Introducing: the Akin Davisville Kiln Share

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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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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. 

Akin Richmond-Bathurst Open Studio for Culture Days 2025!

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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 at the St Clair Gardens BIA SummerFest - July 26 from 12-6pm

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You’re invited to the St Clair Gardens BIA SummerFest on Saturday, July 26th from 12 PM to 6 PM! It will be a day of community and celebration packed with music, food, family fun, and a showcase of incredible local talent. 

You can stroll St Clair Ave West and browse the local vendors & sidewalk sales, including Akin Members Sam Silva Hill & Giovanna Galuppo in front of Akin St Clair (1747 St Clair Ave W) and then visit Don Panos Parkette (3 Prescott Avenue) for some live music, tasty food and refreshments, kid-friendly activities and more vendors including Akin Members Smriti Sharma & Liliana Botero. 

Don’t forget to stop by the Akin table in the parkette to say hello and learn about our studios, galleries and programming! 

Featured Akin Members at Akin St Clair: 

Sam Silva Hill

Sam's practice is diverse and occurs across media - studio art, curation, and art educational practices are all implicated.  Her painting concepts exist within the queer, feminist framework, exploring the correlations found within mental health, physical health, femininity, and queer identities which she balances against the cartoonish elements in her illustrations and sculptures. 

@sam.silva.hill.artwork

 

Giovanna Galuppo

Giovanna is a multidisciplinary visual artist and designer based in Toronto. Originally from Venezuela, her work explores themes of memory, identity, social justice, and the human relationship with nature. She works primarily in painting, illustration, and mixed media, creating vibrant and expressive works that weave together figurative imagery, texture, and symbolism. Galuppo is the co-founder of Studios Galuppo, an online gallery space. Her recent work focuses on themes of healing, Indigenous solidarity, and environmental urgency.

@studiosgaluppo | @ggaluppoart | www.studiosgaluppo.com

Featured Akin Members in the parkette: 

Smriti Sharma

Smriti is a Toronto-based potter creating small-batch, handmade ceramics at Akin St Clair. Their work blends form and function — each piece is made to be used, loved, and lived with every day.

@water_and_clay 

 

Liliana Botero

Liliana is a graphic designer and a glass artist who studied and trained in Colombia and the United States. In addition to being a silversmith artist, Liliana has been working with glass for more than 20 years and produces wearable pieces of art & artistic glass home décor items with passion & love with her company Destellos Glass Art using several glass techniques such as: Lampwork,  Fused Glass, Slump Glass, Mosaic, Stained Glass, Pâte de Verre, Kiln Forming and Carving, Sandblasting. 

@destellosglassartt | www.etsy.com/ca/shop/DestellosGlassArt

Hope to see you there! Bring your family, friends, and neighbours! Let’s come together to celebrate summer, support local businesses, and make summer memories. 

Many thanks to the St Clair Gardens BIA and all of the event sponsors! 

Akin Davisville Open Studio - Doors Open Toronto 2025!

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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. 

A Glimpse Inside Akin Niagara

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Just around the corner from Trinity Bellwoods Park, Akin Niagara is a small but mighty studio in the heart of the Queen West neighbourhood. With an outdoor patio, big, bright windows, and intimate studio rooms, Akin Niagara has become a beloved home base to many different artists and creatives -

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Akin Queen East is Almost at Capacity!

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Image Description: A photograph of the Akin Queen East Studio's two-story red brick facade, featuring multiple windows and a large bush in front. The background is pink, decorated with a blue checkerboard graphic and two yellow hearts with a smiling faces. The text reads, "Akin Queen East is Almost at Capacity!"

 

Newly opened in the Spring of 2024, Akin Queen East is a vibrant example of the spirit and talent that Toronto’s East-End artists have to offer. Now, just over half a year later, Akin Queen East is almost at full capacity for dedicated memberships. Our studio members include painters, fashion designers, sculptors, installation artists, writers, and more. There are only a few studio memberships remaining - read more below and email info@akincollective.com to inquire about membership!

Akin Queen East consists of the whole building at 429 Queen Street East, close to the intersection of Queen and Parliament. The studio has three floors: a lower level with large private studios, a ground floor that includes a sunny shared membership area, and a second floor with a long skylight which shines light on all three floors of this open-concept space. 

Members at Akin Queen East enjoy community-building events and programming like the Akin Queen East Open Studio event that we hosted last autumn, and the Akin Crit Night which happened in the studio on February 5th. Members working with ceramics have kiln access and a 20% discount on kiln firing services through Lost and Found Project Space which is just down the street from the studio.

