Beach Scene

Watercolour paint on canvas. A scene of a beach with dark blue waves meeting a sandy beach. The sky is light blue, the texture of it gives the impression of clouds.

Boat on the Beach

Acrylic on wood. A sandy beach can be seen with small plants growing around the bottom of the canvas. A sailboat passes by on the waves in front of the sun. Birds can be seen flying through the sky.

Arabic Calligraphy on Canvas. A blue background with white splatters cutting across the canvas diagonally, has bolded Arabic lettering painted overtop.

Dismissed and Unheard

Painting with mixed media components. The majority of the canvas is black, a mouth is open with words made from wooden lettering visible inside. Around the inside of the mouth “words words” can be seen written with generic talking noises in the centre. Accents on the corners of the painting portray the mouth in motion and creates a feeling of intensity.

Feeling Spacey

Paint on canvas. Spiraling cosmos of blue and purple tones wrap around the canvas with speckles of light from stars throughout. An outline of a female figure is falling down in the center of the painting. Her hair and arm reach up showing the motion of her drop.

Ink on canvas. In the center of the canvas there is an image of a brain with a few circles over one part to indicate damage. Red lighting bolts come off of the brain. In a box surrounding the brain, emotional and physical symptoms of brain injury are written in blue ink.

Reptilian Brain

Watercolour painting. Over a wash of bleeding blue, purple and darker blends of colour. In the forefront coloured shapes, like a puzzle are fused together resembling a lizard body with a vaguely human face. This figure stands out, however its hair and some other features blend into the background. The artist uses dots of colour to show texture on the figure.

Multidimensional Energy Flow

In the centre of the painting a blue sphere floats with gold streaks inside it.  Tan-orange tones flow around the centre, towards the corners of the canvas, creating a ripple effect.

Mixed media on a purple background. An image of two owls perched on a swing surrounded by flowers. The flowers are plastic and are attached to the canvas board. The larger owl has a key in her beak and has large purple eyes. The smaller owl, also with large purple eyes, is encased inside the larger owl. There is a purple flower in front of the smaller owl and a keyhole is at the centre of the flower.

Mixed media creation. The top half of the art piece has an icicle-like border of white streaks reaching inwards. In front of tones of blue, a woman’s head can be seen smiling flipped upside down. The bottom half of the art piece has a black border which splatter fades into streaks of many different colours. Over these, the woman’s face can be seen, but the smiling face at the top has split open to reveal the same woman now in anguish. Her hands grab at her exposed brain which appears to be shattered. This artwork was designed to be flipped and show the two sides.

Abstract painting. Along the border of this painting, orange painted over blue gives a nice multi layered effect. In the center of the painting, a tangle of different coloured lines meet. Broad brush strokes create bold, textured lines which make up the majority of the tangle, smaller green and red splattering also wrap around like streaks of energy moving around the center.

Artist Description

This piece expresses the confusion and feeling of being out of place on the outside with a brain injury.

Artist Description:

It is about my own journey with brain injury, trying to keep many aspects of my life up and running. Each boat represents one of the following: spiritual, physical, cognitive, emotional, and connection with others. So far these areas are Still Afloat.

Image Description:

This painting uses negative space and non-parallel lines to show a collection of small boats in a surreal location. Tones of blue represent a ground the boats are on with darker shades showing the shadows cast under the boats. Green and orange dynamic shading makes each line pop as well as show a clear foreground and background in the otherwise abstract setting of this painting.

Three Houses Landscape

The image displays a detailed view of a textile, most likely a rug, featuring a variety of vibrant colours and a textured, looped yarn technique known as “hooking.” This technique involves pulling loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base such as burlap, linen, or rug warp. The multitude of colors range from deep blues and reds to bright oranges, pinks, and purples, with some sections in more neutral tones like white, beige, and brown. The loops vary slightly in size and height, giving the surface a rich, tactile quality. The arrangement of colors appears to be somewhat random, contributing to a patchwork effect that is pleasing to the eye. It’s a handcrafted piece that exudes warmth and is often used for home decor due to its aesthetic appeal and craftsmanship.

