Big Art Book Issue 7, Scarborough Arts 35th Annual Juried Exhibition: Beloved Community

ISSUE 7

ISSUE 7

BIG ART BOOK: Issue 7 Beloved Community: Reflecting on Methods of Care in Times of Need

Big Art Book: Beloved Community © Scarborough Arts 2020 All pieces herein are copyright © 2020 of their respective authors and creators. No pieces in this book are to be reproduced or sold commercially.

No part of this book may be reproduced, downloaded, or reprinted in any form or used in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without the prior written permission by the publisher.

Front Cover Image by: Mahnaz Nezarati, Women’s Tea Back Cover Image by: Vidya Kumar, Unity Book Design by: Nadira Narine Curated by: Tracy Kong Book Text by: Emily Peltier and Tracy Kong Edited by: Emily Peltier and Tracy Kong Published by Scarborough Arts 1859 Kingston Road Scarborough, ON, M1N 1T3 www.scarborougharts.com We acknowledge the City of Toronto, Ontario Arts Council, and Cedar Ridge Creative Centre in making our Annual Juried Exhibition a possibility each year. We are delighted to have been able to showcase the work of talented artists in our community with your support!

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The land in which Scarborough Arts is located has been the home of Indigenous people and Nations long before colonial documentation of time and is specifically the land of the Huron-Wendat, Anishnabek, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Haudenosaunee. The territory of what is known today as Toronto is under the One Dish, One Spoon Wampum belt, a peace treaty between the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabek, and is a mutual agreement between nations for sharing land and resources. The territories that encompass Toronto, as well, are under a number of Treaties including Treaty 13, and in Scarborough specifically the Williams Treaties.

There have been many Indigenous names and words associated with this place, and today, Scarborough is home to a multitude of Indigenous people, languages, and cultures from around the world.

We as an organization are composed of people from various walks of life. All of us at Scarborough Arts encourage you to support and advocate for Indigenous people and communities, everywhere. In Canada, specifically, this can look like many things; such as actively returning land, rejecting government legislation that violates the rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, denouncing colonial histories within institutions, ending violence against Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, and girls, donating money to Indigenous youth groups, and any actions that genuinely support the wellbeing and success of Indigenous people, everywhere.

We encourage you to visit our Land Acknowledgment page on our website at http://scarborougharts.com/about/land-acknowledgment/ for further information, resources, individuals, and community supports.

Beloved Community: Reflecting on Methods of Care in Times of Need

The many challenging events of the past year have reminded us all of the responsibility to care for ourselves, each other, and the environment around us. Through our landmark 35th Annual Juried Exhibition we wish to highlight the necessity for collective care and the ways in which we enact this care, especially during times of great need.

The title of our 35th Annual Juried Exhibition, “Beloved Community” derives from Martin Luther King Jr.’s concept of all individuals in society working towards the attainable eradication of racism, violence, suffering, and oppression.

On beloved community, author bell hooks further notes that: “Beloved Community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.” Thus, through the example of “Beloved Community,” we are individually called to personal accountability in achieving the collective goal of wellbeing for all.

In thinking about this title, theme, and bell hooks’ quote on “Beloved Community,” we invited artists, writers, and poets, to consider how art acts as a mechanism for collective care, through individual responsibility. We encouraged submissions by artists that reflect questions such as: How does art play a role in communities in times of need? How does art connect us as individuals and communities from various walks of life? How does art act as a mechanism for raising awareness of injustices, to relay collective joys, to embody communal celebration, and to express demands for change?

As it happened, the submissions for this year’s juried exhibition naturally responded to common topics. In this exhibition, we take the time to honour our homes, ourselves, our communities, nature, and culture through the lens of artists.

In these challenging times, many people rediscovered sources of comfort that we might have overlooked in the past. This exhibition celebrates the fundamental sources of support and comfort. Moreover, we honour individuals and the community for their essential contributions to this process.

FOREWORD Emily Peltier, Scarborough Arts Program Manager

I would like to begin the foreword of this year’s 35th Annual Juried Exhibition (AJE) with a story of my own beginning at Scarborough Arts. I began this role just over a year ago, and one of my first tasks as new Program Manager was to provide a quote for our new business cards. The quote I chose, and one that has remained with me over the years in the community work that I do, also became the inspiration for this year’s exhibition. The quote is from an interview with bell hooks and goes as follows: “Beloved Community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by it’s affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.” I chose this quote, and find myself coming back to this quote over and over again, as a reminder for myself as an individual, and as a part of an organization, about the responsibility I have to support the overall wellbeing of all community members I serve.

For our 35th Annual Juried Exhibition I wanted to honour challenges, joys, and demonstrations of collective care that have been observed, world-wide, over the past year. Thus, the theme of this year’s exhibition was an invitation to artists and audiences to reflect on what collective care means personally, as well as collectively.

Beloved Community acts as a thematic jumping off point for this exhibition for artists to express ways in which various communities and individuals demonstrate care for one another and themselves.

The 35th Annual Juried Exhibition would not have been possible without the assistance of our amazing Scarborough Arts team and jurors. I want to thank our fantastic 2020 AJE production team consisting of Nadira Narine (Virtual Exhibition Design and Big Art Book Design), Tracy Kong (AJE Curation, Exhibition Didactics, and Editing), and Durga Rajah (AJE Coordination and Jurying Assistance) who have made this online and interactive exhibition and Big Art Book possible. I would like to give special mention as well to our jurors Sarvenaz Rayati (Visual Arts) and Natasha Ramoutar (Writing) for their time and expertise in jurying this exhibition. I would finally like to give thanks to all of those artists whose works, stories, and writing are contained within this book and exhibition. Art can be a catalyst for social change, and through acts of sharing through art, we can shape our communities into spaces that hold us always in times of need.

THE JURORS Vi s u a l A r t

S a r ven a z R aya t i Sarvenaz Rayati is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. She received her BA in painting and BA in visual communication from Art University in Tehran. She has exhibited her work internationally and since moving to the city, she has led several public art installations in form of light sculptures and mosaic murals in different parts of the city.

“Storytelling has always been my main motivation to create art. Heritage, the self, path, nature, the act of seeking—these are all recurrent themes in my work. I’m inspired by Persian miniatures & literature, comics, found photographs and life around me.”

- Sarvenaz Rayati Website: https://www.sarvenaz-rayati.com/about

Writing Natasha Ramoutar Natasha Ramoutar is an Indo-Guyanese writer by way of Scarborough (Ganatsekwyagon) at the east side of Toronto. She has been published in The Unpublished City II, PRISM International, Room Magazine, Living Hyphen and more. She is the Social Media Assistant at the Festival of Literary Diversity and the Fiction Editor of FEEL WAYS, an anthology of Scarborough writing. Her first poetry collection Bittersweet was published by Mawenzi House in 2020.

Photo credit for Headshot: Matthew Narea Website: https://www.natasharamoutar.com/

AWARD WINNERS Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 First Place Winner for Visual Art

Mahnaz Nezarati Women’s Tea

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Second Place Winner for Visual Art

Sylvie Stojanovski Impressions of Place

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 First Place Winner 2020 for Writing

Ashley Tiffany Gittens Come Again

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Second Place Winner 2020 for Writing

Tanya Adèle Koehnke The Village Mural

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winners for Visual Art

Jennylynd James Vidya Kumar Messiah Magic Unity

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winners for Writing

Krystal Kavita Jagoo wegahbo

Star Nah-

HOME During the hustle and bustle of modern life, which often overflows with screen time, commutes, and busy work schedules, we might overlook the quiet support structures in our lives. We often run out of time and don’t get a chance to appreciate our homes, ourselves, our communities, nature, and culture. In this room, you will find a collection of artworks that showcase homes and homemakers — celebrating them as they support us at the most fundamental level in our lives.

Alessandra Pozzuoli Shelling

Artist Biography: Alessandra Pozzuoli is an interdisciplinary artist. Using painting, textiles, sculpture, and printmaking her work explores how sacred meaning is constructed and maintained through space, gesture, objects, and the sharing of stories. Her artistic practice highlights women’s labour as caretakers and keepers of cultural knowledge within the context of devotion, family, ageing, and death. Pozzuoli is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (2018), earning a BFA in Painting with a minor in History, Social Studies and Philosophy. She currently lives and works in the GTA. Artist Statement: The women who have made my life possible take many forms. What they all have in common is the way they have used their beliefs and labour for personal preservation, communal care, and as part of a survival strategy to try and preserve the togetherness of their families. This painting shows my maternal grandmother and my mother sitting together, shelling peas. When living in a multi-generational household, learning from elders can happen in moments of quiet and stillness, simply by occupying space together, in the small, intimate, seemingly unremarkable rituals of daily life: drinking coffee, folding laundry, tending to the garden, washing dishes and shelling peas. These activities are often dismissed as “women’s work” or relegated to the realm of sentimentality. This view, however, ignores the value, power, and longevity of these actions and the women behind them. I see the creative acts of sewing, cooking, planting, and cleaning as having a lasting and transformative power. They make up the material language that has been developed by generations of immigrant women in my family. These everyday acts offer insight into ancestral knowledge, discourse, skills and aesthetics. The effort of putting a thing into the world is to embed it with purpose, to set a path for events to occur. It allows one to feel they have agency in their fate.

Anne Winter #NeverBeenSoConnected

Artist Biography: Anne Winter is a self-described urbanist with a particular interest in how the design of cities impacts day to day life. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and Ryerson University where she obtained a degree in interior design and a certificate in architectural technology. Using a wide variety of building materials in the construction of her work Anne delves into topics such as density, transit and heritage preservation, and more recently, the isolation and loneliness experienced by a growing number of people as we transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.

Artist Statement: Technology has given us the ability to connect with more people around the world than ever before in human history. And yet, ironically, that ability has led to increasing numbers of us suffering from loneliness. Separated as we are during these difficult times, community becomes more important than ever. Simple acts of kindness, like checking in with neighbours we know are on their own can make all the difference.

Megan Pearson Edmund

Artist Biography: Toronto-based artist Megan Pearson has her roots in small-town Ontario, where she grew up as one of the only Black children in town. Raised by her white mother and grandparents, her experiences of racial exclusion within her community juxtaposed her experiences of connectedness and joy within her own family. Through her use of an ostensibly white folk art tradition, as a Black, female artist Megan uses cross stitch and wood to play with ideas of race, social class, and gender. Megan is nearing the end of her doctoral studies where her research centres on the ways that spaces in seemingly closed systems can be used to create change.

This focus continues to inspire her work to take up space as a Black artist and academic. She does not satirize traditional forms of art but rather demonstrates how taking up conceptually white spaces always already subverts ideas of blackness and family.

Artist Statement: The piece is a traditional handicraft with a contemporary interpretation. It is rooted in generations past/passed. These nonsensical words are a song made up by my grandfather that he used to sing to me when I was a little girl. I’ve taken the words and re-imagined them.

Though they haven’t changed since his passing, their meaning has shifted into an analogue for his love, the ways in which he showed it and its preservation. Taken together, the words are a playful reminder to explore the disparate needs of individuals and to find new ways to stay connected in the community through memory. In their documenting, I am preserving these words for my children, and theirs after them; a reflection on what it means to be in the community by remembering the past and exploring new ways of storytelling and expressions of love.

