Introducing: the Akin Davisville Kiln Share

Akin Davisville
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We’re thrilled to announce that a kiln is coming to Akin Davisville! The kiln is owned and operated by Akin Davisville’s own ceramic artist, Andrea Liao.

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Alysha Rocca at the Akin Vitrine Gallery

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Alysha Rocca’s exhibition, An Extension of Myself at the Akin Vitrine

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Join us at the Remote Gallery Winter Art Market & Exhibition!

Remote Gallery
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Just in time for the holiday season, we’re excited to invite you to the Remote Gallery Winter Art Market & Exhibition. Come support local artists and grab the perfect handmade gifts for your loved ones. Akin artists from across the city will be selling ceramics, paintings, jewellry, illustrations, crafts and more!

DATE: Sunday December 7, 2025

TIME: 1 - 6pm

LOCATION: Remote Gallery, 568 Richmond St W

Free to attend, everyone welcome!

Featuring 15 Artists and Makers:

Amos Marsters @aquariustheghost

Atelier Cassis

Beyond Arts www.beyondarts.ca

Pauline Douady @pauline_douady

Eddie Chong

EvanK @evank_paints

I Spin Clay @ispinclay

ink & anchor studio @inkandanchor_

Studios Galuppo @StudiosGaluppo

Katryna Shreyer @katryna35mm

Tai’s Art @jayutai

Leila Refahi @leilarefahi.art

Studio Lü @studio.lu.yyz 

Jessica O’Lear @jessica_olear

Olivier Forgues @olivierforguesart

We can’t wait to see you there. Follow @akinprojects on Instagram for artist highlights and event updates!

Accessibility information: Remote Gallery is located at street level and has a step-free entrance, with step-free access throughout the gallery space and in both gender-neutral washrooms. The entrance doors are 37" wide and operated by a push button system.

The washroom doors are not automated and have round door knobs. Each washroom provides a 5' turning radius, and the toilets are not raised. For more details about accessibility at Remote Gallery click here.

Remote Gallery, 568 Richmond St W

 

Two of Toronto’s biggest craft shows are featuring Akin members this year! 

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December is a big month for craft lovers in Toronto! Two of Toronto’s biggest craft shows, City of Craft and the One of a Kind show, and will be happening, and Akin Members are taking part. To celebrate, we’re highlighting these four amazing artists. 

City of Craft 

City of Craft is one of the city’s most beloved holiday markets, with over 60 vendors from across Ontario and beyond.   

December 5-7th, Sensory sensitive hour 11am-12pm  

The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen Street West

——— Check out the Akin Members Participating in The City of Craft ———

Amita Sen Gupta from Akin Niagara 

Amita will be selling prints and cards of “My Neighborhood Memento” series, which includes a variety of greeting cards and high quality prints of original oil painted Toronto neighbourhood building mementos that are architecturally cherished and imbue the lives, stories, and history of our city.

Amita Sen Gupta is a Toronto based artist behind ‘My Neighbourhood Memento’. Her oil paintings of old historic and neighbourhood buildings have been exhibited at Gallery 1313, Preservation House, and local fairs & markets. To Amita these architectural buildings have lives, stories and history that are revered. “In our ever changing city one never knows when a place becomes another, vacant, or removed”. Her drawing and painting of a historic house in Parkdale, Toronto, titled “Yuletide In Muddy York” was awarded and selected by ‘Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Centre’ for a Toronto Holiday Ornament in 2007 and her painting is part of their collection. Some of her neighbourhood prints can be purchased at Soho Art Framing in Toronto.

Connect with Amita:
@my_neighborhood_memento
amitasengupta.com/neighborhood-series

Detail of Skyline Restaurant painting, Amita sitting in her Akin Niagara studio and detail of Revue Cinema painting.

Prints, detail of The Abbott painting and Cards from “My Neighbourhood Memento”.

Bettina Westwood Ceramics, from Akin Dupont 

Bettina Westwood creates both wheel thrown domestic items and sculpture from her Akin Dupont studio. Inspired by the meeting of form and colour, she makes carefully considered objects meant to bring happiness. Bettina will be bringing a selection of mugs with two-tone slip colours—some adorned with flowers—as well as tumblers with wool sleeves, vases, pedestal bowls, and smaller gifts such as bud vases and ornaments. A self-taught ceramicist, Bettina has developed and continues to refine her craft with the support and encouragement of the ceramics community. She shares her home with her two perfect cats, Loralie and Flannery.

