In this ArtBeat episode, artist Peter Hong-Tsun Chan guides us through a landscape of half-formed memories, where shapes and scenes echo with a subtle nostalgia. Reflecting on a childhood set between Hong Kong’s bustling energy and Toronto’s calm, Peter finds meaning in the objects, rituals, and places of his past—each carrying a resonance both grounding and elusive. His paintings hold these fleeting memories, allowing them to flicker gently between recollection and imagination.

Peter’s fascination with games of chance began in family Mahjong games, where laughter mixed with whispered strategies and a sense of thrilling unpredictability. These early moments with risk and luck sparked his journey into exploring the rituals and unknowns that shape our lives. His art doesn’t settle on conclusions but holds within it an openness, where chance and choice intertwine.

Next, Peter’s work will appear in a group show at New York’s Plato Gallery starting November 26, 2024, where he unveils a new motif: bread—simple, universal, and layered with symbolism. His journey continues next year with exhibitions in Beijing, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, expanding his exploration across cultures and memories.

Follow Peter’s work on Instagram at @peterchanart or visit peterchanart.com. Join us as Peter’s art opens a window into the interplay of memory, identity, and life’s subtle mysteries.

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Julie Moon’s journey into ceramics unfolds with captivating depth. From an early curiosity for materials to an unexpected shift from textiles to clay, her story reveals a process led by intuition and a love for experimentation. Julie’s vibrant use of ornamentation, patterns, and striking colours, paired with her unique take on human forms, offers a fresh perspective that challenges traditional views in the world of ceramics. In this conversation, she discusses her inspirations, particularly her fascination with natural elements like fruits, flowers, and other everyday objects, which bring new layers of symbolism to her practice.

As for upcoming exhibits, Julie is currently part of the group show “Elaborate” at Harbourfront Centre, which runs until December 29th. In the new year, she will be featured in a two-person show with Kate O'Connor at Hunt Gallery and will also have a solo show titled “Fruits” in one of the gallery spaces at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery.

You can find Julie’s work at Patel Brown Gallery and glimpse her artistic process on Instagram @juliemoooon, or explore her portfolio at juliemoon.com.

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In this conversation, we’re welcomed into Olga Abeleva’s world as she steps into a new chapter of artistic exploration. She shares glimpses of her journey, reaching back to a childhood filled with creative discovery, influenced deeply by her mother’s inventive spirit. Olga’s work today forms a vivid tapestry of inspiration—from Eastern European literature to the unpolished charm of pop culture, with threads drawn from the suspense and allure of horror and film noir. Her characters emerge as multi-layered figures, hinting at lives that extend far beyond the canvas.

Inspired by the theatricality of 80s horror and the surreal mood of analog cinema, Olga’s storytelling gains a dreamlike quality, as her imagery interlaces hidden connections. Her spaces are at once familiar and slightly unsteady, evoking fragmented memories and architectural traces that invite a second glance. 

Now, with a renewed focus, Olga ventures into uncharted creative paths. To explore her work further, visit olgaabeleva.ca, view her portfolio with Patel Brown Gallery, and follow her on Instagram at @whatsunderthemattress.

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A creative world shaped by family legacy, spirituality, and the power of colour—this is where Janna Watson draws you in during this episode of ArtBeat. With roots planted in an artistically rich upbringing, Janna shares stories from her childhood, filled with lessons from her painter grandfather and furniture designer grandmother, both of whom deeply influenced her creative spirit.

Her latest series, Speaking in Tongues, captivates with its use of colour, form, and space, designed to evoke emotion before interpretation. Janna also shares how tarot and spirituality shape her artistic lens, offering a fascinating perspective on the balance of light and dark, both in life and in her work.

From the disciplined rhythms of her studio practice to her reflections on how space—whether city or countryside—shapes her process, this episode offers an inside look at Janna’s evolving relationship with her art. But beneath it all lies something deeper: a story of personal growth, reclaiming spirituality, and transforming her studio into a sacred space of self-discovery.

Discover Janna’s work on Instagram at @jannawww and visit her website at jannawatson.com. You can experience her latest exhibition, Speaking in Tongues, at Laura Rathe Fine Art in Houston until November 21, 2024, with another solo show to follow at Sugar Lift in New York in Spring 2025. Janna’s work will also be included in a group exhibition presented by Bau-Xi Gallery at Art Toronto from October 25-27, 2024 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. 

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In this episode of ArtBeat, we’re joined by Mia Nielsen, Director of Art Toronto, who shares her fascinating journey into the world of art and her role in shaping the country’s most prominent art fair. Growing up between Ontario and Denmark, Mia’s early experiences with creativity—from her musical roots to her love for museums—laid the groundwork for her curatorial career. Her 12 years at the Drake Hotel saw her curate bold, experimental projects and foster collaborations with leading cultural institutions, experiences that have informed her approach to running Art Toronto.

Mia reflects on her time so far at Art Toronto, and how the fair continues to hold a vital place in the international art fair circuit, showcasing a distinctively Canadian perspective with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, particularly through the work of Indigenous artists. She offers insight into this year’s programming, highlighting its public installations and immersive experiences designed to captivate audiences.