Transforming from a society full of travel plans, long commutes, restaurant visits, and movie theatres, to being limited to our homes gave many people a chance to self-reflect. Instead of finding our minds overflowing with busy schedules and having to endlessly travel from one place to another, we are faced with silence and empty hours. This may have been frightening for some and much needed for others. Moreover, this year’s COVID-19 lockdown gave many people a chance to consider the important changes that need to be made in the world.

OURSELVES After staying home for extended periods of time and being unable to spend time in the presence of the community, one gets the rare chance to explore the depths of the mind. Many people were able to learn about themselves and their true, natural habits; this type of self-knowledge may be unapparent when one has busy schedules with barely enough time to eat and sleep. Through the act of self-reflection, we are able to examine our values, principles, thoughts, and feelings. The gain in self-knowledge will serve us well as we continue to practice self-care and carry on in our journeys of personal growth. For many, this has translated to a period of growth as they learned about themselves and about the people around them.

Huda Salha Behind the Wall

Artist Biography:

My art is a site of sociopolitical commentary and resistance to oppressive systems. It serves as a public pedagogy to draw attention to colonial violence. My

Huda Salha is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist. She has worked with a variety

narrative-based work raises questions and awareness concerning global social and

of media including painting, sculpture, installation and video art. Her work explores the

political acts of oppression, in an attempt to transform the viewers’ critical thinking

historical, cultural and psychological sense of place. She is interested in the way identity

so they can align themselves with the surrounding environment and contribute to

and memory are interwoven with place through political and cultural boundaries. Salha is

the collective social movement. My work aims to challenge the dominant discourses

a PhD student at UofT.

of knowledge and the hegemonic narrative that are controlled and distributed by

She has an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art Media and Design from OCAD University, a BFA

imperialistic systems through colonial pedagogical apparatus and mainstream media.

Honours from York University, Toronto, a B.A. in English Literature, Gaza, in addition to

Awareness, communicative actions, and mutual understanding to overcome

two years in studio art at Athens School of Fine Arts. Salha received numerous awards,

barriers and biases are the key to achieving justice. Transforming the community

the most recent are a global award from Britain for political and social change, the

through collective social action is a moral commitment and responsibility, and must

“Forget me Not” award of Excellence from the Art Guild of Scarborough, and Honorable

be at the heart of artistic expression. Throughout history, art has served political

Mention- SAC’s 34th Annual Juried Exhibition. Her short film screened in TIFF Bell

and social functions. Artists and intellectuals can play a major role in emancipating

lightbox, 2019.

the world and eventually dismantling dominant colonial powers. Hopefully, they can also inspire positive change and bring an end to the absurdity and all the injustices

Artist Statement:

inflicted by humans on fellow humans. Undoubtedly, artists as activists have the ability to transgress boundaries and mobilize their art to reaffirm

My work arises from my personal experience of displacement and exile. From the outset

the past and counter the colonizers’ agendas aimed at disfiguring and destroying

of my artistic practice, I have been committed to using art to challenge various

the cultural past of native peoples, distorting reality and misleading the public to

injustices. My work deals with displacement, identity and memory. As a descendant of a

rationalize the atrocities perpetrated by these dominant systems.

displaced Palestinian family, I have explored the historical, cultural and psychological sense of place. My visual narratives are informed by childhood memories, family anecdotes, and historical and geographical references. In materializing the interdisciplinarity of my practice, I employ archival elements to reconstruct narratives of place and to create artifacts emblematic of the Palestinian collective memory. In addition, I investigate the interconnection between body and memory. My work aims to challenge the dominant discourses of knowledge which are, in my view, controlled and distributed by imperialistic systems of power through the mass media.

Huda Salha Perpetual

Artist Biography:

My art is a site of sociopolitical commentary and resistance to oppressive systems. It serves as a public pedagogy to draw attention to colonial violence. My

Huda Salha is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist. She has worked with a variety

narrative-based work raises questions and awareness concerning global social and

of media including painting, sculpture, installation and video art. Her work explores the

political acts of oppression, in an attempt to transform the viewers’ critical thinking

historical, cultural and psychological sense of place. She is interested in the way identity

so they can align themselves with the surrounding environment and contribute to

and memory are interwoven with place through political and cultural boundaries. Salha is

the collective social movement. My work aims to challenge the dominant discourses

a PhD student at UofT.

of knowledge and the hegemonic narrative that are controlled and distributed by

She has an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art Media and Design from OCAD University, a BFA

imperialistic systems through colonial pedagogical apparatus and mainstream media.

Honours from York University, Toronto, a B.A. in English Literature, Gaza, in addition to

Awareness, communicative actions, and mutual understanding to overcome

two years in studio art at Athens School of Fine Arts. Salha received numerous awards,

barriers and biases are the key to achieving justice. Transforming the community

the most recent are a global award from Britain for political and social change, the

through collective social action is a moral commitment and responsibility, and must

“Forget me Not” award of Excellence from the Art Guild of Scarborough, and Honorable

be at the heart of artistic expression. Throughout history, art has served political

Mention- SAC’s 34th Annual Juried Exhibition. Her short film screened in TIFF Bell

and social functions. Artists and intellectuals can play a major role in emancipating

lightbox, 2019.

the world and eventually dismantling dominant colonial powers. Hopefully, they can also inspire positive change and bring an end to the absurdity and all the injustices

Artist Statement:

inflicted by humans on fellow humans. Undoubtedly, artists as activists have the ability to transgress boundaries and mobilize their art to reaffirm

My work arises from my personal experience of displacement and exile. From the outset

the past and counter the colonizers’ agendas aimed at disfiguring and destroying

of my artistic practice, I have been committed to using art to challenge various

the cultural past of native peoples, distorting reality and misleading the public to

injustices. My work deals with displacement, identity and memory. As a descendant of a

rationalize the atrocities perpetrated by these dominant systems.

displaced Palestinian family, I have explored the historical, cultural and psychological sense of place. My visual narratives are informed by childhood memories, family anecdotes, and historical and geographical references. In materializing the interdisciplinarity of my practice, I employ archival elements to reconstruct narratives of place and to create artifacts emblematic of the Palestinian collective memory. In addition, I investigate the interconnection between body and memory. My work aims to challenge the dominant discourses of knowledge which are, in my view, controlled and distributed by imperialistic systems of power through the mass media.

Jennifer Toffoli The Other One

Artist Biography: Jennifer Toffoli is a self-trained “doodler-extraordinaire.” Often wavering between quietly quirky and deliciously dark, her work blends elements of abstract and pop-art to create a style that is uniquely her own. An avid reader and music junkie, Jennifer draws much of her inspiration from the books and lyrics she adores. Believing that is it better to be peculiar than perfect, Jennifer aims to add a bit of whimsy to the everyday. Her work has previously been published by the University of Toronto and the Scarborough Arts Council and and displayed at the Graven Feather, Papermill and Bluffs galleries in Toronto.

Artist Statement: Art has the power of giving space to those who may not otherwise be seen or heard. It provides a freedom of expression that many people may feel they do not have in other areas in their lives. In the case of visual art, it is a chance to say a thousand things without having to say a single word – it is a voice for those who may find themselves otherwise speechless. In considering the theme, I found myself particularly drawn to the concept of “the Other” and the way in which people often view differences as something to be feared rather than celebrated. Drawing inspiration from Shelley’s Frankenstein, this piece is intended to give light to those who are otherwise kept in the shadows – those who feel or are made to feel that they are not worthy of or privy to the care of those around them. It is unfortunate that in many cases “differences,” be they inherent or perceived, often result in a sense of isolation. We are so determined to fit in and to fall into the definition of “normal,” that many of us shy away from the very things that make so incredibly special and unique; the essence of our individual beauty, the core of our worth. Some who view this may see a man, others the monster. Some might feel discomfort or find it grotesque. Others might not even give it a second glance except to wonder at its inclusion under this theme – but that is the point. That first glance, even if it is just for a second – that spark of recognition and the wonder of questions which will, hopefully, lead to a moment of thoughtful consideration and perhaps even that elusive second look. We are all worthy of being seen. We are all worthy of kindness, caring and consideration.

We are beautiful in our own ways – if only more people were willing to take the time to give a second glance before dismissing each other.

Lesley Williams Red

Artist Biography: Originally from Wales but grew up primarily in Toronto. I have been doing portraiture for many years. I love working in all mediums depending on the subject, the mood and the availability of supplies. I have branched out into printmaking and just started pottery as well. My primary focus though is painting character studies, whether the human face or in nature as I find trees and hillsides often evoke feelings. Previous member of Barrie Art Club, now Cedar Ridge Studio member. Art is important to me, and I am continually learning and hopefully improving as I use it to express myself and relate to others in a meaningful way.

Artist Statement: This piece is called Red simply because the colour red is the colour of passion. There is a very slight tinge of redness in the mother’s eyes. I drew it after seeing photographs of mothers in Nigeria whose daughters were kidnapped out of their school in 2014 by the group Boko Harem.

They were taken because the terrorist extremist group didn’t believe in educating girls and they believe education corrupts the values of Muslims. The girls were forced into militarism and slavery. Some of the girls were recovered, some were released and some were killed, some have never been found. Sadly and ironically most Muslims are greatly opposed to such horrible tactics. Another example of how art can act as a mechanism for raising awareness of such atrocities.

Tiffany Dawe Hallelujah

Artist Biography: Tiffany Dawe is a largely self-taught artist who loves to express herself freely with watercolour and acrylic paints. She loves to let the medium flow and experiments with the looseness that it creates. Her abstracts are greatly influenced by the colours in nature she sees while walking in her Rouge Valley neighbourhood. Tiffany is a member of the Pine Ridge Arts Council, Scarborough Arts, Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa and the Station Gallery in Whitby.

Many of her artistic works are created in the welcoming atmosphere of the Station Gallery’s Open Studio painting sessions. Tiffany displays her art in shows and venues in and around the Greater Toronto Area and loves to support and contribute to the local art scene.

Artist Statement: My work as an abstract watercolour and acrylic artist is an expression of what I observe and the feeling I experience through my exploration of the natural habitats and protected lands in my community and other places in this world. I hope to evoke in others a desire to examine their own feelings and responsibility about what has been provided for us and what it is we can do individually and collectively to preserve and celebrate the gifts we share. I invite others from my diverse local community to sit together to share their thoughts and feelings about what my art is saying to them. This is an opportunity to become more mindful of what surrounds us and the care it requires. I have been inspired in my work by my community of artists and by others who give respect and protection to our lands.

Tiffany Dawe Mosaic

Artist Biography: Tiffany Dawe is a largely self-taught artist who loves to express herself freely with watercolour and acrylic paints. She loves to let the medium flow and experiments with the looseness that it creates. Her abstracts are greatly influenced by the colours in nature she sees while walking in her Rouge Valley neighbourhood. Tiffany is a member of the Pine Ridge Arts Council, Scarborough Arts, Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa and the Station Gallery in Whitby.