Connect with Bettina:
@bettinawestwood
bettinawestwood.com

Photo of Bettina at Akin Dupont, Tumblers with Wool Sleeves and Bettina’s Akin Dupont Studio.

Flowers painted with slip, Pedestal Bowls and Two-toned Mugs.

One of A Kind Show 

The One of A Kind Show is Canada’s largest Craft Show. The One of A Kind Christmas Show includes a wide variety of Canadian made high quality items, from Fashion, Art, Flavours, and Toys, to Jewellery, Home Decor, Stationery and so much more. 

November 27-Dec 7th 

Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place 

100 Princes' Blvd, Toronto

——— Check out the Akin Members Participating in One of a Kind ———

Alison Cooley, from Akin St Clair

Booth B-28 - (Full Show) November 27-Dec 7

imp in a sweater is Alison Cooley. She specializes in ceramics that harness her interest in illustration and surface decoration, resulting in unique objects that play with imagery from multiple modes of genre storytelling (including science fiction, horror, and fantasy).

Connect with Alison:
@impinasweater
impinasweater.com

A portrait of Allison (by Sam Mazilli), space themed Mug and her Akin St Clair Studio.

Bud vases, a unicorn Plate and Vases with detailed handles and all coming to One of a Kind.

MP Guillot, from Akin Dupont 

Booth S-45 - (6 Days) Dec 2-7

MP Guillot is a multidisciplinary artist from Québec, based in Toronto. Her work is influenced by what is often overlooked－an entire world of delightfulness that is right under our nose, waiting to be noticed. She finds herself exhilarated by the trashy things beautifully thrown on the streets and everything that finds itself where it shouldn’t be. She is drawn to what lies on the edges of ugly and pretty, that which ignites a feeling of uncertainty where one can only rely on their senses and intuition to decide if something is beautiful. MP believes the best way to find the essence of who we are is to practice discovering what vibrates within us, without social conditioning influencing our preferences.

Ceramics has become MP’s playground to be in relationship with her creative intuition.

She loves to dream up otherworldly forms, bake colour, and explore the secret language of objects. Her work lives in the space between knowing and letting go—where intuition meets experimentation. With a background that weaves through design, fashion, and photography, she brings a sense of childlike playfulness to everything she makes.

Connect with MP:
@mp__guillot
www.mpguillot.com

Portrait of MP beside one of her “Wonky Vases”, a Wonky Vase in “Twist” and MP’s Akin Dupont Studio.

A variety of MP’s painterly Cups and Mugs coming to One of a Kind.

The holiday season is a time to celebrate all the fantastic local artists and artisans in Toronto, so spread the love by shopping local! Happy shopping!

Thank you for attending the Akin Autumn Gallery Crawl!

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Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Akin Autumn Gallery Crawl this past weekend! It was such a beautiful day to explore art in Toronto together. We’re very grateful to everyone who joined us and to the galleries for opening their doors and sharing their spaces with the Akin community. The exhibitions were absolutely beautiful and each gallery tour was packed with inspiring detail.

A huge thank you to Patel Brown (@patelbrowngallery), Gallery TPW (@gallerytpw), Gallery 1888 (@gallery1888_), Towards Gallery (@towards.info), and Blouin Division (@blouindivision).

We’re looking forward to hosting more gallery crawls like this in the future - stay tuned! In the meantime here are some photos from the day, enjoy!

Image Descriptions: Images show a series of moments from the Akin Gallery Crawl, featuring groups of people walking in a long row down the street, gathering outside of the galleries, exploring inside the galleries, viewing artwork, and enjoying the day together.

Thank You for being part of Akin Richmond-Bathurst's Open Studio

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Akin art studios for rent richmont bathurst open house

Collaborative creative experience hosted by Dimitra Aristea (@di.composing). Photo by Yue (Jessie) Yang (@y.jiexij)

 

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday at Akin Richmond-Bathurst for our Open Studio as part of Ontario Culture Days. Our members worked hard to create an exciting day of  live painting demonstrations, creative collaborations, a variety of artwork for sale and beautiful displays of art. A huge thank you to everyone who came by and special thanks to our talented artists, our volunteers and our staff. 

Here are some photos from the event. Enjoy!

 

Left: Akin Member Vicky Vyas posing with the Akin banner (@vickyvyasinsta).