As Art Toronto celebrates its 25th anniversary, Mia considers how the art world has evolved, especially in a digital age, and what it means to encounter art in person. We also discuss the importance of collectors in sustaining the Canadian art market and how the fair creates meaningful connections between artists, galleries, curators, and collectors.

Join us as Mia offers a rich exploration of curating an art fair that engages audiences and nurtures the Canadian art ecosystem.

You can follow Mia on Instagram at @seekthesublime, Art Toronto at @art_toronto, or visit arttoronto.ca for more details. 

The fair runs from October 24-27 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with a special opening night on Thursday benefiting the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. 

Get your tickets here and don’t miss this opportunity to experience the best of contemporary art!

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In this episode of ArtBeat, we sit down with Toronto-based painter Amelia Valentine, who opens up about how art became her lifeline during illness and depression. As a self-taught artist, Amelia reveals how themes of nature’s cycles, mortality, and technology shape her work, reflecting the tension between beauty and decay.

Amelia shares her journey as a late bloomer in the art world, describing how Toronto’s art community gave her the space to grow. She speaks candidly about mental health, the healing power of painting, and the balance between chaos and control in her creative process. 

Listen as Amelia reflects on what it means to create through darkness and how her work continues to evolve. You can find Amelia’s work on her website and Instagram.

Content warning: This episode discusses suicidal ideation and mental health themes.

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In this episode, Maxine McCrann reflects on her unexpected shift into becoming a full-time artist, a change that began in the stillness of early pandemic days. Before that, art was a private thing, something she did alone. But a friend's small request—a simple drawing—set something in motion. The realization that her work could bring happiness to others became the catalyst she didn’t know she needed.

Maxine speaks about her evolving style, how the pursuit of realism once defined her art, but over time, it gave way to something more alive, more spontaneous. Joy replaced perfection, and her work began to reflect the simple beauty of everyday moments—shared meals, the closeness of family, fleeting gatherings that linger in memory.

You can discover Maxine’s work on her website, follow her on Instagram, or browse her paintings and prints on Peggy and Tacit.

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Jake Kimble’s story doesn’t begin in a gallery, or even near one. It begins in Treaty 8 territory, where traditional art spaces felt distant. During trips to Edmonton, it was the glossy tabloid magazines in grocery store checkout lines that gave him his first glimpse into the visual world—a preview of what would later become his language as an artist.

Now based in Vancouver, Jake identifies as two-spirited, a truth about himself that shapes his art and worldview. It influences how he sees, how he moves through the world, and ultimately, how he tells stories. His practice—spanning photography, self-portraiture, and curation—blends humour, personal history, and the gravity of lived experience.

In this episode, Jake opens up about grief and how photography became a tool for survival, a way to process the unbearable. We also explore his concept of “queering the lens,” how he turns traditional photography inside out, challenging colonial narratives and reimagining gender and identity. Content warning: This episode briefly discusses grief and suicide at 32:57.

As Curatorial Director at Ceremonial/Art Gallery, Jake’s work expands outward, focusing on creating space for Indigenous voices, both his own and others, voices that need to be heard. We discuss the ongoing challenges Indigenous artists face in the Canadian art world—the systems in place, the weight of histories that never quite leave—and how he’s working to shift and disrupt them, in large and small ways.

You can explore Jake’s work on his website and follow him on Instagram. His upcoming exhibitions include Picturing Ourselves at The ACT Arts Centre Gallery, running until December 21, 2024, and his participation in Art Toronto with United Contemporary from October 24-27, 2024, where he will also talk about his practice.

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In the first episode of ArtBeat’s third season, Mony Zakhour reflects on his journey from Halifax to Toronto, where he shifted from business school to bartending, eventually dedicating himself fully to art. From his first show in Japan to curating Cry Baby Gallery, Mony’s work balances abstract “designed chaos” with layers of meaning. 

With Cry Baby Gallery set for Scope Art Fair at Art Basel Miami and Mony’s art soon to be featured in cities like New York, DC, and Detroit, he will also take part in the Art Gallery of Ontario's (AGO) Art Bash gala on September 26, 2024.

Find Mony at Gallery 133 and on Instagram.

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There's a certain cadence to Kim Dorland's voice—a rhythm that speaks of survival and a life lived on the edge of things. It’s the cadence of someone who has seen existence from the margins, where he grew up amidst a backdrop he calls abject poverty. Kim doesn’t sugarcoat his beginnings. He doesn’t need to. The harsh, unvarnished reality of his youth forms the very canvas upon which his art is laid bare.

As we close out our second season, we bring you a conversation that cuts through the noise. In an art scene that can often feel overly refined to the point of sterility, Kim’s work stands apart, unapologetically visceral. His paintings live in between abstraction and representation, navigating a terrain that defies neat categorization. He isn’t chasing beauty; rather, his work grapples with the uneasy tensions between love and loss, between the remnants of grief and the haunting echoes of his past.

As he prepares for his upcoming exhibition, "Nothing is good anymore," opening on September 14th, 2024, at Patel Brown Gallery in Toronto, you get the sense that this show is different. The paintings are stripped down, drained of colour. They reflect his current preoccupation with grief, but Kim doesn’t dwell in sadness—he confronts it, stares it down, and in doing so, discovers an unexpected kind of beauty.

You can find Kim’s work at Patel Brown Gallery, Equinox Gallery in Vancouver, and on his Instagram.

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