Many of her artistic works are created in the welcoming atmosphere of the Station Gallery’s Open Studio painting sessions. Tiffany displays her art in shows and venues in and around the Greater Toronto Area and loves to support and contribute to the local art scene.

Artist Statement: My work as an abstract watercolour and acrylic artist is an expression of what I observe and the feeling I experience through my exploration of the natural habitats and protected lands in my community and other places in this world. I hope to evoke in others a desire to examine their own feelings and responsibility about what has been provided for us and what it is we can do individually and collectively to preserve and celebrate the gifts we share. I invite others from my diverse local community to sit together to share their thoughts and feelings about what my art is saying to them. This is an opportunity to become more mindful of what surrounds us and the care it requires. I have been inspired in my work by my community of artists and by others who give respect and protection to our lands.

Elvin Velasco Sketching Humanity - What is one thing you learned about yourself during the pandemic?

Artist Biography:

you learned about yourself during the pandemic?”

Elvin Velasco is a demi-sexual, early childhood educator, mental health advocate,

During these intimate moments, I created a place where individuals are

community organizer, storyteller, & visual artist. They are of Filipino descent,

empowered to be open, authentic, and vulnerable by sharing their insights & putting

immigrated to Tkaronto 22 years ago in Scarborough. They are passionate about

power to their truth. Individuals reclaim their voices by being empowered to write a

using their artistic voice and vision in supporting and advocating for individuals and

1-2 sentence statement that encapsulates their experience, and most importantly

underserved communities who have been silenced by actions & systems of

to uplift themselves when they read it, as it is their truth. The 48 portraits are in

oppression. They believe that people’s stories and their lived experiences are

conversation with one another, exploring a variety of

important in creating change and liberation of ourselves and the communities we

insightful topics of their experience during this unprecedented time. They speak for

navigate our work in. They take the time and care in empowering others in sharing

themselves and their communities in the deeply rooted struggles &

their personal stories through their lifelong illustrative portrait series called

breakthroughs that they have encountered during this pandemic.

“Sketching Humanity”. They apply their visual artistry with active engagement of

I hope that when you read folx empowering thoughts & voices that you resonate

various communities hoping to create a safe space where difficult conversations are

with one & brings you comfort. This lifelong project serves to support folx in

highlighted. In their journey of being an advocate, they never believed that they had

reclaiming their voice while ensuring others that they are not alone in their

the power & freedom to stand up to injustices. That quickly shifted when they began

struggles, that there is a community that will always hold you.

to advocate for themself on a personal level. Being a queer POC who has undergone a variety of adversities, has empowered them to reclaim their voice and power by speaking their truth while hoping to uplift and support others during the process.

Artist Statement: This iteration of “Sketching Humanity”; is the first one I have completed. It is where I radicalize the importance and meaning of compassion, empathy, care, & tenderness with the communities I passionately advocate for. It is inspired by the voices, truths, lived experiences, & struggles of members of my community that I hold close to my heart & soul. In this iteration, I explore the effects of COVID-19 that my beloved community members experience. This body of work consisting of 48 radiant brave souls holistically offered their time, space, & energies, through a 15-minute phone/video conversation where I hold space for them. During this process, I help guide these individuals’; exploration with the inquiry, “What is one thing

As the pandemic continues, we begin to turn our focus to the communities around us. Although the shift from spending time in solitude to socializing with others may require a period of compromise and adaptation, we can find inspiration and comfort in our communities. For many, this has translated to a period of growth as they learned about themselves, as well as the people around them.

Saira Ansari Incisive Deconstruction from the series “HUMANentITY”

Artist Biography: Hailing from a multi-cultural family, Saira embodies diversity. She received a Distinction in Art in her GCE O’Levels from Cambridge University, UK and studied 4th Year Bachelor’s level Fine Arts in Pakistan. Her career encompassed the roles of Visualizer and Creative Director in Advertising (including multinational clients and working on an award-winning campaign). She also worked in Educational Publishing where, besides rising to Director Editorial, she also illustrated several books for the firm. As a cartoonist, Saira also contributed illustrations to a leading newspaper. In Toronto, Saira has worked extensively with marginalized communities. As a Diversity and Inclusion professional she has worked within the community and environmental sectors to lead and support groundbreaking projects and programs. She has also designed training and sessions for board and staff teams where she infused her Diversity workshops with her artistic skills. Her current work, presented in the 35th Annual Juried Exhibition, is taken from her 2020 HUMANentITY series.

Artist Statements: In order to function in and contribute meaningfully to the world, we need to look inwards and understand our identities, biases and drivers. Challenging times, such as crises and uncertainty, are gifts and opportune moments to deconstruct habitual patterns and go inwards - to take care of ourselves, understand the facades we erect and move towards authenticity, so we may catalyze the best future for ourselves and the communities we are immersed in.

Saira Ansari Elusive Etheriality from the series “HUMANentITY”

Artist Biography: Hailing from a multi-cultural family, Saira embodies diversity. She received a Distinction in Art in her GCE O’Levels from Cambridge University, UK and studied 4th Year Bachelor’s level Fine Arts in Pakistan. Her career encompassed the roles of Visualizer and Creative Director in Advertising (including multinational clients and working on an award-winning campaign). She also worked in Educational Publishing where, besides rising to Director Editorial, she also illustrated several books for the firm. As a cartoonist, Saira also contributed illustrations to a leading newspaper. In Toronto, Saira has worked extensively with marginalized communities. As a Diversity and Inclusion professional she has worked within the community and environmental sectors to lead and support groundbreaking projects and programs. She has also designed training and sessions for board and staff teams where she infused her Diversity workshops with her artistic skills. Her current work, presented in the 35th Annual Juried Exhibition, is taken from her 2020 HUMANentITY series.

Artist Statements: Concepts such as Love and Connection are universal and yet can be hard to define and elusive in our day-to-day realities. The search for these “bigger, more ethereal questions” must take precedence and inform our journeys no matter how painful in the short term, and how distracting our current circumstances may appear.

Saira Ansari Expansive Empathy from the series “HUMANentITY”

Artist Biography: Hailing from a multi-cultural family, Saira embodies diversity. She received a Distinction in Art in her GCE O’Levels from Cambridge University, UK and studied 4th Year Bachelor’s level Fine Arts in Pakistan. Her career encompassed the roles of Visualizer and Creative Director in Advertising (including multinational clients and working on an award-winning campaign). She also worked in Educational Publishing where, besides rising to Director Editorial, she also illustrated several books for the firm. As a cartoonist, Saira also contributed illustrations to a leading newspaper. In Toronto, Saira has worked extensively with marginalized communities. As a Diversity and Inclusion professional she has worked within the community and environmental sectors to lead and support groundbreaking projects and programs. She has also designed training and sessions for board and staff teams where she infused her Diversity workshops with her artistic skills. Her current work, presented in the 35th Annual Juried Exhibition, is taken from her 2020 HUMANentITY series.

Artist Statements: Through Empathy the external becomes the internal. The “Other” becomes part of “I” and “We” and changes the narrative and direction of “my” journey to “our” journey, as I am no longer separate.

Come Again

provisions topped with ground beef. The scent reminds her of her childhood and

Ashley Tiffany Gittens

she can finally make sense of who this head is attached to. She kisses the top of this head in love most nights, but forgot to the night before.

The sadness came for her again. It scaled the side of the building and slipped its

“Eat,” her mother says.

way into her room through the small hole in the mesh netting of the window. It

She sits up and places the tray of food on her lap. She goes to grab the fork but

draped itself over her walls, covering the tokens of love she collected over the

cannot lift it. Her heaviness has made her too full to move.

course of her twenty-something years. It slipped under the covers and wrapped her in its embrace; her ear flocked by its sweet nothings. Gently, she was rocked to

“I can’t,” she cries.

sleep by its insidious lullaby.

Her mother sits down beside her and takes the tray of food from her lap and places By morning, it is gone and she is alone. It has left her with nothing. The memories

it on her own. She piles a piece of cassava, onion and beef on the fork and moves it

on her walls are missing the love she once poured into them. She wonders what the

toward her daughter’s mouth. She takes it, chewing and swallowing it slowly. Her

purpose of them once were. She wonders what the purpose of herself is.

mother repeats the act again, swapping the cassava for plantain, followed by yam

Concluding that it is absent, she refuses her body’s suggestion to eat.

and then eddoe until the plate is empty.

The slight breeze coming from her ceiling fan is all that she allows herself to feel.

She is hungry but cannot imagine a world in which she moves with intent, for that

“Sit up for a while and let your food go down,” her mother says. She kisses the top

would suggest purpose. So, she lays in bed and allows the hunger to make her

of her head before she leaves the room again. She closes the door and the beads

heavy. She wishes for the heaviness to make her an anchor so that she can sink

clatter. This time, reminding her daughter of the reason for those beads. There was

deeply into her bed and through to the floor. Perhaps the weight would crack the

no particular reason. Just that her mother liked them and got one set for each of

foundation and break her through each of the six floors beneath her.

them to hang on their doors.

As she wanders through the idea of an eternal fall, she hears the clatter of the beads hung from her doorknob. A figure peaks into her room, lit from behind by the

Her eyes drift from the doorknob to her walls and lands on a framed memory from

yellow light that fills the hallway. The door opens wider for the figure to become a

her twenty-fifth birthday. It hangs by her window and is slightly faded from the sun

head. A small head with short box-dyed hair and quadrupally pierced ears.

that shines in. The greeting is in her mother’s writing and she remembers the surprise party that it is a token of. She remembers hugging everyone who showed

“Are you hungry?”

up and the sound of their choral “Surprise!” that left her too awed to eat. She remembers singing with her friends on the dance floor. The love has come back

She nods yes.

The head leaves and returns shortly after with a plate of food. Boiled and fried

again.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 First Place Winner 2020 for Writing

Ashley Tiffany Gittens Come Again

Artist Biography: Ashley Tiffany Gittens is an educator and emerging writer. Her work consists of prose, short stories and personal essays. Her current body of work focuses on community building and fostering empathy through vulnerability. Her Afro- and Indo-Caribbean background weave into her work as she attempts to humanize the complexities of living and loving while carrying and healing trauma and navigating mental and physical illness.

Artist Statement: This piece was inspired by internal and interpersonal tenderness. It is a small example of the power of community care when self-care seems too far away. It is a love letter to myself and the woman that made me.

Pat Tadier Help

Artist Biography: Using natural materials of wood, metal and stone, Pat Tadier takes a highly emotive and innovative approach to his larger than life sculptures. While Pat has been sculpting for ten years, he only began showing his work in galleries throughout the GTA in 2018. Since then, he has been selected to exhibit in numerous exhibitions and fine art shows. Pat has won two awards in the past year.

Artist Statement: All of us need help at some time or another. Life can be hard. We never know what’s going to be thrown our way.

Curveballs can hit us at any time. The struggle is real. Help reveals us when we’re at one of our lowest points, rock-bottom, empty and alone. It is at these times when only the kindnesses of another can help pick us up so we can move on. Sculpted out of laminated wood and stained with a blend of black, white and greys, Help symbolized the story of human struggle. It is through these struggles, at various phases of our life, where we undergo a metamorphosis from the low that Help portrays into a better place in our life – stronger by the experience and glad for the help from our community. .

