Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: "From Canada With Love", group exhibition, Pennello Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, June 4 - July 5, 2010
"Not In My Back Yard", solo exhibition, Mixed Media, Hamilton, ON, May 1 - 31, 2010
"AGH Spring Sale", Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Apr. 28 - currently running
"The Artist Project", Queen Elizabeth Building, CNE, Toronto, Mar. 4 - 7, 2010
"Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition", 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: Recent Exhibitions: Toronto One of a Kind Shows (Spring 2010 & Xmas 2009), Toronto Fashion Week Designers Market, Vancouver One of a Kind Show, Toronto Clothing Show.
Work: Biko Jewellery, founder (2005) & sole designer
Education: Image Arts, New Media Studies undergraduate degree, Ryerson University.
Artist Statement: Biko is a 'vintage meets modern' jewellery line possessing a natural, time-worn look with a twist. In my work, I mix the curious with the contemporary, combining semi-precious stones and tie-die ribbons with raw chains of brass, and contrasting functioning miniature antique wonders (such as kaleidoscopes, telescopes and magnifiers) with simple strands of chain. I also work with crystal, pearl and lucite, integrating them into necklaces, earrings and bracelets in interesting and non-typical ways. With each piece, crafted by my own hands, I attempt to create an irregular beauty; a modern sort of nostalgia.
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: I graduated from OCAD with a BFA in 2006. Since then I have worked at Brushstrokes Fine Art Inc. as enhancing artist, and done various commissions of portraits and reproductions. I have volunteered my time for mural painting and organized art shows at Uprising in Kensington Market. I exhibited my paintings at Cedar Ridge Gallery in Scarborough, as well as Godor Club in Budapest, Hungary. My most recents group shows were Urban Botany at Hotshot, and Big Art for Little Minds in Woodbridge.
Artist Statement: My work aims to paint faces on the characters, scenes and archetypes of my subconscious, to recreate them physically, read them symbolically, and allow them to interact in a painting. Their emotional turbulence is suggested by the abstraction of colour and space within a recognizable scene. In an effort to reveal mysteries about humans to themselves, I bring visions from a subconscious world into reality, blurring the boundaries between them and depicting both on one picture plane.
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: I am a juried member of the Buffalo Society of Artists. Background in fibers & painting and have been a weaver, papermaker, and most recently create assemblages from found objects. Recent exhibitions include:
1) 14th Annual Juried Members Exhibition, Western NY Artists Group, Buffalo NY, April 2010
2) Solo Exhibition, Buffalo Artscape Gallery, Buffalo, NY, Dec. 2009
3) Annual Catalogue Show, Buffalo Society of Artists, 2009 (Award winner), 2008, 2007
4) Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2009, 2007
Artist Statement: I have a history of ferreting out old boxes, wood foundry patterns, photographs, papers, metals, stamps,books, natural objects and other ‘stuff’ from everywhere. I collect and sort intriguing items from all over.
Each of my pieces of art is a one-of-a-kind assemblage or collage. I use many ‘vintage’objects, often those neglected or discarded. I treasure those that speak of past lives and vocations. This past year much of my work has focused on the waste of materials and the need to reuse.
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: I graduated from the Alberta College of Art and attended the Illustrators workshop in New York. In the past I have illustrated for books, magazines, posters and have received numberous awards. A selection of clients include Esquire, Newsweek, Burns Fry and Onex Corporation. In recent years I have set aside illustration allowing me to focus all of my creative energy on fine art painting. My first solo show was with Muse Gallery in March 2008. I have participated in a number of group shows with Muse Gallery from 2008 to 2010. I have donated a painting to Art Gems 2010 art auction.
Artist Statement: My abstract paintings encourage a visual exploration that hinges on landscape and habitats with a fleeting nod to science. Organic forms are both revealed and concealed amidst layers of more geometric structured forms. The surface of the canvas is activated by the thick impasto and then is controlled or reigned in by the geometric forms. My paintings reveal themselves as I paint but are also reflections upon nature, buildings and memories. By using a combination of these references that are never allowed to fully manifest into recognizable objects, I attempt to maintain an open-ended dialogue with the viewer. This soft focus organic approach must also strike a balance with the more structured forms and if successful it should create secondary interests.