All memberships include 24/7 access, wifi, utilities, insurance, restroom and kitchen access, communal workspaces and common area cleaning. Prices include HST.

Akin Queen East, 429 Queen Street East

 

There are only five available studios remaining- learn more below!

QUE 18 - 2nd Floor: 77sqft for $415/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the west side of the ground level. All of the studios receive natural light through the skylight above in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

Image Description: Akin Queen East’s 2nd floor studios. Built in wooden shelving runs along the railing in the centre of the room. A skylight runs along the ceiling, and at the back of the room are private studios behind an orange-red wall. The background is pink, decorated with a blue checkerboard graphic and a yellow heart with a smiling face.

 

QUE 36 - 2nd Floor: 75sqft for $406/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the west side of the second floor. In addition to the natural light from the skylight above in the center of the space, this studio has an additional small skylight directly above.

QUE 18 - Ground Floor: 77sqft for $415/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the west side of the ground level. All of the studios receive natural light through the skylight above in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

QUE 10 - Ground Floor: 39sqft for $252/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls, plywood divider walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the east side of the ground level. All studios receive natural light through the skylight above on the ceiling in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

Image Description: A view of Akin Queen East’s ground floor, including the shared membership area and available studio QUE 10. A long white worktable in the middle of the room sits under overhead sunlight. Behind the tables are studios divided by plywood partition walls. The background is pink, decorated with a blue checkerboard graphic and a yellow heart with a smiling face.

 

QUE 10 - Ground Floor: 39sqft for $252/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls, plywood divider walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the east side of the ground level. All studios receive natural light through the skylight above on the ceiling in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

QUE 4 - Lower Floor: 455sqft for $1276/month

This private office is on the lower level of the building. It has bright overhead lighting, generous built-in shelving along one wall, and is completely private. It does not have windows. It is located on the same floor as 2 other private studios, a communal kitchen, washrooms, and a utility sink for washing up.

Shared Membership: $80/month

We also have shared memberships available! Shared memberships allow you to work in two bright, spacious designated shared workspaces in the building. One is located right under the skylight with great natural light, large and medium-sized tables, and has a more open-concept feeling. The second shared workspace is more private and incorporates a large built-in desk and shelves for shared storage.

Our studios can accommodate a wide range of creative practices. If you are interested in a space at Akin Queen East, now’s the time! Please contact info@akincollective.com to book your tour.

Available Akin Studios across Toronto!

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Hello artists, makers, inventors, and creators! Here’s a snapshot of some of the move-in ready studios that Akin has available across the city. 

If you see anything you like please reach out to info@akincollective.com and we’ll connect you with the Studio Manager for a tour of the space. Please share this post if you know anyone in need of a space to work!

 

Akin Niagara - 289 Niagara Street

With a prime, central west-end location (and its own private outdoor patio!), Akin Niagara is just steps away from Queen Street West and Trinity Bellwoods Park. While there is no kiln on site, Akin Niagara members have the benefit of a ceramics firing pick-up and drop off service hosted by the kiln operator at Akin St Clair. You can have your ceramics picked up in your studio, fired at Akin St Clair, and delivered back to you. Akin Niagara is one of Akin’s more intimate studio locations with a supportive, tightly knit community of artists. 

 

Akin Queen East -  429 Queen Street East

Your east-end creative space! Between Parliament St and River St, Akin Queen East is an entire three floor building of bustling artistic energy and a growing community of artists. The building itself is beautiful; an old, architecturally intriguing building with skylights that shine light all the way down to the lower level, due to its open concept design. Ceramicist members can fire their creations across the street at the Lost and Found Project Space with a 20% discount. 

 

Akin Yonge-St Clair - 1 St Clair Ave W 

Unique for its many private studio spaces, views of the cityscape and convenient mid-town location, Akin Yonge-St Clair is filling quickly! This studio is loaded with big windows, tons of natural light and a mix of open spaces and small, intimate rooms within a larger office building. With 5 units throughout the building (each with their own kitchen) there is a wide array of studio styles to choose from. Located right at the corner of Yonge and St Clair, this mid-town location is as central as it gets. 

 
 
 

Akin Davisville - 224 Merton Street 

At Akin Davisville, the artists have the whole three-storey building to themselves. With two large kitchens, six gender-neutral bathrooms, a big comfy common room, an elevator, parking, and huge windows, Akin Davisville is home to dozens of artists in the Mount Pleasant and Yonge-Eglinton area.  