Pat Tadier Hope

Artist Biography: Using natural materials of wood, metal and stone, Pat Tadier takes a highly emotive and innovative approach to his larger than life sculptures. While Pat has been sculpting for ten years, he only began showing his work in galleries throughout the GTA in 2018. Since then, he has been selected to exhibit in numerous exhibitions and fine art shows. Pat has won two awards in the past year.

Artist Statement: Hope has been hand carved from wood and then stained in deep tones to achieve its multi-layered finish.

Standing seven feet tall, it sits on a wood base with arms reaching out in search of hope. Hope’s emotive presence speaks to all people who have struggled in their lives; encapsulating feelings of despair, powerlessness, anguish and desolation. Yet, through the darkness of this figure, Hope also expresses our faith, determination and courage to move forward, beyond our challenges to reach a better place in our lives and community.

Pat Tadier Pride

Artist Biography: Using natural materials of wood, metal and stone, Pat Tadier takes a highly emotive and innovative approach to his larger than life sculptures. While Pat has been sculpting for ten years, he only began showing his work in galleries throughout the GTA in 2018. Since then, he has been selected to exhibit in numerous exhibitions and fine art shows. Pat has won two awards in the past year.

Artist Statement: Pride is a symbol of certainty and conviction of the individual self. The face of Pride has been carved from African Purple Heartwood. Pride’s primitive and minimalistic facial design emotes a compelling feeling of strength and confidence. Pride’s lion-like mane of hair has been sculpted from apple tree branches and flows wildly, completing the fierce and intense piece that you see today. Pride is a symbol of honour and dignity. Pride speaks to equality in everyone and how all of us should walk tall every day with dignity and satisfaction; to be self-assured in the person they are.

The Willful Ignorance of Most White Administrators Krystal Kavita Jagoo

“I always tell my staff that we will never be a slave to precedent,” said this white administrator, as if he was overwhelmingly vulnerable to being enslaved on this university campus in 2018. Did he imagine those who had been violently stolen from their lands and enslaved by his kind had remotely any choice in the matter? Given that I sat in mandatory training, during the probationary period for my permanent full-time unionized university job, I knew better than to interrupt him mid-sentence, despite my yearning to do so, as that would have prompted doubts about my fit for the institution. Instead, I noted internally that I would discuss the matter following probation, and pulled out my cellphone in an attempt to avoid confronting this man.

I would later read a mass email from another white administrator who discouraged cell phone use during training presentations that I knew was directed at me, as he had entered the room shortly after I began to rely on my cellphone to desperately avoid security escorting me off campus for revealing I was not a model minority. I would discuss this with him after passing probation, and he would assure me that I could have also talked to him about this before that time, as he propagated that feedback was welcome in his department, on a campus that I had come to think of as Jordan Peterson’s stomping grounds. I would soon question this when we were assigned an article with 24 N-words to read before another mandatory training with a different problematic white administrator, which prompted my 1000+ words email in a desperate attempt to disrupt anti-Blackness in this equity office. I am often told that these are the nice white folx but in my decade-long career, what I have mostly seen is how they present their queerness and Judaism in an impressive performance that only serves their own wants and whims while causing untold trauma to the most oppressed whose humanity somehow continues to evade them.

As if I needed the first meta-analysis comparing the relationship among racism, sexism, and ageism to tell me, it suggests that “whiteness is more central to the ideal worker prototype as compared with maleness.” This research demonstrates how BIPOC women are disproportionately policed in the workplace through the primary lens of white supremacy, conceivably alongside other negative biases. In Social Work, which tends to be dominated by women, the glass elevator is worth noting, whereby white men are disproportionately promoted. In this way, it is easy to see how the glass elevator contributes to the skewed perceptions of work performance that BIPOC women face, as our very existence is incongruent with the “ideal worker prototype,” even before this social worker, keen on anti-oppressive

practice even attempts to disrupt the problematic status quo.

Over the course of the last decade, living this nightmare wherein I realized the white supremacist reality of my field is what now motivates me to both speak truth to power and attempt transparency with marginalized folx. Unfortunately, social work roles can come with implicit expectations of complicity with the problematic status quo through requirements for diplomacy and protocols that prioritize the comfort of the privileged at the expense of the most oppressed. As I have unpacked these toxic expectations, ethical practice requires me to acknowledge how I can contribute to the collective gaslighting that marginalized folx disproportionately face, if I were to follow such instructions from toxic administration. When any adherence to problematic expectations would put already oppressed folx at greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes, my continued commitment to anti-oppressive practice requires that I openly acknowledge how rigged systems continue to prioritize certain groups over others.

As I do so, such words as harsh, critical, and not a team player are used to describe me, as those who benefit from the problematic status quo attempt to gaslight, derail, and silence me into submission, as threats to my career increase with each and every ethical stance I hold onto. Just as white supremacy has evolved over centuries to continue to harm BIPOC folx, I too have developed creative strategies for survival with this critical mind in the fat, brown, disabled body I still inhabit, despite daily assaults of bigotry meant to make my existence less worth living. In 2016, another white administrator weaponized bureaucratic procedures to subject me to a coaching meeting wherein a model minority nurse assured me that she had not experienced racism at our workplace as if it mattered to me what her colonized mind could conceive.

In moments like these, I have to mentally will myself to regulate my breathing and note repeatedly that I lack any inheritance of generational wealth from stolen land and profits from slavery to rely on. In fact, what I do possess is an ever-growing debt to more marginalized BIPOC folx like those who continue to face Indigenous genocide and the pervasive violence of anti-Blackness. It is to repay those more marginalized BIPOC folx that I work hard to use my privilege as a settler on this land, whose outcomes were not subjected to the adultification bias that disproportionately harms Black girls, to disrupt the colonialist white supremacist anti-Black status quo. With that in mind, I read over 400 books by marginalized authors in 2017 so that when I finally reclaimed my hijacked career from that last white administrator who outlined in writing that I was hired “to practice social work, not social justice,” I would be better equipped to think strategically about sustainable resistance for BIPOC folx. Mostly, I know better than to hope because when I do, I fall into the trap of believing that a permanent full-time unionized job might provide some semblance of safety for my critical mind in this fat, brown, disabled body.

When I first tried to use my career to dismantle white supremacy, it was long enough in the past for me to still think fondly of academia, so I coped with being called a terrorist in Walmart by developing and teaching a university course entitled, “Justice and the Poor: Issues of Race, Class, and Gender.” Now that it is the academic-industrial complex that assaults me with its inherently white supremacist assessment of me as disposable to the institution, I turn to the arts for sustainable resistance. It is that creative expression that fuelled my visual art during a global pandemic and landed my first feminist exhibition, with a bingo card detailing academic ableism and a table of data to decimate doubts of my competency from this current white administrator.

Ableist statements from faculty in response to student’s accommodations mirror white supremacist judgments of my work as unsatisfactory due to abstract understandings of equity as both demonstrate an unwillingness to integrate theory into practice without lived experience of marginalization to challenge their cognitive dissonance held together by privilege.

I begin to think of myself as an artist again, as wondrous online BIPOC-centred writing spaces cultivate a renewed appreciation for such sustainable resistance in me. The most impactful were weekly BIPOC-only writing workshops, led by a brilliant Black queer teaching team. Those rare art spaces for learning wherein I could exist as my whole self allowed me to harness the depths of my creative expression. Such incredible experiences made me yearn for missed opportunities to have my humanity valued as I reflected on rampant dehumanization in the academic-industrial complex, much like the nightmarish social work career I still navigate. It is no surprise that my Huffington Post debut came while having BIPOC folx nurture my voice with care, especially when only 1% of pitches are published, and I got in on my first try. Such spaces cultivated a renewed sense of possibility, which motivated my own proposal to facilitate therapeutic writing workshops for Sustainable Resistance for BIPOC Folx to my local arts organization, which was accepted, and has been the ultimate joy to facilitate. I have accepted that my work of disrupting the problematic status quo is most sustainable in community with ethical folx as committed to equity, especially as a New York Times review of over 900 folx in power found 80% of them were white, so there may always be another white administrator hellbent on intimidating me, but like I told the last one, “we are in 2020, when I can write articles in my personal time, unlike the experiences of my ancestors during indentured servitude!” The legacy of those violations haunt me every single time I am insulted for not speaking my mother tongue as if even my great grandmother spoke anything else but English despite her best efforts. Sadly, even my tongue is colonized from Indian ancestors whose language was lost on sugarcane plantations in Trinidad following the abolition of slavery. While I may never be able to reclaim those parts of my heritage, I remain intent on embodying anti-oppressive practice with the integrity necessary to work towards the equitable reality we have always deserved, and I am grateful for my beloved community.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winner for Writing

Krystal Kavita Jagoo The Willful Ignoranc of Most White Administrators

Artist Biography:

brown disabled body that I inhabit. Sometimes that has looked like reading problematic administration for filth, like only an artist could when they attempt to

Krystal Kavita Jagoo embraces her identity as an artist given the creative solutions

gaslight, silence, and derail me. At other times, I have made the creative comparison

needed for survival with a critical mind in the fat brown disabled body she inhabits. As

to faculty that student’s health issues, unfortunately, do not adhere to the timeline of

a settler on Turtle Island, she remains intent on anti-oppressive practice as a social

their syllabus, much like viruses. At all times, I am acutely aware of the power

worker, given her field’s abhorrent violations when not committed to dismantling

differentials that leave marginalized genders of colour like me at disproportionate risk

complicity with the problematic status quo. Jagoo has taught “Justice and the Poor:

when we attempt equity work in highly bureaucratic organizations like Jordan

Issues of Race, Class, and Gender” at Nipissing University and her articles have been

Peterson’s stomping grounds. And I have long sustained myself with positive

featured in Huffington Post, MedTruth, Verywell Mind, Social Justice Solutions, and

feedback from marginalized folx served who express relief when met with rare

o.School. Her essay, “Inclusive Reproductive Justice,” was published in Volume 2 of

understanding from a social worker, often because of horror stories mediated by how

the Reproductive Justice Briefing Book: A Primer on Reproductive Justice and Social

they have been perceived, with barely any recognition of their humanity by

Change. Jagoo’s visual art, University Ableism Bingo was featured in Pandemic: A

“professionals.”

Feminist Response, and the zine, CRIP COLLAB. Jagoo’s essay, “A Slow Death in Academia” is published in the forthcoming Radical anthology.

