Chanel DesRoches is a painter and printmaker based in Guelph, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Studio Art from the University of Guelph (2019) and a Master of Fine Arts from York University (2024). She focuses her interests and research around abstraction through queer studies, deviance, societal issues, anxiety, and resilience. Expressed in her painting, she often leans on deflection tactics as an easy escape and avoidance strategy in social interactions or conversations that provoke dialogue and reflection from her younger self. Her practice informs the acts of pretending and reacting to each mark, gesture, colour, and form – the removal from reality and the creation of a new in-between, something that can be revised, reimagined, and repeated. Driving from personal experience, Chanel relentlessly engages with painting in the moment, allowing herself to interchangeably utilize intuition and compulsion as a means for mark making.

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www.chaneldesroches.com

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Instagram: @chaneldesrochesart

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Jessie Buchanan is an Indigenous visual artist living and working in Guelph, Ontario. Her studio painting practice places emphasis on the process of painting as personal healing both in the painting itself and in some type of articulation of the artist's lived experience on the canvas; working through emotions and the challenges of the modern world. Additionally, Jessie expresses herself as an Anishinaabe Kwe (an Indigenous woman) with Euro-Canadian ancestry but does so from her own unique perspective. Jessie has lived off reserve in urban, predominantly non-Indigenous communities throughout her life. Using paint on canvas, she weaves visual narratives that incorporate symbolism from these streams. Although the subject matter varies, common themes emerge, including advocacy, Indigenous identity, tradition, stories/teachings, and connection to land. Jessie often receives images in her mind that seem to be connected to her spirituality and/or inspiration from the external world; she aims to honour the process in an authentic and holistic way.

Jessie is a member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation and lives/works on Treaty 3. lands, treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (Guelph, Ontario).

Instagram: jessiebuchananart

Website: www.artistjessiebuchanan.ca

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28 years young, Melissa Brunner (she/her) is a Deaf, Queer, and Disabled visual artist. Born and raised in Guelph, Melissa's artistry explores the interplay of evoking emotions in portraits with layers of hues. She is known for her insightful watercolour portraits that capture subtle nuances in mood. Her hands intuitively reach for watercolour and gouache paintings, but you can find her creating with acrylic + oil paints, polymer clay, embroidery, crochet, and sketches in her little notebook.

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In light of Covid-19 in 2020, Melissa’s commitment to her professional art practice began with completing commissioned portrait paintings. With the increasing virtual accessibility and events, she finally found herself in Deaf, disability and 2SLGBTQ+ friendly spaces that she struggled to have found herself in. In 2021, she was featured in an online collaborative exhibition named “Deaf Interiors” alongside 5 Deaf artists from across Canada. In 2023, she participated in a local collaborative exhibition named “Neophyte Club” with 12 local visual and musical artists. With grant fundings awarded since 2022 by Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and Guelph Arts Council since, she underwent multiple transformative mentorships and completed several successful artistic endeavours.

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These days, you can find her one of her creative spirals in her studio or find her cheesing with her creations at Deaf community + local booth events.

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