Shared Memberships at Akin Davisville provide access to two bright studio areas, one on the first floor and one on the second, providing space to work privately or alongside your studio mates. Members can leave their art supplies in the storage areas so no need to bring supplies back and forth from home. Plus, the Akin Davisville shared area boasts the biggest easel at Akin!  

Shared Memberships are available at all of these locations for $80/month. 

All prices include HST and all memberships include: 

  • 24/7 access

  • wifi

  • utilities

  • insurance

  • shared storage facilities

  • restroom and kitchen access

  • communal workspaces

  • common area cleaning

If you don’t see the size or style of studio that you’re looking for listed above there are more studios available at Akin's 8 locations ranging from 25 square feet ($191/month) to 382 square feet ($1,255).

Click here to see a full listing of available studios

Email info@akincollective.com for more information, or to book your tour today! 

Akin Queen Open Studio: A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community

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On October 12th, we had the pleasure of opening our doors to the community for the Akin Queen East Open Studio, and we couldn't be more grateful to everyone who came and made the event such a success!

A huge thank you to our amazing Akin members for showcasing their work and welcoming visitors with such warmth and enthusiasm. The sense of community was palpable, and it was wonderful to see so many meaningful connections made throughout the day.

We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Nurielle Stern of Lost and Found Gallery and the artists from the 1-800-INF-ERNO exhibition for collaborating with us for the day. They truly added another layer of inspiration and we’re so glad to have shared this special occasion with them.

Lastly, a big thank you to all of our guests! Whether you’re an artist, an art lover, or simply curious about our space, your presence and support mean the world to us. It was fantastic to meet so many new faces, and we look forward to welcoming you again in the future— Until then, enjoy the photos from the Open Studio! 

Image Descriptions: a slideshow of images showing artists and guests at Akin Queen East during the open studio. There are different people who are talking to each other, smiling, and looking around the studios. Artwork and art materials can be seen in the studio space including paintings, sculptures, and textile works. 

List of participating artists: 

As well as the artists featured in the 1-800–INF-ERNO installation at The Lost and Found Gallery: Micki-Lee Smith & Zakriya Bashir-Hill, in collaboration with Diana Lawryshyn, Pratap Mathews, & Yun Young Lee. Also featuring paintings by Diana Lawryshyn.

Thank you! 
Love, Akin 

Meet the 2024 Career Launcher Award Winners in their Akin studios

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Image Description: Headshots of Shannon Sandwell and Meera Dinh. The text “2024 Akin Career Launcher Award Recipients”, the Akin and OCADU logos appear on the left hand side above a pink and blue background.

 

As our 2024 OCADU Career Launcher Award winners settle into their Akin studios, we caught up with them to learn a little more about them, and to see what they are working on. 

The Career Launcher award is a collaboration between OCADU and Akin, which gives two graduating OCAD students $2,000 towards Akin studio membership and $450 for a booking at Akin’s Remote Gallery.  This year's recipients of the award are Meera Dinh, who has moved into Akin Richmond-Bathurst, and Shannon Sandwell, settled into Akin Niagara. 

Shannon Sandwell 

Shannon Sandwell is a Canadian figurative painter based in Toronto. Their work focuses on community and connection intertwined with popular and sub-cultural imagery. Using a collage style of painting Shannon’s work creates narratives that exist out of regular time and space to emphasize platonic intimacy and the human desire to be close with one another.

 

Shannon Sandwell sits on a rolling chair in their studio. They have short blonde hair, tattoos and are wearing a white t-shirt and gray shorts with sandals. Behind them, large bright figurative paintings hang on the wall.

 


“I paint large-scale figurative works with acrylic. Collaging references from life and my communities with references from pop/subcultures to create new moments of connection that exist out of time and space while utilizing scale to defamiliarize these moments of platonic intimacy. The scale and cropping of the images in my paintings disorient the viewer- forcing them to engage and seek the connections within the compositions. This act of seeking allows the viewer to feel connected to the anonymous community before them. The collaging of images will enable me to work in complex compositions, steering away from the monolithic individual. I am searching for ways to bring visual sovereignty and joy to figurative work and seeking out ways in which humans seek connection with one another to survive.”

 

Several paintings of Shannons sit against the wall and hang above.

