Together, Apart features fifteen artists within the 2021 graduating class of the Fine Art (Visual Art) program at Queen’s University. Student artists express their meditation and reflection of memories, nostalgia, human-nature connection and conflicting relationships with reality through oil painting, sketching, short videos and sculptures. Together, Apart is a virtual exhibition that will be launched across Unity and Instagram. This year, the unexpected reality has forced a group of promising emerging artists to stay distanced from their familiar studio environment. Regardless, it did not stop them from pursuing their passion. As artists, they creatively engaged with the given reality to process and express themselves.

The ever-shifting circumstances that students have faced this past year seemed to have pushed their creativity even further. While distanced from their familiar on-campus studio environment, Queen’s BFA students have been converting their bedrooms, spare rooms and apartments into temporary studios, and experimenting with alternative mediums. Amidst the hardships, solitude and loss of connection that this year has wrought, the limitations of producing art under lockdown has enabled new directions for artists to have intimate conversations with themselves and their personal surroundings.

Although COVID lockdown has forced them to stay apart, their shared passion for arts and the determination to create regardless of the outer environment bridges the distance. Thanks to the innovative technology that frees us from our physical limitations, we’re able to realize their desire to stay together, share their passion and creativity through digital exhibition. Beyond the physical gallery space, this project hopes to bring everyone together virtually and celebrate the creativity of Queen’s BFA program, Class of 2021.

Lexie Braden

These works are inspired by my recent passion for lichens—their composition of fungal and algal relationships has encouraged me to take a deeper look into the relations I have with those around me and in the close knit community of Dawson City, Yukon. Lichens can be thought of as a symbiotic relationship of two friends, a fungus and an algae, the fungal component houses the algae and provides moisture needed for photosynthesis as well as creating the shape and structure for the lichen. In return, the algae layer performs photosynthesis and feeds the fungus by leeching the energy created through its membrane. Recent discoveries have been made which show lichens have more than just two components, often yeasts and bacteria are involved in ways that aren’t entirely understood at this time. With this understanding, I have created lichenized portraits of those around me. These portraits are created after sitting with the model, taking photographs and recording our casual conversation. There are no scripts or predetermined set of questions. The recordings communicate the push and pull between various community members and friends, and the connections we share.

Lexie Braden is an artist currently based out of Dawson City, Yukon—the traditional territory of the Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation. Her work is shaped by human and spatial relationships and connections. In 2020, Lexie was Tombstone’s Territorial Park on-site artist-in-residence for two weeks, resulting in a final exhibition. During the residency, she led demonstrations, produced short films, created prints and graphite drawings. Her film, collect and combine was featured in The Dance Current magazine (2020). In 2019, Lexie’s film Feelers was in the group exhibition Temporal Encounters at Union Gallery.

Yifan Chen

My artworks explore the themes of cultural conflicts and integrations that arose from my personal narratives. They are about my personal understanding of life. These works were digitally printed onto fabric and canvas. Family Education Childhood was originally presented on a blanket as it aims to symbolize cover and protection between parents and their children. Work-Life Balance was designed to be printed on a curtain, to represent a curtain's function to block or hide objects, or be used as decoration. Curtains can also be hung to compartmentalize spaces and give people a sense of privacy.

Yifan Chen is an international student from China. In third grade of primary school, she began to learn studio sketching. In 2014, she transferred to Centennial Secondary High School in Belleville, Ontario. Yifan was awarded with outstanding achievement in Visual Art in her final semester of high school. In 2015 and 2016, Yifan exhibited her artwork at the Catherine Glover Art Gallery and the Belleville Public Library Student Art Exhibition.

Megan Divinski

Patent Leather Red is a portrayal of anticipation, a tableau of a fictional performance, and a moment captured in time. It is dynamic and timeless, striving to convey the feeling of joie de vivre that I associate with experiencing live performances through the medium of oil paint. I piece together the feeling of spectacle that is inspired by vintage illustrations, burlesque dancers, drag performers, musical-theatre, retro jazz choreography, baroque artwork, and European cabaret.