Blue Vases and Roses

This image shows a tote bag with a colorful, textured front panel. The panel appears to be handcrafted with a latch hook technique, which involves hooking yarn through a grid canvas to create a plush, carpet-like surface. The design on the panel features a mix of vibrant colors. There are patches of blue, red, brown, yellow, and white yarns, creating an abstract pattern. The red sections resemble flowers, while the blue could be interpreted as either sky or water. The bottom section has earthy tones that suggest a ground or landscape. The texture of the yarn gives the artwork a three-dimensional feel, and the varying lengths and thicknesses of the yarn add to the tactile quality of the piece. The bag has a natural color, with a bold red border providing a frame for the artwork, and it has a sturdy handle attached at the top for carrying.

Catching the Breath

Mixed media composition. Blue and purple tones create a marble pattern which makes up the background. On the bottom left, a bathtub is full of small images of lungs. Two large swan heads come out from either side of it. From the top right, a black and white image of a woman in a vintage bathing suit is standing on a diving board.

Leave the Crossroads and Let It Soar

Mixed media composition. Two canvases form this piece. Both canvases have a swirling red pattern with other colours mixed in across their backgrounds. The top canvas shows a man with a mouth open too large, numbers label different parts of it like a medical chart. There are clouds where the mans eyes should be. Coming from the bottom of his head, a spinal cord stretches down both canvases, also labelled with numbers. The spine appears to be pulled to the side by an image of a hand in the bottom corner of the lower canvas.

The flipbook is a tactile object that people can pick up and use, which makes the visual even more disconcerting.

This flipbook is a series of photographs of rocks underwater at the boardwalk of the Toronto Islands. The water makes it look like the rocks are morphing and shifting.

I have a visual distortion due to my brain injury that makes objects seem like they are breathing. This flipbook demonstrates that feeling.

Click the mail button in the bottom right to watch a video slideshow of the images in the book.

A woman with brown hair wearing a white cotton dress is standing knee deep in a marsh amongst reeds. She is looking up. A glass bubble is over her head.

Multi coloured braille characters stretch in lines across the entire composition. Several hands outlined in blue can be seen overlapping the text, they appear to be reaching in and reading the text by feel.

The painting depicts the artist, a young Black man who appears to be at peace, as he’s put himself in a meditative seated yoga-like stretch, his eyes closed and his head pointing down (left arm grabbing right knee, with his left foot stretching out into the foreground as a life support, from the burdens and pains of this world). This notion is then juxtaposed by this almost outer body experience of these Surreal depictions of two other faces swaying back and forth surrounding him, one showing joy and the other sadness.

Artist Description:
During this time I was battling with identity and trying to discover or rediscover myself. The setting of the painting is in my previous residence – another condo space. I’m sitting on the floor with my eyes closed and I have painting supplies behind me, bags, a box, and a little sofa.These faces represent, at the time, me trying to rediscover myself and my identity, and the constant struggle with this internal dialogue with myself, these multiple emotions and characters (Am I good enough? Do I deserve to be happy? vs. I am enough, and I do deserve to be happy). This is something that resonates with all of us (we’re only human). Think about the notion of Utopia as order in the world vs. Dystopia as chaos in the world, good vs. bad, light vs. dark. The faces are almost a reminder of the constant battle I personally face with rediscovering myself as a Black Artist, as well as fitting into society with having an Acquired Brain Injury.

Nine textured tiles arranged in three rows of three, resting on a white surface. Each tile appears to be square with slightly rounded corners and presents a unique tactile pattern.

In the top row, from left to right: the first tile is a soft peach colour with a fine criss-cross texture, resembling woven fabric. The middle tile is a vibrant orange with a pattern of raised dots, akin to a textured painting. The last is a bright yellow tile with diagonal ridges creating a dynamic pattern.

The middle row features: a vivid red tile with a stippled, bubbly texture on the left is a central tile in lemon yellow with a sunburst pattern emanating from the center, suggesting a tactile radial design; and a grey tile with a rough, pitted surface, like that of a coarse stone.