Through the course of this essay, “The Willful Ignorance of Most White Administrators,” I reckon with how the arts may provide even more sustainable resistance for BIPOC folx,

Artist Statement:

much like I imagine that Martin Luther King Jr. and bell hooks envision when they speak of a beloved community. It is these understandings of the world from brilliant BIPOC

My art claws its way from the depths of the academic-industrial complex, much like

writers that have illuminated my path in times of devastation from white supremacy,

I do on what feels like every workday. As an Indo-Trinidadian woman settler on Turtle

and whose work I strive to highlight when introducing an art practice to other BIPOC

Island, I remain intent on anti-oppressive practice as a social worker. I had the

folx. My art exists in spite of the utter whiteness of the publishing industry, and my work

privilege of social distancing during this global pandemic as I supported folx remotely,

is guided by my positionality as I work to embody the values of anti-oppressive practice

whether it was in my capacity as a social worker or my emerging identity as an artist.

as a social worker, whether I am writing, creating visual art, performing, or facilitating

During this time, my twice-weekly Chiropractic treatment was disrupted for three long

art workshops with the beloved community. While I also struggle with the identity of

months, which deepened my disability justice lens in ways that only pain could. My art

activist that has often been placed on me for addressing abhorrent violations in my

holds space for the beloved community to cope with the emotional tolls of uncertain-

social work career, I am working towards reconciling that through my activism, which

ty, informed by my background as a mental health professional for the last decade.

takes lessons from the Black author, M. K. Asante, who writes that the artivist “uses her artistic talents to fight and struggle against injustice and oppression—by any medium

Despite my challenges embracing the identity of an artist, I have had to acknowledge how I have always relied on creative solutions for survival with a critical mind in this fat

necessary.”

COMMUNITY After gaining self-knowledge from time in solitude, some may find connecting with the people around them to be enjoyable, or even necessary — whether it be virtually or in person. In addition to gaining a sense of love, friendship, and camaraderie, forming closer bonds with our friends, family, and communities may also fill our lives with comfort.

It is important to note that the past year has reminded us that calling for collective community efforts to end anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism is not only necessary, but also lifesaving. In the summer of 2020, the murder of George Floyd brought attention once again to the devastating effects of the many anti-Black and racist systems in our societies; the same of which brought about the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013. This movement, and many others, have for decades advocated for non-Black people and white people to take immediate responsibility in eliminating anti-Black racism in order to ensure the wellbeing of all Black people.

In addition to this, it is also necessary to acknowledge the anti-Indigenous racism and systems that are in place in what is known today as Canada. All non-Indigenous people have the individual and collective responsibilities to advocate for Indigenous people’s wellbeing and rights.

2020 has been a year in which multiple instances of anti-Indigenous racism and violence have been observed such as attacks on Mi’Kmaq lobster fisherman, and more locally, ongoing racist attacks on Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) territory at 1492 Land Back Lane.

We would like to take this opportunity to encourage those who experience this exhibition to be informed on these issues and spread awareness about them, always. A starting place for resources and further action can be found at the end of this exhibition.

Ken Chan A Welcome Sight

Artist Biography: Ken Chan is a visual artist working with various paint media. Ken has been selected for Scarborough Juried Exhibition multiple times.

Artist Statement: In the uplifting spring and energetic summer, gorgeous flowers are blooming fully from the luxuriant ground of our community. It is a welcome sight to see, especially after enduring a desolate fall, and harsh winter.

Environmental pollutions are rampant in many places of the world; war and famine have often decimated a whole population; self-righteous political rhetoric has polarized many countries. By virtue of multiculturalism, we foster tolerance, accept differences, and promote inclusion; we welcome and celebrate our diversity. Our community is an enviable place to embrace.

As the world convulsed in the paroxysms of an epidemic, our rational and balanced approach in dealing with it has projected a sense of calmness in a chaotic world. Our community is a welcome sight of serenity.

The amazing flora in the artwork projects flourishes as well as serenity. It represents our thriving and peaceful community. The hands symbolize we embrace the beautiful scenery as well as our be-loving community. It is also a welcome gesture to our viewers to share the calmness and peace of the artwork.

Patty Hargreaves Beach Rail

Artist Biography: Patty’s artistic work spans decades, starting as a street photographer and darkroom assistant for a Los Angeles-based celebrity photographer in the 1990s. She was later accepted into the prestigious painting program at La Massana Fine Arts School in Barcelona, Spain. Though she decided to follow her future husband back to North America before completing the 5-year program, she continued her creative work while raising a family by establishing pop-up family portrait studios in her community. Though a parallel career in clean energy and housing development was recently interrupted, she is excited to capture the world around her again through photography. Her artistic influences include Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sally Mann, Yousef Karsh, Matthew Wong and W.A. Mozart.

Artist Statements: At a time when there are big, dark forces upon us, I want to use my camera to show the crystals of hope and love that are all around us every day in our beloved community. Though the big picture can be overwhelming, there are moments that can inspire and balance us with optimism. These decisive moments are often fleeting and ephemeral, and I don’t always capture them from my fumbling or the movement of the scene. I particularly like the moments that capture multiple spontaneities, rewarding the viewer who finds them.

Beach Rail captures such moments, from the young man smiling on the left to the groups of people enjoying a day at the beach. The black rail is a metaphor for the separation and distancing of these times but is literally turned into something playful by the perspective of the panorama.

Hope, love and spontaneity in everyday life. Caught in a moment but present always.

Patty Hargreaves Empty Bench

Artist Biography: Patty’s artistic work spans decades, starting as a street photographer and darkroom assistant for a Los Angeles-based celebrity photographer in the 1990s. She was later accepted into the prestigious painting program at La Massana Fine Arts School in Barcelona, Spain. Though she decided to follow her future husband back to North America before completing the 5-year program, she continued her creative work while raising a family by establishing pop-up family portrait studios in her community. Though a parallel career in clean energy and housing development was recently interrupted, she is excited to capture the world around her again through photography. Her artistic influences include Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sally Mann, Yousef Karsh, Matthew Wong and W.A. Mozart.

Artist Statement: When we speak about beloved communities, we can’t forget about the huge contribution from our pets.

Research shows that pet ownership can reduce stress, mitigate feelings of loneliness, and help maintain healthy lifestyles through daily walks and movements required for their care. My dog, Wilkins, is my constant companion on my photo walks in the community. I rescued him, then he returned the favour and rescued me, so to speak, with his unconditional love. In this photograph, he is surrounded by lots of community activity, including groups of people pleasantly conversing, eating or riding bikes. Wilkins is another pleasant encounter, patiently waiting, and inviting the viewer to join him on the empty bench behind him.

Hope, love and spontaneity in everyday life. Caught in a moment, but present always.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winner for Visual Art

Jennylynd James Messiah Magic

Artist Biography: Jennylynd James worked for many years in the food industry in the US, Latin America, Europe and Canada. She discovered a hidden talent for art in 2009 while living and working in Ireland. Jennylynd uses the vivid colours of her Caribbean heritage and global travel to influence her artwork. From childhood, Jennylynd played the piano and sang in large choirs. Her recent paintings focus on a passion for stage performance and capturing the joy of making music.

Artist Statement: Music is the food of love and communal singing has been shown to foster feelings of well being and promote health. I sing with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC) and this painting represents TMC performing Handel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Loose brush strokes in acrylic portray the movement and expression of my musical characters at live shows. Messiah is an annual Toronto tradition, bringing together all sectors of the community, transcending differences like creed and race.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winner for Visual Art

Vidya Kumar Unity

Artist Biography:

digital illustration as a way to unwind and express my thoughts - which lead me to create pieces that revolved around political movements, self-care and mental

Vidya Kumar is a self-taught Toronto-based emerging artist who specializes in landscape and

health.

abstract paintings as well as digital illustrations and mixed media projects. Her motivation and goal behind being a part of the art world is to convey meaningful messages and to make

My work thus far has stayed true to my goal and why I paint. The subject

a difference in the community. She has actively taken part in gallery shows, exhibits, and

matter, the theme and the size of each body of work determine which

charity events that enhance the art community and support various causes.

medium I’d be using. Each painting consists of a draft sketch that I build on by doing more research and finding relevant information. As an artist, I am often

Artist Statement:

looking for avenues that foster my growth including learning new techniques to add to my artistic adventures. Personally, being able to connect with my

I believe the importance of art is to tell a story, a way to share our thoughts and ideas with

audience and unifying individuals through my creations to make a change for

the world. My artwork typically revolves around landscapes and abstract skies with hidden

the better is what I value the most.

symbolism that connects with the subject. Often reflecting nature and galaxies, my work explores the importance of maintaining a human connection or a connection to the natural world around us amidst the modern world we live in. My paintings intend to evoke a sense of calmness and/or to create thought-provoking conversations that are relevant to our history, whether it’s the present or moving towards a better future.

My initial interest peaked from a very young age and with the encouragement of my family and the support from school, my love for art and drawing progressed over the years.

Although I was a business major, I made it a priority to take art courses that helped me sharpen my skills. After graduating in 2011, I took orders for custom paintings where I worked with different mediums (such as acrylic paint, oil paint, watercolour, pencil colours, pastels, and ink) on various surfaces (including canvas, acrylic paper, watercolour paper, rice paper, wood, and concrete). Following the success of this new venture, I launched my own website to share my artwork and took part in public art shows both in and out of the country (the Art Galleria Expo, Salon of Inclusiveness (Holiday Show), and Twitter Art Exhibit in New York).

This allowed me to share my passion for creation, enhance my skills and meet members of the art community. This year with all that has been going on around the world, I turned to

Natalie Plociennik Stickin’ It Out

Artist Biography: Natalie is a Fine Artist and Multimedia Creative in Toronto. She draws inspiration from her background in Earth & Environmental Sciences from McMaster University and Fine Arts from Centennial College. Natalie’s art has been featured in a myriad of venues such as the TTC, North Carolina State University, Toronto Maker Festival, and the Artist Network Gallery.

Artist Statement: My style is inspired by a love for iridescent organic figures and linear expression. The themes I explore play on the boundary of my dreams and reality, reflecting on identity, technology and nature. Throughout the process, I use surreal methods including otherworldly scenes, symbolism and biomorphic shapes. I am also influenced by contemporary graphic art and enjoy experimenting with the strange dynamics between flat lines and reflective shapes.

With respect to my piece, “Stickin’ it Out”, I created the portraits for a collaborative installation titled “Love from a Distance”, a public project focusing on strengthening community ties during the pandemic. We photographed a diverse set of people from my neighbourhood in Midtown Toronto, which I re-envisioned in my painterly aesthetic. I incorporated them into a unique Canadian mosaic representing individuality and the current social climate, where people are still looking after one another in their social circles, despite the physical distance.

After a period of virtual meet-ups with our friends and family, many people began to venture out of doors in order to connect with the community. As we explore the green spaces in our neighborhoods and begin to greet increasingly familiar faces in our communities, the comfort we feel from seeing our neighbours begins to blur with the comfort we feel from the great outdoors.

Tamara Masa Vojinovic Subjects in Creativity - Violinist

Artist Biography: My name is Tamara Masa Vojinovic and I am a 23-year old Toronto-based 35mm Film Photographer. I moved to Canada from Serbia at the age of 6, and ever since then, I have considered myself an interdisciplinary artist.

The pandemic has forced me to contemplate time. Time is a defined constant in history as well as a variable to be used for manipulation, and I think it is best tampered with through film photography. The three major series I have been working on are “Artefacts”; using pieces of history within familial lineage as well as my own past in a setting that juxtaposes their importance, “Subjects in Creativity”; artists engaging in their crafts and evoking emotion through movement, and “Muse”; playing around with multiple definitions of the term and capturing individuals in vulnerable states.