Middle: Olivier Forgues painting in his studio (@olivierforguesart). Photo credit: Vera Truong (@thecreativehybrid).

Right: Akin Studio Manager Theresa Hopkins posing at the Akin welcome table (@thopkinsart).

Left: Emily Simek working in her studio (@emilysimekart).

Middle: Dimitra Aristea posing in her studio (@di.composing).

Right: Amos Marsters posing in front of their studio (@amosmarsters).

All photos taken by Vera Truong (@thecreativehybrid).

Left: Pauline Douady in their studio (@pauline_douady).

Middle: Lotus Che studio (@lotusleafxyz).

Right: Sarah Conway offering pastel portrait commissions in their studio (@sarahterra.art). Photo credit: Vera Truong (@thecreativehybrid)

Left: Quinn Hopkins presenting work on a projector (@noodinstudio).

Middle: Collaborative creative experience hosted by Dimitra Aristea (@di.composing).

Right: Andres Dominguez live painting demonstration (@andresdominguez.artist).

Image Descriptions: Photos from the open studio showing various Akin Richmond-Bathurst artists in their studios posing or working on artwork, visitors participating in collaborative drawing and painting at a large table covered in paper and art materials, an Akin member posing in front of the Akin banner, and an Akin staff sitting at a welcome table. 

“Searing Pain” solo exhibition by Akin Career Launcher Award Winner Haley Meyer at Remote Gallery

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Searing Pain, Haley Meyers’ first solo show, explores the relationship between transitional places and memory loss, using fleeting images taken while in transit to reflect how memories slip, fade, and blur over time. 


“Pain describes emotional and physical discomfort caused by an illness. Searing refers to the intensity of this pain; how sharply it can cut through your life, burning and impossible to ignore. In this case, Searing Pain represents the experience of living with memory loss caused by a long-term illness. It is not a singular moment, but a continuous ailment that replaces life's experiences with half-rendered, half-imposed versions of reality. 

The interior of a moving car, the windshield catching fractured lights, and the blurred landscapes of a passing world. These fleeting moments mimic the experience of living with memory loss; indistinct and unreachable memories that vanish as quickly as they appeared. Through painting, I confront this Searing Pain. Working from digital photographs taken from the passenger seat of a moving car, I preserve fading experiences, extending their lives through slow and deliberate reconstruction. Each painting houses a different memory; they are mnemonic tools used to hold what my memory cannot. Painting becomes an active resistance to memory loss, a means of holding onto what is on the verge of disappearing.”

- Haley Meyer

 

'Searing Pain'
Haley Meyer
October 2-5
Remote Gallery
568 Richmond St W

Opening Reception:
October 2nd, 6-9pm

Gallery Hours:
Friday October 3rd: 12-6 PM
Saturday October 4th: 12-6 PM
Sunday October 5th: 1-5 PM

Haley Meyer is an oil painter & printmaker based in Toronto. Her first solo show, Searing Pain, will be held at Remote Gallery from October 2nd to 5th, 2025. Haley has received three Career Launcher opportunities in association with OCAD University and was awarded the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto Foundation Ina Gilbert Visual Arts Award. She is a recent graduate from OCAD University’s Drawing & Painting program with a minor in Printmaking & Publications. 

Haley is a recipient of the Akin Career Launcher Award. The Akin Career Launcher Award is a career-support opportunity for graduating students in Drawing & Painting, Integrated Media, Indigenous Visual Studies, Cross-Disciplinary Art: Life Studies, and Sculpture & Installation at OCAD University. Offered in partnership with Akin, the award is facilitated by OCAD U’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers.

haley-meyer.format.com | @haleymeyerart

“Close Your Eyes, Heal in a Parallel World” solo exhibition by Akin Career Launcher Award Winner Firouzeh Saremi Far at Remote Gallery

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“Close Your Eyes, Heal in a Parallel World” is a body of work exploring the relationship between the human spirit and the natural world. Rooted in moments of personal reflection, the series draws inspiration from the ephemeral transition before sunrise, when darkness surrenders to the soft, bluish light of dawn. This fleeting moment, filled with quiet promise and subtle transformation, becomes a portal: a threshold between stillness and movement, between hardship and renewal.

