Discover the artists of SimArts 2025

About the Artist

A bit about yourself:

I am a first-year student studying visual arts at uOttawa; I work across multiple mediums, including digital arts, photography, drawing, painting and sculpture. I am interested in the way that creativity translates through different mediums and enjoy experimenting with tools that are new to me; subjects like space, time, memory and identity are topics that influence my work. My goal is to create compelling artwork that interacts with its surroundings and influences the way that people view the world.
 

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

If I could meet any artist, it would be Picasso; I am inspired not only by his devotion and excitement for his work, but also by the way that he challenged conventional ways of seeing. I am drawn to the way he visually remoulds things, highlighting certain aspects and features of his subject. I intend on building off of cubism, mending it with other styles in an experimental manner that creates something bizarrely new.
 

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The Department of Visual Arts has helped my practice by providing me with an exceptionally inspirational environment; from comforting studios to intelligent professors, I am provided with a place in which my ideas are heard and matter. There is also lots of room for experimentation and reaching beyond your comfort zone; although there have been learning curves, I’ve been presented with so many new ideas and possibilities. The Department of Visual Arts is helping me evolve into the artist that I want to be.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

I start my photo shoots with a concept in mind and then engage in a dance or sometimes battle with the camera. I treat my shoots as a performance piece in itself, not necessarily caring about the outcome but enjoying the moment and the feelings throughout the process.

A bit about yourself:

I am a second-year BFA student with an interdisciplinary focus on digital and analog photography, sculpture and painting. My work explores themes of femininity, identity and the deeply personal and familial experiences of navigating hereditary mental illness.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

I would meet Diana Thorneycroft. My digital photography professor showed me a book of her work, and I fell in love. She did very creative, out-of-the-box work in the darkroom and in camera using a lot of props. Her themes are very inspirational, and the way she executes her thought process is so successful, I hope to obtain this form of clarity in my art one day with the same level of experimentation.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The visual arts department has helped shape me as an artist by giving me access to explore many different disciplines and meet exceptionally experienced professors. Without the visual arts department, I would not have found my love for photography and sculpture. The friendliness and desire to help students that the staff have has made my experience a phenomenally welcoming and enlightening one. I would not have learned the amount of skills and enjoyed the process as much if there were not this welcoming and encouraging aura to the visual arts department.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

My work generally deals with personal or familial experiences; I usually begin with a concept and then consider how I might be able to depict that concept visually. Sometimes I struggle with both concept and visual and have to lie on my floor until I come up with something I’m happy with.
 

A bit about yourself:

I’m primarily interested in painting, and whenever I diverge, I usually find myself thinking that whatever I’m making would be much better as a painting.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

I love Peter Doig’s work, and I really admire his creative process. I’d love to discuss with him how he became the titan of contemporary art that he is today.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

I believe that the most efficient way to improve as an artist is to surround yourself with fellow artists who are also trying to grow and better their own practices; an example of one such environment would be the Department of Visual Arts. As my second year draws to a close and I watch my friends and classmates push themselves, I can’t help but strive to do the same.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

During the creation process, I always try to envision what the end goal would look like, along with what items and details I want to add to achieve my desired feel. I generally work quite spontaneously, with days where either a lot of progress is done or little to none.
 

A bit about yourself:

I am interested in many aspects of visual arts, especially painting. I enjoy the versatility and how it seems like an ephemeral match, as I feel there is a point of completion and I only revisit to analyze but not work on it again.
 

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

If possible, I would want to meet Gustave Moreau, as I really admire his composition and colour palette. Furthermore, I enjoy how he paints faces and how he subtly makes particular parts of the painting eye-catching.
 

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The visual arts department provided valuable opportunities and insights through not only courses but also the facilities available. The group critiques also greatly motivated me to improve my work ethic and see what others have created.

About the Artist

A bit about yourself:

I am a BFA student at the University of Ottawa. I love to express messages and make change. I do not have specific mediums I prefer to practise, as everything has its own purpose, though I tend to lean towards painting. I’ve always wanted to help people, and so my art has always followed that direction. Whether it be inspiring or inflicting thought, my goal is to invoke feeling and thought upon others.
 

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

Tahlia Stanton is an artist I’ve always wanted to have a conversation with. I love her; she has such a beautiful approach to her technical side, and her feelings side of her paintings. Tahlia has inspired me since Grade 10 in high school, and will continue to as she changes how she practises her art.
 

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

I find myself guided toward my own practice more than ever. In high school, I was encouraged, though in this program, I find the one-on-one opportunities with professors keeping me in check with my practice. From the very few studio classes I’ve had (four now), I’ve found my voice is becoming refined. I’m discovering myself more than ever! I’m so excited for what I have planned, you don’t even know!!! I’ve got a lot of ideas.