Artist Statement: “Subjects in Creativity” is a special series for me and one that I knew I had to submit for the ‘Beloved Community’ exhibition because it focuses on feelings and what individuals evoke during passionate artistic occurrences, and what resonates with the communities engaging with the photograph. In this series, I want audiences to leave behind any negativity that the pandemic has brought and to forget time as a constant. Art is a component through time that, unless labelled, cannot be pinpointed to any specific year, and film photography being the type of art form capturing these moments, makes them even more ephemeral and fluid in time.

“Performing is a euphoric experience I cannot place into words. If only everyone spoke this dialect” (Dorothy Lin, VIOLIN).

“More than just an instrument, it is an extension of me” (Dorothy Lin, VIOLIN).

Tamara Masa Vojinovic Subjects in Creativity - Violinist

Artist Biography: My name is Tamara Masa Vojinovic and I am a 23-year old Toronto-based 35mm Film Photographer. I moved to Canada from Serbia at the age of 6, and ever since then, I have considered myself an interdisciplinary artist.

The pandemic has forced me to contemplate time. Time is a defined constant in history as well as a variable to be used for manipulation, and I think it is best tampered with through film photography. The three major series I have been working on are “Artefacts”; using pieces of history within familial lineage as well as my own past in a setting that juxtaposes their importance, “Subjects in Creativity”; artists engaging in their crafts and evoking emotion through movement, and “Muse”; playing around with multiple definitions of the term and capturing individuals in vulnerable states.

Artist Statement: “Subjects in Creativity” is a special series for me and one that I knew I had to submit for the ‘Beloved Community’ exhibition because it focuses on feelings and what individuals evoke during passionate artistic occurrences, and what resonates with the communities engaging with the photograph. In this series, I want audiences to leave behind any negativity that the pandemic has brought and to forget time as a constant. Art is a component through time that, unless labelled, cannot be pinpointed to any specific year, and film photography being the type of art form capturing these moments, makes them even more ephemeral and fluid in time.

“Performing is a euphoric experience I cannot place into words. If only everyone spoke this dialect” (Dorothy Lin, VIOLIN).

“More than just an instrument, it is an extension of me” (Dorothy Lin, VIOLIN).

Sherlyn Hu Navigating Renewal

Artist Biography: Sherlyn Hu is an emerging artist, an experienced social worker in mental health and seniors’ services, author, and holistic nutritionist in Toronto. Her diverse experiences have enabled her to appreciate the transformative power of communities coming together to nurture wellness, meet individualized needs, and foster peace.

Sherlyn seeks to understand different lived experiences and to empower individuals to enrich their lives through the creative, accessible process of art-making, learning and collaboration. She co-founded a local NGO, BETWEEN Arts and Human Services, to facilitate community art programs bridging arts and human services.

Sherlyn’s artwork has been on display across TTC vehicles in the 2017 “Sketching the Line” program. Her work was featured in “Performing Psychiatry” exhibitions at the University of Toronto in 2016 and 2017. She illustrated and co-authored a self-help book The Break UP Book: Tangible Ways to Get You Back on Your Feet available on Amazon since 2016.

Artist Statement: I pursue the intersection of the arts and health care to celebrate diverse human capacities and explore more creative forms of human care. This illustration is inspired by my patient who described her chronic disease and mental illness experience as a lonely “one-eye traveller.” She yearns to reconnect with life’s basics, the land, water, and the people in her beloved communities, as a sustainable way to thrive.

NATURE In early 2020, there was a temporary drop in carbon dioxide emissions and the majority of people began to work from home. As a result, the natural environment, including animals and plant-life, began to thrive.

When people began to explore outdoors, we were reminded that nature is an accessible source of comfort for all to enjoy. With this enjoyment that nature affords to us, we are reminded of our responsibility to protect the planet.

In thinking about nature and our physical environment, it is important to note that we each have a personal responsibility to know the Indigenous people, territories, languages, cultures, histories, and treaties associated with the places which we visit and inhabit. Please see the resource section at the end of this exhibition to find an interactive map where you can learn more about these subjects.

Creekside (2014), by Emily Harrison. Image by Mural Routes

The Village Mural

Spot the speckled princely frog camouflaged in foliage

Tanya Adèle Koehnke

about to leap over beside the mauve clover his throaty ribbit reverberates in the quiet stillness.

The old library in the village has disappeared

Cherish and conserve our flora and fauna

but its brick wall has not crumbled.

this glorious work of art from God’s brush and palette that connects us to each other everlastingly.

Now a vibrant mural appears cast with wild creatures in nature painted in jewelled colours.

A deer peers out at me she urges me to look carefully at her community.

Another doe in the distance grazes on the bank by the bend of the blue creek gently flowing over rocks.

Perching on a red-berried branch a young noble robin with dotted breast sings sweetly to emerald greenery.

Nearby a turquoise egg nestles in a nest cradled in the crook of a birch tree papery with vellum bark.

Between bold cosmos and innocent daisies a grey hare with an alert stare stops hopping twitches its nose in marshy meadow grasses .

An orange-flecked viridescent turtle stretches her neck and crawls toward the water two nubby pine cones above will soon drop and regenerate.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Second Place Winner 2020 for Writing

Tanya Adèle Koehnke The Village Mural

Artist Biography:

work of art.

Tanya Adèle Koehnke is a member of The Ontario Poetry Society (TOPS) and

I think that the mural is a prelude to, or a sneak peek of, the natural treasures that may be in

the Scarborough Poetry Club. Tanya’s poems have appeared in The Ekphrastic

store for individuals when they visit Colonel Danforth Park, which is located just a little west

Review, The Canvas, Big Arts Book, Canadian Woman Studies, Foreplay: An

of the mural. The words “Eastern Gateway” aptly describe the mural in this context. Even if

Anthology of Word Sonnets, and other publications. Tanya taught English at

individuals cannot physically visit and explore the park, they can bask in its splendour by gazing

several post-secondary institutions in Toronto. Tanya also has a background in

at the glorious mural.

arts journalism.

My poem, “The Village Mural,” is an ekphrastic poem, which is a poem that describes a work of Artist Statement:

art in detail. My poem contains ten three-line stanzas that I wrote in free verse. The free-verse style allowed me to express the randomness and openness of nature while the more contained

The community art project, “Creekside: Eastern Gateway Mural at Highland

stanzas in my poem allowed me to reveal snapshots or vignettes of the flora and fauna in the

Creek (https://muralroutes.ca/mural/creekside),” inspired me to write my poem,

mural, which are joyful to behold.

“The Village Mural.”

While writing “The Village Mural,” I paid special attention to the details in the mural. Finding the I grew up in Highland Creek Village where I have long enjoyed walking through

camouflaged frog in the lower-left corner of the mural, for example, was an unexpected visual

“The Valley,” which is the affectionate name for the Highland Creek area of

occurrence that I tried to capture in words—kind of like a verbal seek-and-find puzzle.

Colonel Danforth Park.

I emphasize imagery, sound, smell, texture, and movement in my poem to mimic what the While I was en route to “The Valley” several years ago, I was struck by a deer

wildlife are doing in the mural and in nature. I think that one’s senses are heightened in nature,

peering out at me from the “Creekside” mural. The mural’s depiction of nature

so I express that sensibility in my poem.

was breathtaking—so pure, vivid, and fresh. The mural immediately captured my attention and my imagination with its colourful portrayal of the harmonious

I wrote “The Village Mural” as a reminder that we must cherish and conserve our ecosystem

relationships that exist in nature.

and its interrelationships, which are similar to the interrelationships in a peopled community.

We must remember that the habitat of our flora and fauna is also our own habitat whose

I was very interested and delighted to learn that youth and other volunteers

sustainability and flourishment we must ensure forevermore.

in the community designed and painted the mural. I respect and admire the collective and creative efforts of those volunteers. They have given the

Significantly, I concluded my poem with a reference to God’s artistry without which the beautiful

community a gift that we can always enjoy because the mural is a permanent

mural, and nature itself, would not exist.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Second Place Winner for Visual Art

Sylvie Stojanovski 43°45’51.1”N, 79°15’56.5”W from the series “Impressions of Place”

Artist Biography: Sylvie Stojanovski an emerging Scarborough-based multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the myriad of relationships we have with the contemporary natural world--from the transience of reflections on water to the complexity of memories of the land we hold from childhood. Her work has been featured at a wide range of galleries and festivals both in-person and online, including Artscape Youngplace, the Bluffs Gallery, the StART Youth Presenting Art Festival and Todmorden Mills Gallery.

Artist Statement: Impressions of Place is a series of 3 multi-layered, mixed media works that capture the essence of places that I once rarely traversed, but now frequent as a result of COVID-19. Through this series, I was interested in exploring how places imprint themselves in our memory. How can one capture the “feeling” of a place, or the ephemerality of natural changes and moments in time, like leaves changing colour, and reflections dancing on a stream?

My final work is an invitation for viewers to contemplate their relationship to the natural world and reconnect with the nostalgia of places hidden deep within the recesses of our memory.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Second Place Winner for Visual Art

Sylvie Stojanovski Artist Biography: Sylvie Stojanovski an emerging Scarborough-based multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the myriad of relationships we have with the contemporary natural world--from the transience of reflections on water to the complexity of memories of the land we hold from childhood. Her work has been featured at a wide range of galleries and festivals both in-person and online, including Artscape Youngplace, the Bluffs Gallery, the StART Youth Presenting Art Festival and Todmorden Mills Gallery.

Artist Statement: Impressions of Place is a series of 3 multi-layered, mixed media works that capture the essence of places that I once rarely traversed, but now frequent as a result of COVID-19. Through this series, I was interested in exploring how places imprint themselves in our memory. How can one capture the “feeling” of a place, or the ephemerality of natural changes and moments in time, like leaves changing colour, and reflections dancing on a stream?

My final work is an invitation for viewers to contemplate their relationship to the natural world and reconnect with the nostalgia of places hidden deep within the recesses of our memory.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Second Place Winner for Visual Art

Sylvie Stojanovski 43°42’56.9”N, 79°13’29.2”W rom the series “Impressions of Place”

Artist Biography: Sylvie Stojanovski an emerging Scarborough-based multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the myriad of relationships we have with the contemporary natural world--from the transience of reflections on water to the complexity of memories of the land we hold from childhood. Her work has been featured at a wide range of galleries and festivals both in-person and online, including Artscape Youngplace, the Bluffs Gallery, the StART Youth Presenting Art Festival and Todmorden Mills Gallery.

Artist Statement: Impressions of Place is a series of 3 multi-layered, mixed media works that capture the essence of places that I once rarely traversed, but now frequent as a result of COVID-19. Through this series, I was interested in exploring how places imprint themselves in our memory. How can one capture the “feeling” of a place, or the ephemerality of natural changes and moments in time, like leaves changing colour, and reflections dancing on a stream?

My final work is an invitation for viewers to contemplate their relationship to the natural world and reconnect with the nostalgia of places hidden deep within the recesses of our memory.

Noaman Rahin GROWTH

Artist Biography: Noaman Rahin is a poet, actor, and filmmaker from Scarborough who uses art as a medium for self-discovery.

Anyone that’s interested in seeing more of my poetry or artistic videos or connecting can add me on IG @ SoulWithFlow or on Facebook: Noaman Rahin.