Standing in nature with my eyes closed, I feel its rhythms—the hush of rivers, the rustle of wind, the resilience of trees, the smell of damp earth and fallen leaves, the distant call of birds, the crackle of dry twigs beneath my feet, the flutter of wings just beyond my sight, and the purity of air—gently pulling me into alignment with something greater than myself. In this harmony of sound, scent, texture, and light, a sacred alignment begins to form within me. Nature, without effort or intention, invites me back to myself.

Through this work, I seek to capture the healing power that lies in these moments of connection. In a world increasingly marked by disconnection and pressure, I invite viewers to pause, to breathe, and to imagine a parallel world where nature offers refuge and restoration. Like a nurturing presence, nature embraces those who seek solace; not by erasing pain, but by holding space for transformation.”

- Firouzeh Saremi Far

 

'Close Your Eyes, Heal in a Parallel World'
Firouzeh Saremi Far
Sept. 20 & 21
Remote Gallery
568 Richmond St W

Opening Reception:
Sat., Sept. 20 5-8pm

Gallery Hours:
Sat., Sept. 20: 12 - 8pm
Sun., Sept. 21: 12 - 5pm

Firouzeh Saremi Far is is a visual artist based in Toronto, Canada. Her artistic practice is an ongoing exploration of the intersections between human experience and environmental influences, reflecting different themes of identity, transformation, and resilience. Drawing inspiration from the emotional intensity of Expressionism and the limitless forms of Abstract Art, her works seek to invoke a dialogue on human matters. Her goal is to create art that not only occupies space but also serves as a catalyst for reflection and engagement, encouraging viewers to consider their connection to the world and the impact of their presence within it.

Firouzeh is a recipient of the Akin Career Launcher Award. The Akin Career Launcher Award is a career-support opportunity for graduating students in Drawing & Painting, Integrated Media, Indigenous Visual Studies, Cross-Disciplinary Art: Life Studies, and Sculpture & Installation at OCAD University. Offered in partnership with Akin, the award is facilitated by OCAD U’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers.

www.firouzehsaremifar.com | @firouzeh_saremifar

Akin Richmond-Bathurst Open Studio for Culture Days 2025!

Akin Richmond-Bathurst
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We’re happy to invite you to the Akin Richmond-Bathurst Open Studio taking place on Saturday, September 27th from 12-5pm as a part of Ontario Culture Days, a province-wide celebration of art and culture. 

Located at 579 Richmond Street West, Akin Richmond-Bathurst is home to a diverse group of emerging and established artists working in painting, illustration, textile art, sculpture, mixed media, and more. During this event we will open our studio doors to the public to get a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible work and community inside. Guests are invited to tour the studios, meet the artists, and learn about their creative practices through informal talks, demos, and in-studio displays.

Several of our members will be showcasing their practices through special activations during the day. Sarah Conway (@sarahterra.art) will be offering oil pastel portrait commisions for guests to take home, while Andrés Domínguez (@andresdominguez.artist) will offer a live hyperrealist painting demonstration alongside a mini showcase of his completed works. Dimitra Roussakis (@di.composing) invites everyone to take part in a collaborative drawing and mixed media activity, and Natalie Peck will share her process through a doll painting demonstration drawn from her studio practice. Rounding out the activations, Sofia Berger (@sofiaberger) will present an artist talk exploring her work, colour, and materiality. Join us to connect with these artists and experience the studio as it transforms into a lively, interactive space for one day only.

Admission is free and all are welcome!

Accessibility Info: There is a step on the street level leading into the main foyer. Once inside, there are 9 steps leading up to the elevator. The elevator takes you up to the third and fourth floor where the studios are located. The private, gender neutral bathrooms are inside the studios with a 1” high transition leading into each bathroom. For more accessibility information click here.

Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Akin Richmond-Bathurst, 579 Richmond St W

 

Meet some of the Akin Richmond-Bathurst artists who will be participating in the Open Studio.

Vicky Vyas

Vicky Vyas (@vickyvyasart) is a Canadian painter whose work explores themes of identity, tradition, and cultural belonging through bold use of colour and texture. One of the early Canadian-Indian artists to address the Indian diaspora in her practice, she earned recognition with an Award of Excellence for her contributions to the arts and the South Asian community. Her first solo exhibition in New York City’s Soho district earned her the title “South Asian Frida Kahlo”—a comparison that has echoed throughout her life.

In 2001, a life-altering accident left Vyas with serious injuries and a long recovery. After years away from the canvas, she returned to painting as both an act of resilience and a source of healing.

