August 29 – September 7, 2024
The Riverdale Hub Gallery
1326 Gerrard St East, 3rd Floor
This summer, VIBE Arts was invited by the Gardiner Museum to collaborate on their 2024 Community Art Spaces Program. This year’s featured summer presentation celebrates the theme “Fostering Connections.” Ten emerging artists from diverse disciplines and with limited ceramic experience to reflect on their own personal histories, inspirations, and cultures. Using the medium of clay, they explored aspects of their identity ranging from family and tradition to food and nature, resulting in works that express their unique perspectives while highlighting broader connections between clay, creativity, and community.
Workshops were held off site in July and August in partnership with Clay Space, guided by ceramic artist and mentor Adam Williams. The workshops create space for the artists to build meaningful relationships and develop narratives as they learn techniques ranging from coiling to mold pressing. The culmination of their work will be presented at The Riverdale Hub Gallery. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the artists and discover how working with clay can foster and nurture connections within our communities and ourselves.
Free Public Celebration on September 7
Join VIBE and the Gardiner Museum at The Riverdale Hub Gallery on September 7 at 2 pm for a public celebration and discover how these emerging artists, through their work with clay, have built connections that embody their personal growth and shared narrative. Learn more about the event and the Community Art Spaces project.
Participating Artists:
Shamiso Chigwende is a globally raised, self taught visual artist and nerd of Zimbabwean descent. Her creative realm is primarily visualized through illustrations, comics, and animation. Having moved from Texas to Zimbabwe, and Montreal to Toronto, Shamiso is still finding bits of herself in each new place. She’s had the pleasure of collaborating with local artists as part of the AGO Youth Council, presenting her first animated short at the TIFF Next Wave festival, and being a part of the VIBE Arts NExT Cohort.
Betiel Ghirmay is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto, currently pursuing her studies in drawing and painting at OCAD University. Her diverse body of work is deeply influenced by her Eritrean heritage, reflecting a vibrant blend of cultural themes and contemporary techniques. Betiel’s art has been showcased at the Papermill Theatre and Gallery. As an active Vibe Arts member, she assists in creative workshops in schools and teaches traditional Eritrean Jebena workshops, fostering cultural appreciation.
Pixel Heller is a multidisciplinary artist and designer currently based in Toronto. She delves into various mediums including painting, photography, performance, and textiles. Her creative journey is deeply influenced by her identity as a woman of Afro-Caribbean descent. Pixel explores themes of Black identity, carnival masquerade, cultural fluidity, and the preservation of cultures. She graduated from OCAD University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cross-Disciplinary Studies with a specialization in Life Studies.
Christopher Sun Jae Lee, also known as SUN, is a self-taught, second-generation Korean Canadian artist specializing in pseudo-graffiti and swag-style illustrations. He is dedicated to pushing boundaries and discovering new creative avenues to express himself (currently in ceramics, fashion, and cardboard sculptures). With his bold style, he embraces each project as an opportunity to share his love for the artistic process and aims to inspire others along the way. With his sights set on becoming a world-class artist, this is just the beginning of SUN’s journey.Soka Lazara (she/her) is a lens-based artist and community arts facilitator of Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, French-Canadian, and German heritage, based in Mississauga. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Graduate Certificate in Arts Education and Community Engagement from Centennial College. Her artistic practice delves into themes of storytelling, identity, family lineages, and personal experiences.
Caylen Monroe is a queer and non-binary multidisciplinary artist, figurative painter, muralist, and emerging installation artist. They’re interested in art-making as a form of storytelling and an act of community care. Through a maximalist approach to colour, their practice aims to facilitate spaces of rest, playfulness, and queer joy. Caylen’s work often explores themes of belonging, home, identity, and seeks to foster loving environments.
Muna Muse (Muna-Moon Muse) is a multifaceted visionary from Toronto, driven by a profound desire to weave tales of retrospection through the lens of her camera and her art. Hailing from a diverse background, and with a keen understanding of the interplay between natural light and composition, Muna employs her technical prowess to capture scenes that transcend the ordinary, infusing them with a sense of wonder and introspection.Michelle Ruiz is a rising multidisciplinary Latina Canadian Artist who communicates her culture, community, and life experiences through her art. She is dedicated to amplifying voices unheard; she aims to create pieces that resonate with the silenced. “In my artistic journey, growth is a constant concept for me. Every brush stroke, every creation, is another step forward. Exploring new techniques and embracing challenges is like unlocking new chapters of self-discovery. It’s not just about my artwork; it’s about evolving as an artist, finding my unique style with every piece that I produce.”
Rabiyah Sagheer is a Canadian-Pakistani interdisciplinary artist based in Toronto, explores the convergence of traditional media, textiles, and design. Her work, situated at the intersection of personal, social, and political themes, draws inspiration from culture, memory, and dreamscape, creating a captivating dialogue between her cultural heritage and contemporary experiences. An emerging artist and designer, Sagheer graduated with a BFA distinction in Drawing and Painting, accompanied by a Minor in Material Arts and Design-Textiles from OCAD University.
Yuhan Zhao is a first-generation Chinese Canadian. She has worked in a multitude of mediums including digital, photography, and lithography. Her work is often introspective, exploring the themes of the self, identity, as well as memories. Her works are shaped by her experiences growing up in both China and Canada while simultaneously existing as a neurodivergent individual. Apart from her artistic endeavors, she is in her third year studying design at York University and interning at IBM.