefers painting with the medium of acrylic paint on various materials. She takes pride in painting Hindu deities with modern touches that would normally not be seen in traditional paintings/artwork. She hails from a Hindu Indo-Guyanese background and revels in the enjoyment of depicting aspects of her religion through her own eyes. She catches the eye of a concept and transfers her influence into art. Collectively she has produced more than 20 religious paintings that have been donated and gifted to members of the community.Acrylic Painting, 18" x 24"
Oil Painting, 34”x34”
IG: @artbymeghal
Email: meghalkhakhar@gmail.com
Meghal Khakhar is a self-taught artist living in Mississauga. She is originally from India, a physician by training, a medtech professional by practice and an artist by choice. Meghal is passionate about Indian folk art as she is very connected to her Indian roots. Her work is inspired by Indian indigenous arts called Madhubani and Kalamkari, folk arts that originated in different parts of India. These art forms depict people, their environment, topics of interest, nature and deities or mythological characters. The Madhubani paintings are colourful and often the main subject is highlighted by a double outline. The background of the paintings is usually covered with coloured or black and white motifs. Her medium of choice is acrylic with pen.Photography
Photography
Photography
Website: www.creativemantrasbyneha.com
IG: @creativemantrasbyneha
Email: kukrejaneha@gmail.com
My name is Neha Kukreja and I'm a contemporary abstract fluid and mixed media artist from Toronto, Canada, with my roots going back to India. This site showcases my creative journey and passion through color and expression! Having grown up in India, I have always been surrounded by color. As a child, that resonated with happy & positive vibes, thoughts, and feelings. I graduated from Laurentian university, Sudbury with a Bachelor honors degree in computer science and have had the opportunity to work with some of the best brains in the IT Consulting world. I have been an IT professional for the past 17 years and worked with Deloitte, one of the top consulting firms worldwide. In today’s world, we are all dealing with our own battles and I am no exception. My go to stress buster is my passion for Color! I am so glad I found fluid acrylic pouring art a little over 3 years ago. It was my spiritual calling, that I was actively tuned into!!Website: https://prashanthyuthayakumar.myportfolio.com/
IG: @srushti.moments
Email: prashanthykumar@hotmail.com
Prashanthy Uthayakumar is an aspiring photographer based in the GTA, specializing in documentary-style images. As she continues to explore different photo mediums, she strives to capture the wonder of people, places, and moments with her pictures.IG: @artmadic_bypriya
Email: priyankasingh4455@gmail.com
Originally a banker by profession, an artwear designer Priyanka is a self-taught artist from Canada. Painting has been her passion since childhood, and she has always derived creative ideas from her surroundings. An experimentalist by nature, Priyanka does not stick to any single form of art but loves to experiment and paint novel forms, techniques, and styles. Each piece that she creates, she does it with a lot of love and passion. She believes that creating art is more like a journey, a journey of love, where the artist falls in love with the creation and the entire process of creating it. She feels that a piece of art is not just an art but also an emotion, a reflection of an artist's mind and feelings.Website: https://linktr.ee/sdscreates
IG: @shaniasukhai
Email: shaniasukhai@ocadu.ca
From the margins of a canvas, to the edges of screens, I try to create art that is otherworldly to transport the viewer out of the mundane. My name is Shania Sukhai, also known as SDScreates on social media, and I'm an emerging artist based in Toronto. To create this world to encapsulate the viewer, I tend to use hatching, converging lines and pops of colour that bring the viewer’s gaze into a piece. I am currently majoring in Experimental Animation with a minor in Sculpture/Installation at OCAD U. Themes I like to explore in my work are mental health/mental well being, my West Indian/Guyanese culture and upbringing and spirituality. I have had my work published in the 2019 Young Voices magazine by The Toronto Public Library and hope to have many more opportunities to showcase my work in the future.Mixed Media, 22" x 28"
Email: gurdiphari@outlook.com
I am a homemaker who found her passion for painting through an inner calling. Now it's my passion and dedication that keeps me going forward in this field.Acrylic sheet 39.5” x 29.5”
Website: https://www.tarunasinghart.com/
IG: @tarunasinghart
Email: tarunachatrik@yahoo.com