The bottom row consists of: a red tile similar to the one above it but with a slightly different shade and texture variation, a yellow tile identical to the central tile in the row above; and another orange tile, akin to the first row’s orange one, yet differing slightly in hue and textural detail.

Artist Description:

Speak Memory is an ongoing series of ceramic tablets that explore so-called communication disorders with injured minds. These nine tablets are a playful ode to trouble with word finding. If you look carefully, you can find words imprinted by way of metal letterpress type. Words include, but are not limited to: flashbulb memory, muscle memory, and remember to forget.

Speak Memory borrows its name from Vladimir Nabakov’s autobiography. It is an extension of an ongoing project called 26 or less which includes audio research, soundscape productions, and an abstract theatrical presentation. All engaging with a social study of neuroscience and brain injury.

Life Saver

Digital photography. Capture of a sunny beach scene. The leaves of a tree hang over the beach, giving the impression of looking out into the waves while sitting in the shade. A life saver rests on a pole in the center of the scene along the rocky edge of the beach.

I enjoy this area of the beach because it has a lot of nature. Straight down from Lawn bowling. I watch the lifeguards go by, training on longboards and canoes.

Off Leash Area

Digital Photography. This photo shows a beach scene. Sand gives away to a rocky coastline with a beat up concrete dock sitting over the water. The sky is solid blue, the waves along the coast are in motion and can be seen creating whitecaps as they splash against the rocky coast. A small ammount of shrubbery and tree leaves can be seen along the right side of the image. I like dogs so the off leash area is a place where they are joyful. I search for the elusive Nessie Ontarioie but no luck yet! This is an area with foliage, rocks and wildflowers.

String art paint with mixed media elements on canvas. A layer of black covers the canvas. Bright flowers with white borders rising from the bottom of the canvas contrast this. The flowers spiral up at the top creating the appearance of petals. These petals are filled with bright silver and blue glitter. The stems of these flowers have a streak of green paint within the white borders.

This piece signifies freedom – everyone looks at it and sees something different – I like to see the surprise on people’s faces when they see how it turns out.

A woman in torn and tattered clothing with no legs and a skeletal hand reaches up. Screaming with an agonizing face of pain and sorrow. She swirls blue energy and magic around her body. The environment around her is darkness and shadows within a nighttime forest.

I chose to do a depiction of my inner pain and darkness. Dealing with a TBI, epilepsy and cervical spine damage.

A woman shrieking in the shadows as a lost soul. Looking, reaching above for some sort of light of hope. A broken body and mind, crying out for help and for someone to hear me. Ever wandering outside the world, watching it go by. Bound to my location and remain in isolation. My mobility makes me feel like floating, thus the no use for legs. Many fear me and avoid me…

In life I was too broken for relationships, to travel and experience many joys I never got to have. As a spirit I slowly decay to nothing as the pain continues.

Journey

Abstract representation of the recovery journey after brain injury.  Viewed from left to right, the yellow portion depicts life before brain injury.  There is some shading to show that while trials and tribulations existed before, it is different to what is experienced after injury. The demarcating dark line is the brain injury event, with the subsequent rough patches and messy tangles representing the challenges that arise. The tapering demonstrates navigation through the challenges over time. As the survivor recovers and gains strategies to manage symptoms and deficits, the frequency and impact of challenges while still present, lessens over time.

Spaghetti Brain Thought-things

This interactive piece is a representation of navigating through the brain fog and tangled train of thoughts, after brain injury. There are multiple layers “spaghetti thoughts.”

The first basic coloured layer, these spaghetti thoughts are more primordial, rugged, less smooth, and somewhat fragmented. The second fluorescent layer, these spaghetti thoughts are smoother and appear more developed. However, both layers impede and interfere with the extraction of the main train of thought. This main thought, while brightly shines, is tangled amongst the spaghetti brain thought-things, as it develops from silver to a golden thought.  Bonus! The fluorescent layer glows under black light!

Watercolour painting. This piece shows the perspective of looking up at trees in the forest on a winter day. The trees wind up and get smaller at the top in a way which makes the trees appear to tower over you. A wash of blue tones represents the winter sky and green trees in the background also help to show the depth of the piece.