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: Art Doll Gallery 'Dolls Again' 2009, 'Art Winter Fantasy' 2010 A regular exposition of the dolls and paintings.
Parkdale Crafters Market - A regular participant from 2005 to 2009
Clay and Paper Theatre - Artist-Painter (contracts and volunteering from 2004)
A regular participant in different annual exhibits of fine art and theatre artists in Toronto, Moscow, Spain and France.
Artist Statement: After graduating from Art College (Fine Art) and University of Theatre (Faculty of Puppetry) in St. Petersburg Russia, I spent most of my professional life working in different puppet theatres as an artist-designer, also I spent about 20 years making fine art. My art is inspired by puppet theatre and as a consequence I see life a little bit from a distance as an audience in theatre and my painting looks like watching a large puppet theatre. I like to paint the scenes of Toronto, where I'm living now, and of the people who live in old homes. The homes, like people, have their individual personalities. The city streets, homes and people come alive. I try to incorporate elements of theatre and painting within the humorous, beautiful and observant. I like to use acrylic, oil and pastels for my painting. I also use different graphic materials.
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: Recent Exhibits
Sunnyside Juried Art Show, Sunnyside Pavillion, May 2010
Lazybones w/special guests, the Drake Hotel, Queen St W, Toronto, ON May 2010
Group show, Gallery Hittite, Scollard Street December 2009
St. Clair Art Walk Outdoor Market , St Clair West, September 2009
Life in the Cemetery Group Exhibit, Sidespace Gallery St Clair West, January 2009
new-Re-new Group Exhibit, Sidespace Gallery St Clair West, November 2008
Not Just A One Trick Pony Group Exhibit, Queen St. East, August 2008.
Education
Sept. 1992 - May 1995 Brock University - Fine Arts Major
Recent Exhibitions, Work AND Education: I graduated from the University of Guelph with a BA in fine art in 2007. Since this time I have worked part time as a studio assistant for Guelph printmaker Tammy Ratcliff.
I have exhibited at the QWAC for the past two years, first as part of the West end Print Collective and last year with my solo work. I most recently exhibited as part of the print collaborative Rabbit or Fish at the Sunnyside Juried art show May 28-30th.
Upcoming solo shows include the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition and Guelph Art on the Street.
Artist Statement: Now a printmaker I began my art studies in sculpture. Like in sculpture, I am attracted to the technical processes and problem solving involved in printmaking.
My subject matter is inspired by the complex arrangements found in botanical imagery. I enjoy the ability of the images to take on new life in their fragile microscopic form. I combine the botanical images with images of human anatomy and wildlife, often abstracted or fragmented, to create delicate compositions. Starting with these images I use pasting technique called chine-collé, where I integrate several layers of prints on fine Japanese papers.
 "Leverton_Diversion2.jpg")
 "Leverton_Greywall2.jpg")
 "Leverton_SlightReturn2.jpg")
 "Leverton_Facade2.jpg")
 "Biko_Kaleidoscope.jpg")
 "Biko_Lila_Safari_Necklace.jpg")
 "Biko_Charlie_Necklace.jpg")
 "Biko_Capsule_Necklace.jpg")
 "DSC_3330.jpg")
 "paintings 2 044.jpg")
 "paintings 2 019.jpg")
 "paintings 2 001.jpg")
 "Through the Porthole.jpg")
 "Waste Not Want Not.jpg")
 "Dont Judge this book by its cover.jpg")
 "The Sentry.jpg")
 "Belmore1.JPG")
 "Belmore2.JPG")
 "Belmore3.JPG")
 "Belmore4.JPG")
 "Lipovskaya1.jpg")
 "Lipovskaya2.gif")
 "Lipovskaya3.jpg")
 "Lipovskaya4.jpg")
 "coming_ashore.jpg")
 "first_paddle.jpg")
 "ahhh_mom.jpg")
 "monkey_toes.jpg")
 "Lobb_BlueSparrow.jpg")
 "Lobb_untitled.jpg")
 "Lobb_push.jpg")
 "Lobb_blacklegged_kittiwake.jpg")