Artist Statement: “Nature gives us clues about our own nature.

Putting your time, effort and attention towards a goal is like watering that goal.

Until it slowly grows and comes into fruition.

You spend so much time and energy trying to water branches of you. your relationship. your career. your social life. your looks. your reputation. your future Yet, the whole time you haven’t paused to look at the root of you.

At who/what you really are.

To truly seek this as your highest goal is to water your roots When the veil of your identity is removed, all your conditioning and limitations are replaced with incredible love, wisdom and universality.

This tends to all the branches of your life in perfect harmony. By itself.

Who are you?

Tend to your root.

- SOUL FLOW

Noaman Rahin THE ONE STORY TELLER

Artist Biography: Noaman Rahin is a poet, actor, and filmmaker from Scarborough who uses art as a medium for self-discovery.

Anyone that’s interested in seeing more of my poetry or artistic videos or connecting can add me on IG @ SoulWithFlow or on Facebook: Noaman Rahin.

Artist Statement: “Your life is an incredible story being written as we breathe.

And just as any great story would have, there are complex characters (each with their own backstory), conflicts, settings, themes, plots, and narrative arcs.

We all live as the protagonist of our story, attached to the outcomes of our character’s desires and fate.

But all stories must come to an end.

How many will come to know the reader?

- SOUL FLOW

Dana Sewell Now

Artist Biography: Dana has expressed her interest in arts at a very early age. Although educated in fine arts, she had pursued a career in graphic and multimedia design. Art, however, has remained her life-long passion and part of a never-ending journey into exploring and discovering. Dana’s fascination with vivid, vibrant, and highly intense colours and bold expressive brush strokes is prominent in her art. She is constantly experimenting and developing her skills. In recent years she is focusing on facilitating art activities for seniors. Her aim is to encourage people to make art, specifically, art that’s personal, meaningful, and soothing a soul. She is promoting creative self-expressions amongst elders and adults in hope of empowering them which in consequence would contribute to building healthier and stronger communities.

Artist Statement: In times like this --current COVID-19 pandemics-- in order to take care of our mind, body and soul, we turn to nature for comfort. Nature: wildflower meadows, walking trails, conservation forests, beaches, parks and gardens, are the spaces that enhance individual and collective resilience. By being in nature we calm our minds thru escape from the anxieties and stresses of modern life --especially during COVID-19-- an overwhelming amount of information (or misinformation).

“Time to stop and smell the roses”; Time to breath; Time to reflect on what’s important and what’s not; Time to reevaluate our life priorities. And, Time to enjoy what we have and who we are NOW. Nature is nourishing the mind, body and soul; Nature is our well-being.

Dana Sewell Wildflower Meadow

Artist Biography: Dana has expressed her interest in arts at a very early age. Although educated in fine arts, she had pursued a career in graphic and multimedia design. Art, however, has remained her life-long passion and part of a never-ending journey into exploring and discovering. Dana’s fascination with vivid, vibrant, and highly intense colours and bold expressive brush strokes is prominent in her art. She is constantly experimenting and developing her skills. In recent years she is focusing on facilitating art activities for seniors. Her aim is to encourage people to make art, specifically, art that’s personal, meaningful, and soothing a soul. She is promoting creative self-expressions amongst elders and adults in hope of empowering them which in consequence would contribute to building healthier and stronger communities.

Artist Statement: In times like this --current COVID-19 pandemics-- in order to take care of our mind, body and soul, we turn to nature for comfort. Nature: wildflower meadows, walking trails, conservation forests, beaches, parks and gardens, are the spaces that enhance individual and collective resilience. By being in nature we calm our minds thru escape from the anxieties and stresses of modern life --especially during COVID-19-- an overwhelming amount of information (or misinformation).

“Time to stop and smell the roses”; Time to breath; Time to reflect on what’s important and what’s not; Time to reevaluate our life priorities. And, Time to enjoy what we have and who we are NOW. Nature is nourishing the mind, body and soul; Nature is our well-being.

Falling of Father Tree, 1950

Changing the plains of the forest

Angela Chao

Breaking the stillness Breaking the silence

Swirling vivid colours, waltz

He is embedded in mother earth

Illuminated in soothing warmth

His branches, his truck, his leaves

Mesmerizing rumbling clouds

Submerged in the lake

Obstructed by whispering pines,

Returning to the soil, the water, the air

Nestled away, rest inside care

The calmness of the lake is forever disturbed

Comforting echoes of rustling branches

Splashing, crashing waves upon father tree

Honoured by the surrounding forest

Sending emotional ripples across the generations

Arching, reaching, bending in

Droplets trickle across each branch

Organized chaos

Glistening in the sunset

Patches of tranquil sunshine

Winds uplift his spirit

Escaping through the cracks

Floating amongst the clouds, the stars, the universe

Reflected in still water.

Traveling in a space where,

Mirroring versions of reality

He is unconfined to his bed

Father tree, glorious and wise

Captured inside his body

Bounded within his surroundings

Awake and never sleeping

Reaching towards the sun, the air, the sky

Shouting, screaming, needing attention

Shifting to the currents of time

Wishing to be heard, stories to be told

Leaves twirling on branches

Reserved in his own thoughts

Limited by their foundation

As his body withers away

Unaware, he cannot be moved

Now uncontrollable in an controlled environment

Clouds bellow, engulfing the sunlight

New adventures await him

Trees bow, giving praise to his life

Smiling down on his family

As the radiance peaks past the clouds

Tears of comfort and joy, pride and belonging

Embracing Father tree one last time

Waiting for the day we are together reunited

He breathes the majestic air of life

Where warmth surrounds us

At the end of his exhale

Embraced by the sunlight

Tensions, inabilities are let go

Dancing, walking, talking

His limbs fragile and delicate

Gloriously being my father again

Crash into an eternal slumber

Unconstrained by life’s shadows

He is unrooted

Angela Chao Falling of Father Tree, 1950

Artist Biography: Angela suffered 3 major head injuries and was left with health challenges. After her concussion, Angela became a prolific artist and uses art as her tool to communicate. Angela was invited to be a guest speaker at the Brain Injury Association of Canada conference in Toronto. She was awarded an International ad campaign with Mercedes AMG and her short documentary was selected by Cineplex and appeared in all 1,600 Canadian theatres. In 2017, Angela was awarded the Emerging Visual Artist of the year by the Mississauga Arts Council. In 2019, Angela was the recipient of the Community Heritage Award and the Modern Heritage Award for her role in celebrating urban growth and innovation in promoting mental wellness in Mississauga. A constant inspiration to herself, Angela is committed to helping others who may be experiencing a similar situation. Angela is committed to taking a public role in promoting mental health and awareness through her art.

Artist Statement: I am an abstract visual artist and have been for the past 5 years, discovering art after my concussion. Art is how I express my emotions, through colour, shapes, and textures. I can hide what I truly am inside without revealing too much about what’s in my heart.

During this pandemic, I’ve stopped painting. My dad, Simon Chao passed away. I don’t want to deal with it.

Painting would result in an outpour of emotion that I am not ready to deal with. I don’t want to have a memory of him on canvas. This means it’s real. He isn’t here anymore.

After he passed I needed to leave. My husband and I went on a kayak trip away from the world. I needed to be alone and process my feelings. In the kayak, I wrote in a journal. I witnessed the endless cycles of life. How one tree passes and new roots grow within the grooves of the older father tree. At that moment as I finished my poem an outpour of emotion flowed through my body. I felt for the first time I was truthful to my emotions about not being perfectly fine.

After venturing outdoors to explore our surrounding green spaces, a likely next step as a source of comfort might be culture. With the help of the internet, we are able to explore beyond our homes and learn about cultures from all over the world.

WHERE IS THE MAGIC? Denise Kemp I heard it in the whispering of the mystical wind that you found it

I see smiles of reassurance in the eyes of passers by

I heard it in the echoes of the canyons and from the babbling brooks

that no mandatory mask-wearing can ever deny

Where is the magic?

Do I sense a greater sense of appreciation

Does a parent see it in their baby’s new born tears?

when we take off the mask and breathe in the air?

Is it in memories of bygone glory years?

This restless roamer has searched the whole world over;

And will we ever find that wonder again?

Even stumbled one day upon the elusive 4-leaf clover

Is it in the timeless bond between a sister and a brother?

When I had given up all hope of ever finding it.

Is it in the doting love of a father or a mother?

Still I wonder where and when and if I ever found the magic

Was it the butterflies we felt when we fell in love for the first time;

Where is the magic? I hope each and everyone will find it …

When we were young and in our prime?

Where is the magic?

I heard that you found it Is it in all that we do and is it everywhere we go?

Is it the pot of gold waiting at the end of the rainbow?

Could it be in all the simple things like enjoying the wine straight from the vine?

And in the wet smell of the Earth after a rain shower?

Can it be found in the silence of the midnight hour?

I heard it from the chattering birds that you found it They told me that you cherish every single bit of it Where is the magic?

Does it happen when we protect the vulnerable And lend a helping hand to the down-trodden?

Is it in the unconditional love of a dog; that perfect friend and pet?

Is it in their clumsy hugs that make us forget; At least for a while about all the pain and uncertainty in the world Where is the magic?

Will it keep the flag of hope unfurled; Especially during these devastating times Is it my imagination or are people going out of their way to be a little kinder to each other during these dark days?

Denise Kemp WHERE IS THE MAGIC?

Artist Biography: Denise was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She emigrated to Canada in 2012. She works at the Toronto Public Library where surrounded by books, she feels very much at home. She loves her job and helping everyone. Her first literary publication was in the Big Art Book in 2013; that’s where it all began! Her goal is to publish a book of short stories and poems and to complete at least one novella. Through the written word she embarks on many adventures and finds a way, somehow, to bare her soul. She would like to inspire all those souls, put on her path and journey.

Artist Statement: This piece was inspired by a friend of mine in South Africa and also by my daughter. They are both very fond of nature. It was probably inspired too by the wonder and magic I feel inside, despite the harshness and fast pace of the world. I’m always trying to keep alive the sense of wonder and magic that I somehow felt as a child, despite how insecure I was. I’ve always been a bit of a searcher and I think the poem depicts that, as do many of my scribblings. I enjoy sharing the magic that can be created through various art forms, in my case, the written word. And in today’s troubling times, especially now during the pandemic, it’s wonderful to think that the magic is still to be found all over… and within. I hope that everyone finds it in their own way. I wrote this piece in 2010, but I recently edited it quite a bit.

No turning back – a new world is being born Star Nahwegahbo

Once upon time there was a little child who came into this world with gifts of sight.

These gifts caused the child to be so sensitive that he absorbed the energies around him like a sponge. Nonphysical beings would disturb his sleep at night, and his fear silently grew bigger and bigger. He asked the adults around him for help, but they just did not understand, they could not comprehend his world. There’s nothing to be afraid they would say. But as time passed on, his fears grew stronger and his hope began to diminish. His mother could sense he needed help beyond her abilities, she reached out, but her attempts lead to a dead end. Finally, one day someone confirmed the child’s reality and his mother’s fears. She cried out to her ancestors, to the physical and nonphysical beings, to the water, the land, to Creator, to anyone who could hear her plea. “I am lost without a map, I am scared for my only child, most humans cannot understand the forces around us that we cannot see, the ones that don’t want to see us prevail. I am scared because I know I am undertaking an unfamiliar journey to the depths of my soul, where I can’t see, and those around me cannot come, it’s lonely and cold. I could use a light, some guides, nourishment and protection to help get us through” A whole other world had just been revealed to her, and there’s no turning back.