Taruna is a visual story teller of emotions. Abstract painting provides her an outlet to visually interpret what is felt - not just seen. She enjoys transforming a blank canvas into a textural emotive space utilizing acrylics, collage and unconventional materials. Inspiration is drawn from interplay between the material and the spiritual. A constant conundrum between the two influences our human condition and Taruna's work is an explorative expression of this. Taruna holds an Associates Degree in Art and Advertising Design from New York City Technical College. After working as a graphic designer for over two decades, the pandemic provided a conduit to reconnect her with fine art. Painting is Singh's daily cathartic meditation to inner peace.Mixed Media on canvas, 18” x 18”
Website: www.thamaraperera.com
IG: @hausofmara
Email: pererathamara97@gmail.com
Thamara Perera is a Sri Lankan Canadian illustrator, artist and designer based in Toronto, Canada. Exploring themes of human identity, duality, and transformation, her work often plays with introspective figures animating surreal landscapes. She graduated from OCAD University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Design in Illustration and was a recipient of the 401 Richmond Illustration Studio Award for the 2021-2022 year. Skilled in traditional and digital mediums, her practice focuses on hybrid and experimental approaches, fusing analogue painting and collage techniques with digital painting and manipulation. She finds inspiration for her creative practice in nature, mythology, and history.Mixed analog and digital media, 15” x 20”
IG: @vaibhav_21296
Email: vaibhav21296@gmail.com
My name is Vaibhav Murnal, I am a sketch artist. I am an engineer by profession, but art has always been an important part of my life. I grew up in Vadodara which is home to many great artists. My art journey started by observing human behavior and trying to portray it on paper. I then started creating artwork based on my imagination. My artwork primarily focuses on portraits and landscapes using soft pastels as well as charcoals. My dream is to inspire people through my artwork and bring colors to their lives.Soft pastel, 18” x 12”
Website: https://vidhyasrijesh.art/
IG: @vidhyasrijeshart
Email: vidhyasrijeshart@gmail.com
Vidhya is an Indian-born Canadian Artist, who is also a wife, and mother of two little prodigy artists. Her passion for art started young when she won a school competition for drawing a mother and baby elephant. As a kid, she loved to draw everything that she saw. With very limited access to art supplies, she started with pencil drawings and collages by gluing flowers, magazines, laces from old dresses, her broken accessories, and much more to create art. Drifted away for a while by the changes thrown by life, Moving to Canada has helped to rediscover the Artist in her. Her access to colors and art supplies made her feel like a kid who has access to an entire Candy shop. She started experimenting with acrylics and mixed media. She has her art exhibited in Galleries across Ontario and has been featured in several online art galleries and art communities/associations.Mixed Media Acrylic, 16"x20"
Acrylic paint, clay, mirror gems on canvas, 12” x 24”
Website: www.virajponkshe.com
IG: @zapinfusion
Email: virajponkshe@gmail.com
Viraj Ponkshe believes in always evolving on his creative journey - as an advertising Creative Director, an avid explorer of art forms, and as a volunteer through art for which he was honoured with Canada’s ‘Mississauga-Malton Remarkable Citizen Award 2021'. As an alumnus of Sir J.J. School of Arts in Mumbai, Viraj stretches his imagination and inspires his craft to push boundaries, earning him recognition as an 'Emerging Artist' by Saatchi Art, the world's leading online gallery. This constant evolution gave birth to his unique style of ‘ZapinFusion’, which he calls the Art of Evolution. A fusion of dynamic styles, vibrant cultures, and powerful ideas, these thought-provoking contemporary art creations explore a spectrum of concepts, uncovering startling insights on universal spirituality, diverse philosophies, mystic heritage, cultural influences, and more. These creations have been showcased at art exhibits in Paris, Switzerland, Toronto, & the USA, and are on display in private collections and on corporate walls worldwide.Mix Media, Acrylic, 36" x 48"
Website: www.vishalmisra.com
IG: @misra.vishal
Email: misra.vishal@gmail.com
Vishal Misra is a Canadian artist of Indian descent. He has participated in numerous solo and group shows in Asia, Europe and Americas. His works are predominantly in bold vibrant colors. He has previously held leadership position with Mississauga Art Society as well as has worked as a Board member to the Mississauga Arts Council.Mixed Media on Canvas, 36” x 36”
IG: @vishwafineart
Email: vpatel@ocadu.ca
Vishwa Patel is an emerging interdisciplinary artist and curator based in Toronto, Ontario. She is currently pursuing a BFA at OCAD University, majoring in Drawing & Painting and minoring in Sustainability. Most of her creative endeavours are based around oil painting, although she experiments and creates work with a variety of disciplines including embroidery, photography, woodworking, drawing, watercolour, relief-printmaking. Vishwa's current body of work and research explores and dissects her Gujarati identity, diaspora, displacement, borders, and fluid cultural identities -- specifically in relation to India. She also likes to make art about the natural world around her and investigate how the Anthropocene affects the environment. Using researched and developed methodologies, Vishwa continues to develop a distinct style which includes sharp contrasts between warm and cool hues, combination of representational and abstract, and expressive techniques. After participating in an exhibition fellowship, Vishwa has co-curated multiple exhibitions and was the lead curator on two of them.Acrylic, sawdust, modelling paste on raw canvas, 36” x 36”