”My work reflects the intersection of East and West, modern and traditional, personal and universal. I use cultural symbolism not as religious commentary but as a way to compare narrative and experience. Each piece evolves with my life—capturing resilience, identity, and the search for belonging.”

Jordan Laura MacLachlan

Jordan Laura MacLachlan (@jordanlauramaclachlan) is a Toronto artist working in clay and mixed media. Her works are in public collections in Canada and abroad, most recently with an inaugural exhibition of her works in the permanent collection of the American Visionary Art Museum. She has received funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Arts Council.

Jordan states, "The art I make reflects my life in a figurative manner, and is always of great meaning to me."

Jordan will have an exhibition joining the permanent collection of the American Visionary Art Museum, opening on October 3rd. The Baltimore-based museum is a national institution and educational center dedicated to intuitive artists, creatives, and visionaries.

Darrel Smith

Darrel Smith (@dsmith5880) enjoys creating art but not creating artist statements. He works in mixed media: acrylic, ink, oil pastel, markers, prints, collage—whatever comes to hand. Perhaps he can't make up his mind, or he enjoys experimenting with all of them.

Darrel's first love is portraiture. The human face and the emotion one can portray never get old. Whatever the subject matter or medium, he loves exploring colour. He does so on a wide variety of surfaces, from paper to mylar, wood and canvas.

Portraying the natural world and its mysteries is another area of ongoing interest. He creates monoprints of plants and insects, illustrating a small, sometimes overlooked world with close-up looks at these subjects. Darrel is currently exploring landscapes, especially the placement of people in the urban nature found in our parks, and the mystery nature offers even in the city.

Please contact Darrel if any of his work interests you! You can DM him on Instagram or you can talk to him at the open house - he will be there much of the afternoon.

Andrés Domínguez

Andrés Domínguez (@andresdominguez.artist) is a Canadian visual artist with more than two decades of professional experience, working primarily in oil painting from a contemporary perspective. Raised in Santiago de Chile, he studied architecture, industrial design, and visual arts—a multidisciplinary background that shaped the structural rigor and spatial sensitivity present in his work.

His practice stands as an act of resistance against digital immediacy: a gesture that reclaims slowness, contemplation, and materiality in a world dominated by algorithms and visual simulacra. Through portraiture and urban scenes, his paintings explore the tension between the human and the technological, offering images that restore a sense of dignity—not as instant consumption but as a space of presence.

Domínguez has developed an international career with exhibitions across North America, Europe, and Latin America, and has taken part in residencies in Miami, Toronto, Florence, and São Paulo. He currently lives and works in Toronto.

Pauline Douady

Pauline Douady (@pauline_douady) is a French visual artist whose practice spans drawing, printmaking, and large-scale painting. Her tactile, sensory-driven approach explores themes of memory, emotion, and transformation. Largely self-taught, her trajectory was shaped by formative years in Buenos Aires under the guidance of painter Jorge Demirjian, where she honed a sensitivity to form, balance, and the invisible structures beneath the visible.

Her engagement with printmaking—first through xylography at the Beaux-Arts in Buenos Aires, then lithography at the Beaux-Arts in Angers—marked a turning point, leading her to create unique, limited-edition prints rooted in material experimentation.

Since relocating to Toulon in 2017, the Mediterranean landscape has enriched her visual lexicon. In 2019, she co-founded the city’s first printmaking festival.

Douady’s work has been exhibited in local galleries, artist-run initiatives, and unconventional spaces, reflecting her commitment to open, dynamic modes of artistic exchange and a strong engagement with local artistic communities.

Emily Simek

Emily Simek’s (@emilysimekart) work explores deeply personal experiences through visual narratives that move between the familiar and the uncanny. Surreal, dreamlike elements punctuate her compositions, informed by found imagery and free association, generating ideas that are arranged compositionally through repeated patterns and motifs.

Coline Casse

Newly arrived in Canada, Coline Casse (@coline.casse) is a French artist who studied painting at the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille and cinematography at INSAS in Brussels. After working on film sets, she returned definitively to painting, developing a distinctive body of work filled with contrasts and dualities, where imagery draws as much from cinematic framing and lighting as from painterly gestures.

Her main practice is large-scale oil painting, which she values above all for its sensuality and depth. More recently, she has turned to black-and-white media—charcoal and monotypes—to capture traces of environmental and societal concerns.