 

“I have been working on a collection of paintings for an upcoming show! It is smaller than most of my work, but I have enjoyed having the space to work on multiple 4' by 3' canvases simultaneously. The studio space to jump from painting to painting has been very helpful.”

 

Shannon Sandwell sits on a rolling chair in their studio. They have short blonde hair, tattoos and are wearing a white t-shirt and gray shorts with sandals. Behind them, large bright figurative paintings hang on the wall.

 

“I am very neurotic about using a fresh palette. I use only the primaries plus white and mixed while painting. This requires me to constantly reset and start fresh after my palette has gotten wild. Another ritual for my work is documenting community when I find myself in it. Constantly using my phone to take reference photos on the go. I am also asking consent of those in my communities that I end up photographing for paint reference.”

Find more of Shannon’s work here

Meera Dinh 

Meera Dinh 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.

“My work explores the deep connection between the soul and the psychological challenges that come with being in a female body. I’m fascinated by how these forces shape identity and the constant struggle to understand my own nature. My oil paintings focus on capturing that in-between space—the line between the conscious and subconscious mind—by blending personal symbols, memories, and a touch of the erotic.

 

Meera Dinh sits on a chair inside her studio. Meera has long black hair and is wearing blue jeans and a black and brown floral tank top. Beside her is a large easel holding a circular canvas. Behind her are drawings posted to the walls. The large window in her studio looks out to a cityscape. Books rest on the windowsill.

 

I often pull from my subconscious, letting spontaneous ideas and images surface, which I then transform into visual stories. My work involves a lot of introspection as I explore themes like societal expectations, emotional vulnerability, and the absurdities we all face in life. Each painting feels like a moment of confrontation but also liberation, a chance to express emotions I’ve been holding onto.

Stylistically, I love combining figurative realism with surreal elements, allowing me to play with the boundaries between control and chaos. I use oil paints to build layers that reflect the complexity of these ideas. Lately, I’ve been incorporating themes of female identity merging with animal forms to symbolize primal instincts and transformation.

At the core, my art is very personal. It’s a space where I can reveal my own vulnerabilities and challenge societal norms, inviting viewers into an intimate conversation about identity and self-expression.” 

 

Meera Dinh sits on a chair inside her studio. Meera has long black hair and is wearing blue jeans and a black and brown floral tank top. Beside her is a large easel holding a circular canvas. Behind her are drawings posted to the walls. The large window in her studio looks out to a cityscape. Books rest on the windowsill.

 

“Since moving into my Akin Richmond-Bathurst studio, I feel incredibly fortunate to have found such an inspiring space. Located in the heart of Toronto’s most artistic area, the studio is everything I could have hoped for as a painter—housed in a charming brick building with serene views and surrounded by a vibrant community of talented artists. This environment has pushed my practice forward, allowing me to learn from others and grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It feels like the ultimate artist’s dream space, a sanctuary where creativity thrives.

This studio has given me the solid foundation to continue my artistic journey beyond graduation. It’s more than just a workspace; receiving this space has been a life-changing award. It’s given me the confidence that I’m on the right path and reminds me to keep going, no matter the challenges. The opportunity to work here has been a significant turning point, motivating me to push my work further and explore new directions.

I’m currently preparing for a group show at Remote Gallery with Ellie Hsu and Ariadna Mavila de la Rosa. Our exhibition, which will take place either later this year or early next year, explores the theme of female identity merging with animal forms. It’s a deeply personal project for me, and the space has given me the room to fully explore these ideas through oil painting, my primary medium. It has allowed me to experiment with new techniques and materials, bringing these concepts to life in ways I hadn’t imagined.

In addition to the upcoming show, I’ve also been applying for exhibitions and residencies. Thanks to this studio, I can develop new works and expand my portfolio in ways that will sustain my practice for years to come.”

 

Meera Dinh sits on a chair inside her studio. Meera has long black hair and is wearing blue jeans and a black and brown floral tank top. Beside her is a large easel holding a circular canvas. Behind her are drawings posted to the walls. The large window in her studio looks out to a cityscape. Books rest on the windowsill.

 


“My creative process often begins in brief moments of detachment, where I drift away from the present reality. During these times, vivid and symbolic images emerge deep within my subconscious—like seeing myself on a steak plate or catching a distorted reflection of myself in the mud at a TTC subway station. These metaphorical visions communicate with me in ways I don’t fully understand, but I can sense their emotional weight.