Poetry In Motion

Steel and reformed cement sculpture. Strips of material wrap around each other creating the sense of motion. The material used has a smooth, light green appearance and the tips are brown-coloured steel.

Stand Strong

Sculpture is welded steel and layered cement. There is textured lined of movement and stability.

A candlestick is shown over a black background. The candle looks like it has just recently gone out. A blue and white trail of smoke streaks off the candle towards the edge of the canvas. Small shimmers of light reflect of the candlestick, showing the rounded shape of the holder and the dripping effect of the candle.

Artist Description:

This piece signifies freedom – everyone looks at it and sees something different – I like to see the surprise on people’s faces when they see how it turns out.

A painting of a vending machine filled with snacks. The snacks are play on words of well-known brands.

Top (Left to Right):
Ruffle My Feathers, Wahh!, Almost Joy

Middle (Left to Right)
I’m Cheez-ed, Fudge Sakes, Crushed

Bottom (Left to Right)
ODSP Pay Day, Gimme a Break, Maynards Sour About This

Only Half Here

Acrylic paint on canvas. The left side of this painting has a foggy dark look to it with lighter coloured clouds appearing over a dark backdrop. The right side of the painting is brighter, with a thick cloud of green that drips down down the painting from the top. The cloudiness shows the feeling of being faded or not wholly present.

Solace

Acrylic paint on canvas. Dark red-orange tones create a wash over the whole canvas. Darker marks can be seen on the canvas, a zigzagging red streak near the bottom left, as well as a dripping red spot near the top right. The painting has a peaceful feeling to it despite the dark colours used.

An abstract piece of art, appearing like a stained glass mosaic. The shapes are in colours of light blue, grey, dark blue, orange, black and red.

Adventures of a Neurospicy 1

Four illustrations on one canvas. From left to right, top to bottom:

A drawing of head, neck and shoulders with various illustrations drawn inside, such as: a mouth that’s open, showing teeth and a pipe sticking out where the tongue is expected to be, a kneeling image of a person is struggling to keep the mouth lifted below it, a painting of watching a Marvel movie at home on a TV, an image of a house on fire covered in flames, fingers clutching a yellow background where the left shoulder is, ripped envelopes where right shoulder is.

A drawing of a person holding up a lit lighter, wearing headphones. There is a bomb in place of their face.

A drawing of a person who is all white, with no features except for eyes which are closed and crying blue tears, lieing on green grass.

An image of a person with square sunglasses, wearing a sweatshirt, with headphones. Behind them appears to be a white ghostly creature, with Xs for eyes trying to grab them.

Adventures of a Neurospicy 2

An image of a person’s torso. Inside the person’s head is a white figure, crouched down, their legs and arms outstretched against the sides of the head, as though they are trying to keep the head from caving in on them. On their face, their eyes are two lopsided dots and their mouth is a squiggle line. There are bubbles and squiggly lines along their torso.

Adventures of a Neurospicy 3

An image of a dark hand covering a face, with two other faces behind it and one in the background smiling.

Adventures of a Neurospicy 4

An image of a white figure with oil dripping down one side of its body. The following colours are surrounding them – from closest to the figure to the outward edge of the page – yellow, orange, red, green, blue and purple.

Artist Description:

Most of these (except for two) were made while I was un-housed and in a youth transitional shelter, which happened due to a particularly bad mTBI which made me unable to work. Due to being a contract worker no EI was available so I was living in my car after the injury then got into a youth shelter, then the transitional program which is where I made the art.

Embracing Play

Paint on Canvas. This painting appears multidimensional due to its use of sharp lines to show separations of color bending out from the center. Solid, darkish toned colours sit within these lines and work well together to form the energy of this piece.

Reclaiming Light

Paint on Canvas. This painting appears multidimensional due to its use of sharp lines to show seperations of color bending out from the center. Solid, darkish toned colours sit within these lines and work well together to form the energy of this piece.