A new world is being born.

Star Nahwegahbo No Turning back - a new world is being born

Artist Biography: Star Nahwegahbo is Ojibway/Scottish from Aundeck Omni Kaning, First Nation. Star is a mother, interdisciplinary artist, front line Social Service Worker of 12 years, and grassroots organizer, currently living in Toronto. Star’s work primarily focuses on motherhood, wellness, healing, land-based and expressive art. Recently she has attended the Indigenous Visual Culture Program at OCAD University and has a background in developing and facilitating community art workshops. As an interdisciplinary artist, Star has explored a wide range of mediums and conceptual themes like the impact of colonial violence on motherhood. Presently, she is leaning into a more spiritually focused practice, while striving to advocate and give voice to the intense hard work and magic that goes into rebuilding self, family and community.

Artist Statements: “No turning back – A new world is being born”: Trusting in spirit to lead us out of debilitating fear and into our power. Oftentimes, in order to find our way we must pave our own paths in the dark, by the moonlit sky.

Madoodoswaan (sweat lodge/womb) - Gestures of appreciation Star Nahwegahbo If I could travel back in time and offer a gesture to the mothers and grandmothers in my life, as you grow in your mother’s womb, I would sing you a song in our language to celebrate your worth, a song to raise you up, honour and acknowledge how much you are appreciated.

In the healing water of cedar, I would bath you and wrap you in its branches, a birthing tradition to welcome you into this world.

Using my voice, I would remind the world that your body is sacred, life giving and powerful. No matter how much colonial violence has imposed itself on you, it cannot touch your spirit or the power you possess.

I thank you for all you have endured, your strength and I offer this gesture of my love and appreciation.

Chi’Miigwetch

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winner for Writing

Star Nahwegahbo Madoodoswaan

Artist Biography: Star Nahwegahbo is Ojibway/Scottish from Aundeck Omni Kaning, First Nation. Star is a mother, interdisciplinary artist, front line Social Service Worker of 12 years, and grassroots organizer, currently living in Toronto. Star’s work primarily focuses on motherhood, wellness, healing, land-based and expressive art. Recently she has attended the Indigenous Visual Culture Program at OCAD University and has a background in developing and facilitating community art workshops. As an interdisciplinary artist, Star has explored a wide range of mediums and conceptual themes like the impact of colonial violence on motherhood. Presently, she is leaning into a more spiritually focused practice, while striving to advocate and give voice to the intense hard work and magic that goes into rebuilding self, family and community.

Artist Statement: “Madoodoswaan”: From the pain of watching and experiencing the impacts of colonization on the psyche of the matriarch, and a strong yearning to heal, I reach back to the generations before me with gifts of compassion and care.

CULTURE

Lockdown has revealed the human need to bond over art and culture. All around the world, artists and creatives have worked together to produce entertaining, thought-provoking, and comforting work for us to enjoy virtually in our homes. The variety ranges from, and is not limited to, books, television, films, theatre, dance, music, artistic workshops, cooking tutorials, festivals, vlogs, and social media. These sources of inspiration and escape have acted as a lifeline for many and has allowed people to learn new skills. Furthermore, art allows us to go on adventures, meet new people, and feel at one with others without even having to leave our rooms. With this cultural shift, communities around the world have been reminded of the power of art and our reliance on artists.

In the last piece of this exhibition, Tina Kabir’s Study, we see a person at home reading a book. Kabir’s statement tells us that the book is about Bangladesh. This piece brings us full circle back to the first source of comfort we explored in this exhibition: Home. But as reflected in this painting, our minds and imaginations can engage with places beyond the home, with the help of writers and creatives all around the world.

Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 First Place Winner for Visual Art

Mahnaz Nezarati Women’s Tea

Artist Biography: Mahnaz Nezarati is a multidisciplinary artist, based in Toronto Canada. Her recent area of focus is on observing, analyzing and defining female identity. Her work is influenced by Middle Eastern, specifically Iranian culture. As a woman born and raised in Iran and immigrated to Canada in 2014, Nezarati started to look deeper into the social and cultural placement of women in her homeland as well as her new home, Canada. In most cases, she refers to her own experiences and memories while she is questioning and investigating many cultural facts and expectations, standards and beliefs which are forced upon women. In her diverse practice of drawing, painting and experimental animation, Nezarati addresses multilayered and deep psychological and social effects on female identity.

Artist Statement:

Women’s Tea depicts relationships between women through a common cultural and social habit of sharing tea. The triptych is composed of three 4x6ft. panels using pastel and pencil on paper.

Drinking tea and coffee is known as a universal social ritual intended as a safe place to engage in new conversations and interactions. Women specifically are expected to use this time to share intimate moments from their private lives with one another. This ritual can bring women together to bond in friendship, but it can also bring uninvited judgment and gossip. I am using the common, seemingly mundane ritual of sharing tea, as a site to excavate more nuanced social and cultural ramification of this experience. This personal piece is about the dualism I experience during that ritual and more broadly about the hidden challenges of living as a woman in an Iranian diaspora.

Karmuhilan Chellakkannu Holy Cow

Artist Biography: Passion for art is something I was born with. I never received any professional training. Although the ways of the world landed me in a different field, my love for art never faded away. I am Karmuhilan Chellakkannu, a software engineer by profession and art is my passion. Art makes me feel at peace and it makes me feel alive. Anything that captivates me, seem to touch my soul and I reflect it on my canvas with bright colours. I choose acrylic and charcoal as my medium on canvas to give shape to my inspirations. Though my style is predominantly contemporary and abstract, I am open to experimenting with other styles that appeal to me.

Artist Statement: According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that cleaning the entrance of our home using water combined with cow-dung and then drawing a spiral pattern with dots called “kolam” brings wealth and prosperity, while also making the place look beautiful and aid in spreading positive vibes. Some intricate patterns are passed on generation after generation. These designs symbolize new beginnings and add aesthetic value to the place.

Along with the act of drawing kolams, feeding the cows in the household is yet another important role that symbolizes welcoming goddess Lakshmi in bringing prosperity to the home. Growing in such an environment made me create a work involving both kolams and cows, symbolizing my cultural background. This painting represents the celebration of Indian culture, as both kolams and cows have cultural and spiritual significance in the daily life of South Indians.

Karmuhilan Chellakkannu Holy Cow

Artist Biography: Passion for art is something I was born with. I never received any professional training. Although the ways of the world landed me in a different field, my love for art never faded away. I am Karmuhilan Chellakkannu, a software engineer by profession and art is my passion. Art makes me feel at peace and it makes me feel alive. Anything that captivates me, seem to touch my soul and I reflect it on my canvas with bright colours. I choose acrylic and charcoal as my medium on canvas to give shape to my inspirations. Though my style is predominantly contemporary and abstract, I am open to experimenting with other styles that appeal to me.

Artist Statement: According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that cleaning the entrance of our home using water combined with cow-dung and then drawing a spiral pattern with dots called “kolam” brings wealth and prosperity, while also making the place look beautiful and aid in spreading positive vibes. Some intricate patterns are passed on generation after generation. These designs symbolize new beginnings and add aesthetic value to the place.

Along with the act of drawing kolams, feeding the cows in the household is yet another important role that symbolizes welcoming goddess Lakshmi in bringing prosperity to the home. Growing in such an environment made me create a work involving both kolams and cows, symbolizing my cultural background. This painting represents the celebration of Indian culture, as both kolams and cows have cultural and spiritual significance in the daily life of South Indians.

Tina Kabir Study

Artist Biography: I am a freelance artist and have also worked as a visual arts teacher.

Artist Statement: I am studying in this painting. Sitting on my favourite chair while I am reading about the 71’s Liberation war in Bangladesh. Here I tried to make my dress decorative. The figure, dress and chair reflect the contrasting colours. On the background surface, I used grey, Crimson red and sap garden for my little garden which separates the canvas in the middle. I want to express here my expression while I was reading that special book.

EXHIBITION CONCLUSION In times of need, these sources of comfort and support have come to the forefront in our lives. We honour our homes, ourselves, our communities, nature, and culture, as well as the people who work behind the scenes to create and protect these sources of comfort. To ensure that these sources live on strongly, we must continue to work to protect our homemakers, ourselves, our communities, our planet, and artists.

Once again, we would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Ontario Arts Council, City of Toronto, and Cedar Ridge Creative Centre for supporting this exhibition. Thank you also to the artists in our community who have responded to this year’s topic, “Beloved Community”, with your artwork; we are grateful for your submissions.

The 35th Annual Juried Exhibition (AJE) would not have been possible without the assistance of our amazing Scarborough Arts team and jurors. I want to thank our fantastic 2020 AJE production team consisting of Nadira Narine (Virtual Exhibition Design and Big Art Book Design), Tracy Kong (AJE Curation and Exhibition Didactics), Durga Rajah (AJE Coordination and Jurying Assistance) Peter Drohan (Program Assistant and Scarborough Sign Project Lead), Sade Petlele ( Marketing & Communications Assistant) and Derek Spooner (Executive Director ) who have made this online exhibition and Big Art Book possible. I would like to give special mention to our jurors Sarvenaz Rayati (Visual Arts) and Natasha Ramoutar (Writing) for their time and expertise in jurying this exhibition. I would finally like to give thanks to all of those artists whose works, stories, and writing are contained within this book and exhibition. Art can be a catalyst for social change, and through acts of sharing through art we are able to shape our communities into worlds that hold us, always, in times of need.

Congratulations to the winners of the Annual Juried Exhibition 2020 for Visual Art: Mahnaz Nezarati (First Place), Sylvie Stojanovski (Second Place), and for Writing: Ashley Gittens (First Place), Tanya Adele Koehnke (Second Place), for their outstanding work.

Congratulations to our Scarborough Arts Staff Pick Winners Jennylynd James and Vidya Kumar for VIsual Art and Krystal Kavita Jagoo and Star Nahwegahbo for Writing.

We invite you to visit https://scarborougharts.com/35th-annual-juried-exhibition-beloved-community/ to view the Big Art Book and virtual exhibition which will be permanently available on our website.

Further Readings and Resources Scarborough Arts Land Acknowledgment Page: http://scarborougharts.com/about/land-acknowledgment/ Recent attacks on Mi’kmaq lobster fisherman: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/10/14/mikmaq-chief-slams-nova-scotia-fishery-violencethey-are-getting-away-with-these-terrorist-hate-crime-acts.html Take Action to Protect Mi’kmaq Rights to Fish: https://www.collectiveaction.ca/takeaction/mikmaq-rights-to-fish Origin of Black Lives Matter Movement “Herstory” Link and Reference: https://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/ Interactive “Native Land” Map: https://native-land.ca/

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