About the Artist

Description of your creative process:

I collect several images of personal and impersonal origin. In particular, I have chosen to focus on my heritage and culture in these series. I often collage different elements from different images/photographs to create a composition, which I use as a reference to paint.

A bit about yourself:

Ishani is a visual artist specializing in oil painting, combining the technical mastery of Western classical art with themes centred on Indian womanhood. Her work delves into the resilience, strength and duality of empowerment and oppression experienced by women in India, drawing inspiration from cultural narratives, mythology and personal experience. Currently completing her final year in the Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Ottawa, she seeks to bridge cultural perspectives through her art. Her pieces, rich in intricate details and elegance, celebrate the divine feminine while sparking meaningful dialogue about gender and societal norms.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

This is a cliché answer, but Leonardo da Vinci or Claude Monet.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

It has exposed me to different views concerning the scope of what art is and can be. It has challenged me to question my practice of painting, my subjects, my ideas and my own identity.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

I enjoy representing my culture through referencing Woodland art and symbolism. I tend to create my ideas in my sketchbook, then employ them all together in final paintings. I find my references and inspiration everywhere in life.

A bit about yourself:

I am a Queer Indigenous painter from downtown Ottawa. Being urban-born and a child of a Sixties Scoop survivor meant that I was raised outside of traditional Indigenous culture. I believe it’s incredibly important to share my family’s story within my works, and to create a visual presence for the grossly under-represented urban Indigenous experience.
I enjoy combining elements of Anishinaabe Woodland-style painting with my formal education in art. I tend to incorporate Woodland iconography within my three-dimensional spaces.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

Benjamin Chee Chee.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The visual arts department has provided me the community I needed to develop my practice. Access to feedback and collaboration is imperative to fine arts.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

This piece was done for my intro to painting class, with a prompt “Ugly/Beautiful.” I wanted to paint with a harmonious palette while illustrating an upsetting aspect of depression. I started with multiple sketches and then took an enormous amount of reference photos. As for the painting aspect, I found my favourite part to be painting the sheets since this is when it truly started to come together. However, overall, dripping the wax was by far the highlight of this piece for me. I look forward to working more with 3D elements in the future.
 

A bit about yourself:

My name is Nicole Horgan, and I am a third-year student in interdisciplinary studies at uOttawa. This was my first painting class at university and has cemented my interest in visual arts. My focus in art surrounds moths, and a huge amount of my work integrates them in some manner.
 

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

I would love to meet Claude Monet and hear his process with Water Lillies. I was fortunate enough to have seen some of them in France and was completely blown away by both the scale and fluidity of the brush strokes.
 

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

I would like to thank Sarah Tompkins for being such a wonderful introduction to my experience with the visual arts department. Her teaching has absolutely helped shape me into a better artist, both in my navigation of the art world socially and with my approach of painting. I believe she has made a huge impact not only on me but on many other students, and I cannot thank her enough. She is an inspiration, and I am forever grateful for her dedication and passion that was so clearly evident throughout the course.

About the Artist

A bit about yourself:

I am a third-year Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate at the University of Ottawa. My main medium is photography, which I use to inform my other artistic practices. I enjoy street photography, as well as pulling inspiration from history and literature. I also love working with film by mixing analog darkroom techniques with contemporary photo practices and mixed-media collaging.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

I would choose to meet Henri Matisse, as he has a wide variety of practices over his career that interest me. I love the bright colours and figuration of the Fauvist era, and I especially admire his many goldfish paintings. I also love his cut-out works in the last decade of his life, which have inspired paintings and collages of my own.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The visual arts department has offered me an avenue to explore mediums in a way I never had access to as a beginning artist. Through the darkrooms and the amazing photo/media professors and technicians, I have discovered my love for photography. Through the advice of staff and peers, I have developed work and new ideas in a way I never would have if I had not gone to art school and been surrounded by creatively minded people.

About the Artist

A bit about yourself:

Third-year BFA; main medium is illustrating in graphite, though I also dabble in acrylic painting and photography. Hopefully in the future, I can do some kind of illustration job, or otherwise do something related to art. Also, I have read over 3 million words’ worth of fanfics.
 

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

There are a few online artists and writers I kind of want to interact with. I just have no overwhelming need to meet any famous artists face to face right now.
 

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

I was introduced to some fun techniques/tools, and was able to create some interesting art pieces, many of which I would like to expand upon. It also introduced me to some students and profs that I wish to keep in contact with.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

With every work I create, I’m always trying to experiment. I worked in a bakery for a few years. We made cakes decorated with flowers. I remembered how to make those flowers, so I wanted to try it out, but with paint this time. As for the heart and the white worms, I like to make things that look grotesque. A lot of my other works feature the body or body parts.