Her paintings often depict silent, motionless figures, imbued with a restless inner intensity. They appear suspended between presence and absence, dream and reality. Shadow, chiaroscuro, and texture lie at the core of her visual language, offering scenes that feel at once intimate and universal, mysterious yet familiar—where color and night converge. Her work seeks to reconcile our deepest humanity with the paradoxical world we must strive to preserve from ourselves.

Exhibited in contemporary art galleries and artist residencies across France, Coline Casse has established herself as an artist at the crossroads of cinema and painting, whose universe invites both contemplation and imagination.

To view this event and more on the Culture Days website click here

Akin Members participating at TOAF in 2025

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Summer is here, and that means the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) is happening again! From July 11th-13th, Nathan Philips Square will be filled with incredible art, including work from talented artists within our very own Akin community. While you’re there browsing the creativity within the iconic white tents of the TOAF, be sure to check out the booths of our beloved Akin members and alumni.

Congratulations and best of luck to you all!

With love,
Akin

Participating Akin Members:

Madeleine Baird - Booth 59

Akin Richmond-Bathurst Madeleine (Maddy) Baird is an emerging artist from Pembroke, ON, currently based in Toronto. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art Honours at Queen’s University, graduating in 2024. Her practice consists of oil painting and serigraphy, with a focus on portraiture. Her work has been exhibited in Kingston, Toronto and Vienna. Madeleine was a recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant in 2024.

Using directional brushstrokes and incorporating vivid colours into the skin, she creates a sense of vibrancy and life in the subjects she paints. Her practice is fueled by an interest in exploring themes of self-reflection, vulnerability, connection, and queer life experiences. Integrating narrative-based elements into her work allows her to engage with viewers by creating a sense of curiosity and exploration. By centering these concepts, she aspires to connect with viewers and hopes that those who are represented in her artwork can feel uplifted by this representation.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@maddyartt

Mykah Czarina Dela Cruz - Booth 327

Akin Davisville member Mykah draws upon personal history and narratives of interconnectedness with nature and community through a diasporic lens. Fostering bold colours and visceral works in varying mediums is in effort of diversity, healing and acceptance. Their work spans media, commercial, and cultural spaces—appearing in print, in public, and in practice.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@mykahcdc

Olivier Forgues - Booth 354

Akin Richmond-Bathurst member Olivier Forgues is a Canadian painter. Originally from Montreal, he is now based in Toronto.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@olivierforguesart

Haley Meyer - Booth 1-2

Akin Queen East member and 2025 Akin Career Launcher recipient, Haley Meyer is an artist specializing in oil painting and etching. Her practice draws upon her experience with memory loss; how it has reshaped and impacted her life. Her work serves as mnemonic tools to help her remember her lived experiences, in turn acting as a resistance to memory loss. Haley graduated from OCAD University in 2025 with a BFA (Hons) in Drawing and Painting and a minor In Printmaking and Publications.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@haleymeyerart

Sadaf Pourghorbani - Booth 356

Akin Davisville member Sadaf Pourghorbani Solei is an Iranian-Canadian multimedia artist based in Toronto whose work explores self-discovery, cultural connection, and emotional resonance through intuitive and project-specific mediums. Working across photography, illustration, and sculpture, Sadaf’s practice draws from memory, personal history, and subconscious imagery. She holds a BFA from NSCAD University and an MFA from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her work has been presented in solo exhibitions at Anna Leonowens Gallery (Halifax) and Gladstone Gallery (Toronto).

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@sadaf.solei

Firouzeh Saremi Far - Exclusively Online

2025 Akin Career Launcher recipient, Firouzeh Saremi Far is a visual artist based in Toronto, Canada. Her artistic practice is an ongoing exploration of the intersections between human experience and environmental influences, reflecting different themes of identity, transformation, and resilience. Drawing inspiration from the emotional intensity of Expressionism and the limitless forms of Abstract Art, her works seek to invoke a dialogue on human matters.
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Firouzeh's work has been exhibited in galleries and art fairs nationally and internationally, she has also participated in art residencies such as the Gibraltar Point Residency (Toronto Island, Canada) and the Cultural Immersion Residency (Mexico), which have influenced her approach to materiality and storytelling. During the 62nd Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, she received several awards, including the Best of Student Award, the Artscape Solo Exhibition and Residency Award, and the Marie Collins Memorial Award.