Oil on canvas, 8.5” x 8.5”
Oil on canvas, 10” x 10”
Oil on canvas, 48” x 48”
Ig: @anahita_ponkshe
Ig: @drkverma
Dr. Kanika Verma is a lecturer of Writing Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga. She earned her Ph.D. in Geography Education from Texas State University. Former faculty at Texas State University, Texas Christian University, and Sheridan College, Dr. Kanika Verma is an award-winning educator and research scholar. With more than 11 years of experience in education, Dr. Verma has received 13 awards and several other recognitions for her research, teaching, and service. Her research and teaching are focused on the academic learning of undergraduate students, writing, English for Academic Purposes (EAP), classroom pedagogy and active learning. She has presented her award-winning research studies at more than 40 professional conferences. She has authored five peer-reviewed journal articles, two peer-reviewed book chapters, and one peer-reviewed e-book. Dr. Verma published her first English poetry book entitled "Just a Breath Away" in May 2018. It is available on Amazon and also in the Brampton Library. She also writes poems in Hindi. More than 30 of her Hindi poems have been published in several literary magazines and newspapers. Her impetus for writing comes from her passion for life and observing, understanding, and surviving human relationships.
Ig: @prodbymrii
I am a music & multi-media producer and creative entrepreneur. Since 2018 I have been professionally pursuing DJing, music production/engineering, video/digital production & a career as an independent artist and event curator. My vision is to create a space and platform to facilitate creation with no limits. I seek to bring all artists’ ideas and creative visions into this reality.
Ig: @i.vaidehi01
My name is vishwa ShaileshKumar Dave I am an international student studying international business administration in George brown College. I'm Bharatnatyam dancer and tutor. I do choreography for sangeet and parties.
Ig: @sruthi.panikar
Hi I am Sruthi Panikar currently studying at George Brown College and I am doing my BA in Behavioural Analysis. I am a professional Bharatnatyam dancer and it’s been 14 years since I am learning this art form. I am member of the International Dance council, and I have been learning Bharatnatyam under the guidance of Smt. Asha Sunil Kumar from Sanskriti academy Mumbai, India .
Ig: @uoftjhalak
In the order of Left to Right: Amogha Sathyamurthy, Yukani Sivanesarasa, Akshayaa Prabaharan, Alankritha Donthi, Urjashi Laha
University of Toronto’s fusion dance group consisting of Indian Classical/ folk dance, Hip-Hop, Bollywood, Contemporary dance forms. We welcome all dancers and those who have an interest in dancing. As Martha Graham once said, “great dancers are great because of their passion.” We are here and ready to to fuse our passion into precision. We aspire to bring out the talent and passion towards dance hidden in the hearts of learners and performers alike and to bring dance back into society.
Ig: @raga_aadi & @namratha_sankar
Ragamalika Mohanraj is an IT Engineer by profession and a Classical dancer by passion. She commenced her journey in Bharatanatyam from the tender age of 4, Currently training with guru Shri. Shijith Nambiar and Guru Smt. Parvathy Menon. She is also learning Odissi under Smt. Barnalee Sarkar. She is also the co-founder and choreographer of Team Lasya, a renowned classical dance ensemble in India. She staged her thematic dance production called 'Mayurika-the Tales of a Mystic Bird' in Iowa, US. She has performed at various prestigious temples and shows in India and Canada. She also staged her production ‘Urdhva-Jala’ for Silambam, Houston. She had been invited to give an interview on her Dance Journey as an ‘Upcoming Artist’ on Yugam Media radio station.
Namratha is a trained Indian classical dancer. She has been learning Bharatnatyam since the age of 8. She was the lead Indian classical choreographer between 2014 to 2018 for the Ripple Effect production house, which is based in Dubai. She has performed in Dubai, India, and Italy and is looking forward to her debut performance in Canada.
Ig: @aitareyasethi & @tanzil_garg
Tanzil and Aitareya are first year OCAD U Students pursuing Graphic Design and have been honing their skills as dancers for many years. They have been trained extensively in a variety of dance styles, including classical, contemporary, hip hop, and modern dance.
Every show they participate in has a strong and dynamic presence of our unique styles and lively energy. Whether it’s traditional indian dance or a modern hip-hop dance, Aitareya and Tanzil always have a lasting effect on the audience.