A bit about yourself:

I’m an artist who loves to try out different ways of creating an art piece. I do a lot of experimenting to make the creative process interesting and discover new techniques. My goal is to have fun and to find new things that excite me, even within my existing passion — art.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

If I could, I’d want to meet them all, but I think Yayoi Kusama would be my first choice.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The Department of Visual Arts introduced me to other people who are passionate about art. My professors, my classmates and my friends who are also studying art bring me new perspectives that drive me to create new things so I can become the best artistic version of myself.

About the Artist

A bit about yourself:

My name is Viet Khanh Nguyen, and I am from Vietnam. Our family moved to Ottawa and has lived here for 8 years. I am in the BFA program and currently in my third year. I’m focusing on painting with acrylic, as it is faster to work with. Besides painting, I also enjoy drawing, scrapbooking, reading, playing the piano, knitting and building dioramas with cardboard. I work at McDonald’s as a part-time job.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

If I could meet any artist, dead or alive, I would like to meet Sandy Skoglund, Matthias Weischer and David Schnell.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The department has helped me grow as a painter through the encouragement of painting on larger surfaces and being swift in sketching overall compositions before going in with details when starting a painting. I was advised to be mindful of my colour palette. Furthermore, I adopted the habit of browsing the library and looking for books of contemporary artists to obtain inspiration and learn from observing the images of their works. Most importantly, I have learned to appreciate contemporary artworks, such as fibre art and immersive installations, instead of discarding them as rubbish and only praising paintings of the past.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

I created my own painting of objects that meant me in 3D and placed them where I needed to be on the canvas so that I could shine the most when I was in the middle of the mirror. Although there are objects that mean me, I put a round mirror in the middle, meaning that it’s myself that means as much as I do in the mirror.

A bit about yourself:

I am a BFA student at uOttawa. I am focusing on paintings and drawings from my hearing and thoughts mainly.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

Van Gogh. I would like to ask why he vividly captured his experience, such as his feelings and depression, and how he evaluated himself while expressing it.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

They gave me confidence and courage because I had a hard time expressing myself. And I was able to share the art values and skills of many people with various artworks and their explanations, give them various experiences and knowledge, and help me build my own style of work. I feel grateful for continuing to inform the depth of many arts.

About the Artist

A bit about yourself:

I’m a Congolese international student in the visual arts program at the Faculty of Arts. As a multidisciplinary artist and innovator, I’ve been passionate about a variety of techniques (painting, drawing, sculpting, installations and design) since I was a young child. My day-to-day inspiration comes from life, the environment and nature, which produce artistic challenges and opportunities for fulfilment. This means I have a range of opportunities to grow, thrive and create, encouraging me to discover new methods, subjects and media while boosting my creativity and confidence.
 

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863), the master of romanticism. He’s one of those artists whose works have done the most to fuel my imagination with the way they depict history, myths, stories, legends, etc.
 

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

The Department of Visual Arts has helped me hone my skills as a visual artist by encouraging me to explore my creativity in depth. With support from my professors, I got out of my comfort zone, allowing me to try new things in the art world.

About the Artist

Description of the creative process:

My creative process for this piece was one of great frustration but overwhelming reward. Staring at a photo of your own face for hours on end when you have a very warped perception of how you look is a challenge in itself. Then, having to properly portray it the way others see you is even more difficult. However, the more I got into this painting, the more I realized I should follow the feeling. Channel the inner feelings of Ophelia rather than paint my own frustration. This is by far my favourite piece I have made for this reason.

A bit about yourself:

I am a third-year visual arts student with a special interest in religious/cultural art forms. I have taken up a minor in religion to better understand the history of art and the symbols we see so often. I have a deep interest in history and humans in general. Capturing the beauty of our world and people themselves is all I hope to accomplish.

If you could meet any artist dead or living, who would it be?

Vincent van Gogh. As someone who has a deep passion for art and deals with many of the same mental challenges and illnesses he did, it’s an inspiration. The first time I saw “The Starry Night,” I knew I wanted to be able to paint like that one day. I fell in love with art itself because of him and his colour work. I take inspiration from him daily in my painting and passion.

How has the visual arts department helped shape you as an artist?

This department has helped my ability so much. Between Andrew Morrow dragging me out of my comfort zone, Jennifer’s encouragement and Cristian Zaelzer’s precise critique, my art is incomparable to before I arrived. It truly seems like a different person. I have found myself and my people in this program, and I finally truly believe I have an artistic voice.