Her goal is to create art that not only occupies space but also serves as a catalyst for reflection and engagement, encouraging viewers to consider their connection to the world and the impact of their presence within it.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@firouzeh_saremifar

Marjan Verstappen - Booth 81

Akin Queen East member Marjan Verstappen’s paintings come out of a deep engagement with materials that fulfill industrial purposes, namely; cyanotype, asphalt, and oil paint. As she works, she asks herself, ‘what kind of stories can be told about these materials?’ and, ‘what do they tell us about ourselves?’ If she were to describe these paintings in a word, it would be folding: a folding of time, place, and material. She seeks a relationship with these materials that is embodied, honest, and hopeful of repair.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@far_stepping

Joy Zheng - Booth 99

Akin Richmond-Bathurst member Joy Zheng creats vibrant, eclectic oil and acrylic paintings. She graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, where she began developing her style and thematic focus. Her inspiration often draws from the way perceptions of the world shift at various stages of life, exploring themes of introspection, memory, and self-dialogue rooted in personal experience. Many of her works intentionally incorporate a childlike element, using paint markers and deliberately chaotic, disproportionate compositions. Through this seemingly playful lens, Joy examines social constructs and questions what aspects of human nature are inherent versus conditioned. Several of her earlier pieces also delve into themes of wealth disparity, religion, technology, and the consequences of systems designed to favor those in power, reflecting on the materialistic society in which we live. Joy’s work aspires to offer viewers a moment of peace or contemplation amidst their busy lives, encouraging them to reconnect with their inner child.

To view more of their work available at TOAF click here

@joy.zheng.art

Visit TOAF: 

Nathan Phillips Square, July 11 – 13, rain or shine

Free to attend! 

Friday Jul 11, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Saturday July 12, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Sunday July 13, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

More details: https://toaf.ca/

 

Thank you for coming to the Remote Gallery Art Market & Exhibition!

Remote Gallery
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Thank you to everyone who joined us on June 7th for the Remote Gallery Art Market & Exhibition. This event marked the recent expansion of Remote Gallery, and it was an opportunity to come together, celebrate the space, and highlight the work of our talented Akin members.

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Thank you for coming to Akin Davisville's Open Studio

Akin Davisville
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Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 24 and 25 at Akin Davisville for our Open Studio as part of the City of Toronto’s Doors Open Festival. The weekend was a huge success! We had a blast meeting both our neighbours and those who came from near and far to check out the studio, and meet our members. The artists at Akin Davisville worked hard to pull together an exciting weekend filled with live painting demonstrations, a collage workshop, and booths bursting with gorgeous artwork for sale. A huge thank you to everyone who came by and special thanks to our talented artists and our volunteers. 

Here are some photos from the weekend. Enjoy!

Visitors looking at Akin Davisville members Kirsten Williamson and Janet Myers (@janet_myersartist) artwork.

 
 

Akin Davisville member Tai Kim (@jayutai) and Akin’s director Oliver Pauk.

Two people discuss member Mykah Czarina’s paintings (@mykahcdc)

Pictured is Akin Davisville member Emily Joyce (@emilyjoyceartwork) standing while teaching a free collage workshop at the Open House.

Members Awuradwoa Afful (@rajieeee) and Andrea Liao (@andrealiao) sell their handmade ceramics.

Akin Davisville member Gina Han (@bearystudioto) selling her artwork in her studio.

Member David Johns (@davidopenroad) showing off his lino skills in his studio during the Open House.

Akin Studio Manager Charlotte Van Ryn (@van_ryn) and Akin’s Remote Gallery director Renato Baldin (@renato.baldin)

Akin Davisville Open Studio - Doors Open Toronto 2025!

Akin Davisville
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A poster featuring two images of Akin Studios: one showing a potter’s studio with a wheel and shelving, the other a painter’s studio with artwork on the walls and an easel. Both spaces have white walls and sunlit windows.The text reads: 'Akin Davisville Open Studio! Three floors of studios. All are welcome. May 24 & 25, 10 AM – 5 PM, 244 Merton St.' Below the text, the Akin and Doors Open Toronto logos are displayed."

 

We’re thrilled to announce that Akin Davisville will be participating in Doors Open Toronto 2025 (@doors_opento), taking place on May 24–25, 2025.

As part of this city-wide celebration of Toronto’s architectural, cultural, and creative spaces, Akin Davisville will open its studio doors to the public for the very first time. Visitors will get a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible work and community inside Akin Davisville.