Artist Description:

“If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.” – Audre Lorde

“Remember, darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good.” – P.C. Cast

“Be like the moon in someone’s sky and show her the way of life with your loving silvery lights during the darkness.” – Debasish Mridha MD

Many of us live and play small, don’t rock the boat, and conform to a societal identity of how we “should” behave and be seen. Through patriarchy and colonization, we learned these mechanisms to survive. Not thrive. Yet, have you ever been out in nature and observed her ability to stand out, and not conform to “standards”. The odd patch of lime green on an evergreen tree, the tree trunk that is bent and does grow straight, the flower that has a missing petal… they thrive and bring so much joy to the world.

“Reclamation: Diwali Inspired” tells stories of reclaiming our identity. I integrate themes from the Ramayana (Hanuman, Rama and Sita), shadow work (inner child work), and colours I observe in nature, to tell stories of how we might reclaim our identity and ways of being, so that we can thrive.

A painting of a person walking through a park lit with street lights, surrounded by a canopy of trees with golden and green leaves. A bench and the path glow yellow. The person has a red coat and a yellow umbrella.

Artist Description:

Sometimes, one needs to be alone, to take a silent walk on a beautiful Fall evening and take in the lovely scent of falling rain to unwind or destress.

Making of a Confabulator
(My CT Scan) – there’s something amazing about symmetry. I am almost sheepishly proud that a part of my brain looks/looked like this :) from some angle.

Reflections of Don Valley

I find the colours in nature strikingly beautiful and captivating. Actually, even before I contemplated taking this picture, I just happened to come across this amazing nature painting by pure coincidence around my neighbourhood. Because of my memory problems, I couldn’t find this picture / setting ever again – no matter how many times I walked along the same path. Thank God for technology!

Hilltop Heights

This painting depicts a view of a sunset seen from a road. A road stretches across the foreground which gives away to a dark green field. Over the treeline, the sky consists of colours streaking across clouds. Artist: Capturing the fall colours of the Northumberland County hills and fields at sunset along Highway 28.

Dear Nicolas

Broad stripes of colour compose a majority of the painting. Large horizontal blue tones make up the background. Six vertical stripes stand in front, slightly above the centre of the canvas. Orange and yellow stripes on the outside make this part stand out. Artist: An homage to Nicolas de Staël a French painter of Russian origin known for his use of a thick impasto and his highly abstract landscape painting.

Shutters

A painting of 2 lines of parallel squares of 4 black rectangles stacked on top of each other, outlined in white, with blue thin rectangles on the outside of each – like shutters in a window. Artist: Plain and simple.

A pencil illustration of a woman resting while sitting down. They are wrapped in a garment which is made of folded, crumpled, and braided material. They sit in front of a background which resembles the creases of the palm of a hand. The person appears to be asleep with a peaceful expression on their face.

Artist Description:

My body of work since my brain injury has been to proclaim and explain all of the nuances of how it has impacted my life. Pain is universal, but the meaning we give to that pain, how we narrate it, how we navigate it, is deeply personal. Brain injury drives many of us to isolation, shame and secrecy, and previous avenues for relief are no longer available. Much needed sleep plays a complex role – sometimes an escape, sometimes a reprieve, sometimes restorative, or unattainable, or a catalyst, but each time I close my eyes I hope that it is a place where broken-winged birds can fly.

Artist Biography

I primarily work in a variety of mixed media, including sculptural forms, but allow the subject matter to guide my material selection. I have no formal education in art, but I’ve always felt connected to visual expression and have returned to it throughout my life. Key themes in my artwork tend to explore my positionalty and intersections as a woman, a daughter of immigrants, the changing role of motherhood and wife, and the legacy of my TBI. My work helps me make sense of my world and attempts to express my reality.

Alcohol Ink is a fluid liquid, heavily saturated colour with beautiful movement from opacity to translucent painting technique. Both art pieces are abstract art with thick and thin lines of movement, in various shades of blue.

Artist Description:

‘Sick of it’ allows the themes of racism, homophobia, Islamophobia, disability, and ableism to be addressed. The umbrella idea of someone suggesting you’re less than, or less deserving of, human rights, and who is holding up the definition of ‘normal.

Maybe the places we intersect are opportunities for political movement, support, and having our eyes opened to another person’s reality. An opportunity to build compassion and to become powerful voices.