When these images surface, I instinctively sketch them in my notebook without overthinking, almost like a child doodling. After this initial sketching, I take photos of myself as a reference for the paintings, using my own body to capture the forms and poses I want to explore further. At this stage, I feel the intensity of the images, though their meaning is still elusive. From there, I move into painting, which allows me to spend long periods with these images, slowly unravelling their deeper significance. Immersing myself in the painting process—often for hours—I engage with the forms I’ve created until their meaning becomes clearer. Along the way, I also research the themes and symbols that arise, drawing from journaling, music, poetry, philosophy, and literature that delve into the space between conscious thought and intuition. Inspiration often strikes when I’m in this liminal space, exploring and observing the images as they evolve. Through this process, my art starts to reveal naked truths I often hide behind the everyday roles and performances of life. In many ways, my art understands me better than I understand myself, and through it, I discover deeper layers of my identity.

Additionally, my cats, Bob and Moxie, are a huge motivation source for me. I always keep their picture in my studio; whenever I feel down or exhausted, looking at them lifts my spirits and reminds me to keep going.” 

Find more of Meera’s work here

Chris Gardiner’s Three Favourite Things about being a member at Akin Niagara!

Akin Niagara
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We took some time to chat with Akin Member Chris Gardiner about our newest West-End location, Akin Niagara. Continue reading below to find out Chris’ three fabourite things about being a member:

1. The enormous potential the outdoor space has. There seems to be room outside for almost anything: outdoor sculpture, plaster casting, working on a large canvas, using smelly solvents, cooking encaustic, spraying, pouring, etc. Safe outdoor use for Acrylic Paint: 1.7 degrees to 37.8 degrees Celsius!

Image Description: Outdoor patio with table and umbrella in the center, bbq in the back left and benches and window to the right.

2. The nearby area. It’s vibrant. There’s always a lot of energy, and things to see. I am also close to art supplies stores, hardware, groceries, etc. 

 

3. Torin the Studio Manager. He's very friendly, and good at bringing us together as a community of artists. He's one of those magnetic personalities that you like to be around. I'm also a big fan of musicians that go through art schools. 

Image Description: Image of the facade of the building that Akin Niagara resides in. It is a 5-storey building red brick on the right side and covered in white concrete on the left side. The photos os taken in spring so there are many green trees. a teal blue graphic border surrounds the photo with graphic pops if pink. The Akin logo live atop the image and the words “Akin Niagara!” sit below.

Chris’s studio at Akin Niagara

Image Description: Chris’s studio at Akin Niagara features a grey chair positioned against the left wall, beneath a thin shelf. The walls to the left and back are adorned with several paintings. 

Chris Gardiner’s two-dimensional work combines elements of Geometric Abstraction, Neo-Dada, and Art Informel. Whether he focuses on a process of drawing that emphasizes spontaneous/gestural qualities of the artistic process; collage that creates unexpected juxtapositions, a sense of irony, or a disruption of the viewers' expectations; or in painting where precise shapes and forms are arranged in deliberate and structured ways. Gardiner’s work challenges viewers to question their assumptions about the nature of art, and invites them to engage with the work in unexpected and thought-provoking ways. In metaphorical terms it’s Free Jazz meets Professional Wrestling.

See more of Chris’s work at www.chrisgardinerart.net and @gardinerartdotnet

Chris’s paintings in his studio at Akin Niagara

Image Description: Several paintings hanging in Chris’s studio made of black, white or red lines.

Chris Gardiner, Bars and Toner 2023, Oil on Canvas, 32"x42"


Image Description: Painting with multiple vertical black and white bars, one small red horizontal bar in the lower right hand corner and several red strokes in the top left hand corner.

Akin Niagara is located at 289 Niagara Street just south of Queen Street West and in close proximity to Trinity Bellwoods Park. Akin Niagara features rooms with large windows which get ambient daylight and an outdoor patio space exclusively for Akin Niagara members’ use.

All memberships include taxes, 24/7 access, wifi, utilities, insurance, shared storage facilities, restroom and kitchen access, communal workspaces, common area cleaning, connection to a community of artists and more!

  • Shared Memberships: $78/month
    • Access to shared working areas and storage

  •  Dedicated Memberships (your own studio):
    • Private and semi-private options
    • Sizes range from 40 sqft at $252 per month to 117 sqft for $551 per month. 

Visit www.akin.art for more info.
Link in Bio to view all currently available studios.

Contact us at info@akincollective.com to book a studio tour!