Located at 224 Merton Street, Akin Davisville is home to a diverse group of emerging and established artists working in painting, illustration, textile art, sculpture, mixed media, and more. During Doors Open, guests are invited to tour the studios, meet the artists, and learn about their creative practices through informal talks, demos, and in-studio displays.

Akin Davisville, 224 Merton Street

 

The theme of this year's Door’s Open Toronto is ‘Play’. In response, will be creating a ‘Jam Wall,’ an interactive, evolving piece of artwork where artists and participants can collage, paint and draw on a collaborative art piece that will be displayed in the studio. Drop in and take part! 

Event Details: Akin Davisville, 224 Merton Street
Dates: Saturday, May 24 & Sunday, May 25, 2025
Open Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
What to Expect: Open studios, artist meet-and-greets, artwork on display, family-friendly activities

Accessibility Info: Akin Davisville consists of three floors of studios, all of which have elevator access from the main entrance way. There are single stall gender neutral bathrooms on each floor. More accessibility detail can be found here.

Admission is free and all are welcome!

In the coming weeks, we’ll be highlighting some of the incredibly talented artists working at this studio, so stay tuned! We can’t wait to welcome you into our space. 

Akin Members at The Artist Project 2025

Better Living Centre
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The Artist Project is back from May 8–11, showcasing over 250 independent artists—and we’re thrilled to have five of our members participating, including two featured in the Untapped section!

A special shoutout to Leah Oates and all of our alumni members: Alyssa King, Ashley Snook, Carolina Reis, Chris Harms, Kath Zhou, Stephanie Avery, Tony Cruz, and Curt Gaudon.

Congratulations and best of luck to you all!

With love,
Akin

Abby Gowland

Akin Richmond-Bathurst member Abby Gowland (@abbygowland_art) is an emerging Canadian Printmaker and Queen’s University BFAH graduate (2024). She creates intricate floral patterns using the traditional technique of drypoint with black ink and white paper. Gowland practices at Open Studios in Toronto and has exhibited across Canada.

Find her in the UNTAPPED section

Janne Reuss

Akin Yonge-St Clair member Janne Reuss (@jannereuss) was born and raised in Mexico City and is currently based in Toronto, Canada. She has been a professional practicing artist for more than two decades, having lived, worked and exhibited her artwork in Mexico, United States, Germany, Italy and Canada. She studied Fine Arts at the Academy of Art & Design in Stuttgart, Germany and History of Art in Mexico City. Her preferred media are photography and collage, but she also paints, often cycling fluidly between the three. Through the metaphor of trees and branches she inquires how experiences of home and place are imprinted deep inside of her. She layers her photographs - often overpainting them - in order to recreate the intricate process of remembering. Janne’s work is held in private and public collections including the Donovan Art Collection at St. Michael’s College (Canada) and the Municipal Gallery of Ostfildern (Germany).

Kris Cvetkovic

Akin Queen East member Kris Cvetkovic (@kriscartist) is an artist living and working in Toronto. His themes focus on organized chaos and interconnectedness found in both natural and urban patterns.

Akin Richmond-Bathurst Meera Dinh (@m.sarts) is a Vietnamese artist based in Toronto who specializes in oil painting. Her work delves into the complexity of female identity, transforming personal and external experiences into dynamic compositions rich with intimacy, eroticism, and transformation. She completed her Honours BFA in Drawing and Painting at OCAD University in 2024.

Find her in the UNTAPPED section

Miles Ingrassia

Akin Dupont member Miles Ingrassia (@milesingrassia) is a painter with a background in printmaking and has collaborated with other artists to produce limited-run fine art editions. His practice explores masculinity through the male figure, drawing from his experiences growing up in Hamilton, Ontario. Through a delicate interplay of violence and tenderness, his paintings investigate the complexities of contemporary masculinity, highlighting its contested position between inherited norms and evolving identities.

Akin Niagara – Pop-Up Exhibition | April 5th

Akin Niagara
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Join us for the Akin Niagara Pop-Up Exhibition, a one-night-only event! This casual drop-in gathering will showcase the creative work of the Akin Niagara artists.

Featuring artwork by Chris Gardiner, Chloe Griffin, Bianca Guimarães de Manuel, Gabriela Laconsay, Tim Mikula, & Amita Sen Gupta.

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