During the creation process, as the squeegee is pushed and pulled along the paper, the movement depicts anxiety and frustration. Every moment, hour and day is different.

Slightly blurred digitally painted lines show dense branches of a tree. Light tones of pinks, greens, yellows, and purples add highlights and give the impression of foliage. Two small woodpeckers with white-spotted black wings facing each other sit on a tree in the foreground. The woodpecker with its back to the viewer is photorealistic. A red patch is visible on the back of its head. The one facing the viewer is in the illustrated background of tree branches.

A woman looks through a sheet of window with a sad expression and tears running down her face. The bottom half of the glass has negative symptoms of brain injury written over the cracks: Brain Injury, Depression, Not Myself, Isolating PTSD, Anxiety, Fatigue, Headache, Memory Less, Sleep Disturbance. The top part of the glass has positive words and phrases on bandages which cover the cracks: Survivor, Never Give Up, Everything Happens for a Reason, I Am Doing My Best, Today Will Be A Better Day, Hope. The woman’s hand reaches towards the center of the glass.

Artist Description:
This person depicted in this painting is based off me / my character, Dezi, from my book.She is looking out a  window.The glass is cracked because of the life changing event she went through and she feels broken. The top of the glass above her hand is being put back together with bandaids with positive words and sayings to show the viewer that no matter what you are going through you are not broken .

A glass piece of flowers made with tissue paper and varnish and paint.

Artist Information
Stella Marie Artist is a visual and hearing impaired writer and poet who lives with brain injury.

A painting of a woman with long brown hair pulled back in a pony tail. She has a pink hair ribbon pulling her hair back and is wearing a pink crop top and pink shorts. She is sitting crossed legged and facing the viewer. She is in front of a window, showing a dark background outside but interrupted with bright yellow light shining through. The curtains are purple and sparkly. There is a black cat looking out the window.

Artist Description

My painting is Inspired by the poem The Guest House by RUMI.

“Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all!”

The house looks empty expecting to be filled or it has been cleared out. The female in the painting is sitting on the floor, waiting, and accepting of all visitors. Her cat keeps her company and there is a sense of home. The curtains and bright colours that she wears are elements of light even if the room appears dark. The window has dark and light and it’s up to the viewer who is visiting. The painting is about mindfulness and accepting welcome and unwelcome events.

An abstract image of a man’s face. He has a slight smile on his face. Over his face and in the background are various splotches of colour: light blue, red, yellow, black and white.

Artist Statement

This abstract image of a man’s face might express the obscure and confusing experience of brain injury symptoms. The face, with colour and lines throughout, and poised on a background itself splotchy, messy, and unpredictable, might suggest the unsettled, shifting nature of confusion.

The eyes, neither open nor closed, seem undefined, possibly unable to be receptive. A splash of white paint at the head might evoke erasure, a confusion so overwhelming it amounts to nothingness, to white noise.

The mouth, however, might offer some hope as it tries to shape a smile. Perhaps this presentation of instability and suffering also gestures towards a striving for acceptance and a wish for contentment, and so towards the healing that we wish to follow

Watch Tower

Paint on canvas. Saturated cold tones form the background of this painting. Thick paint creates strong textures and three-dimensional ridges. Golden paint streams down the center of the canvas, creating the focal point. Across the entire painting, wisps of colour create a cloudy appearance in the background.

Making Love

Paint on Canvas. Dark red and black tones make up the backdrop of this painting. A bright streak cuts across the center of the canvas with bright white at the center of it. A less pronounced vertical stripe of pale orange is placed overtop. Thin white splatters create an appearance of energy streaking off these two stripes.

Paint on canvas with texture medium. Over an orange background, washed with streaks of orange, yellow, blue and red stripes, an embossed image of Ganesh protrudes and Ganesh’s rounded fearful eyes capture the viewers glance. Splatters and drips of paint in green, red, blue and orange streak over the embossed image.

Artist Description:

‘Patience in Fear’ is part of a series of paintings that represent different mental health disorders.  In this painting, the Hindu god Ganesh represents being the ‘remover of obstacles’. Waiting in patience for courage, which only comes when someone experiences fear daily.