Megan Divinski is a Canadian artist currently based in Kingston, Ontario. Megan strives to represent the excitement, anticipation, and joie de vivre that is present in live performance through the medium of oil paint. Megan has previously exhibited at the Union Gallery.

Grier Drummond

My current practice is centred around bridging reality with imagination. Using digital and physical media, I create scenes of organized chaos, where the immaterial and material are layered and blend together. I use a range of media and materials in my work including digital photography, Procreate, acrylic, gouache. I embrace a graphic visual style with a distinct, vibrant palette and exaggerated human-like figures to create a seemingly coherent dream-like world with a recurring cast of characters, informally referred to as my signature “guys.”

Grier Drummond is a multi-disciplinary artist with a focus in painting, print, and digital media. She has a cast of reappearing characters in her work which she has been developing for the past eight years. Grier attended Etobicoke School of the Arts for high school and had her first solo gallery show at #Hashtag Gallery when she was 15. She plans on continuing her artistic journey in Toronto, Ontario, with ambitions to work in the field of Graphic Design.

Ashley Gringhuis

The concept of the self, how it is simultaneously contained while also interacting and connecting with others, inspires my thinking and greatly informs my work. I look to explore ideas of existence and what this means to an individual as they navigate the world and attempt to live within it. By using self-portraiture, I illustrate my own feelings of confusion and anxiety with creating relationships and recognizing the complexities of living alongside other individuals. In looking at how our paths can overlap, intersect, weave together, and often become tangled, I hope to examine not only my position in the world but what it means to leave a lasting impact on it.

Ashley Gringhuis is a painter and printmaker from Barrie, Ontario. In her artistic practice, she focuses on the complexities of life, relationships, and the anxieties that come along with it. Ashley has previously exhibited at Union Gallery.

Leah Kendall

In my work, I explore the intimate relationships between humans and animals in various romanticized settings. I specifically focus on large wild cats, emphasizing the beauty of their musculature and varying fur textures and patterns. Although beautiful and elegant, these large cats are dangerous animals that humans would not likely choose to be with in close proximity. In my paintings, I am playing with the idea of fear and trying to flip it completely. Instead of fearing these dangerous creatures, the figures feel comforted in their presence, signifying that they share an intimate and trusting bond with one another. I aim to create blissful and whimsical environments for these two opposing figures to communicate. This allows for a surreal setting that emanates feelings of harmony, daydreams, and serenity.

Throughout her years of artistic exploration at Queen’s University, Leah Kendall has used oil paint to portray surreal and intimate connections between humans and animals, specifically large wild cats. Currently living and working in Kingston, Ontario, Leah primarily focuses on creating relaxing and romanticized wildlife scenes with vibrant colours to emit feelings of tranquillity and bliss.

Lee Lapointe

My work explores connections between our perceptions of objects, surroundings, and selves. I create physical impressions of multi-dimensional objects with paper pulp, and experiment with an accumulative approach in painting, sculpture, and video. Asserting that bodies and objects merge in their interactions, the works emphasize bodily encounter. I examine how familiar objects can recall memories, and how perceiving objects may leave a mental impression, as may be encountered in a dream.

I also explore the relationship between sensory perception and reality, questioning whether what we perceive is an accurate reflection of the external world, or merely an internal perceptual copy. If we experience “reality” from within our minds, how far does the self extend into what we consider our surroundings? In defamiliarizing the everyday, my works draw attention to a reality mediated by our own perceptions. I aim to blur the boundaries between perceptions of self and space, inside and outside, mind and body. I use imagery that is simultaneously bleak and playful, mundane and mysterious, to suggest a sense of ambiguity surrounding these experiences.

Lee Lapointe is a visual artist from Perth and currently based in Kingston, Ontario. Lee primarily works in painting, sculpture, and video. He is concerned with consciousness, embodiment, and the self, exploring seemingly dichotomous concepts like mind and body, self and other, and interior and exterior worlds. They are fascinated with dreams, using dream-like imagery as metaphors for navigating experiences and states of being. He has previously exhibited at the Union Gallery.

Clare Lee

Edward de Bono said that “there is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would forever be repeating the same patterns.” Contrary to this belief, there remains a tendency to appreciate historical and decorative art but dismiss the work of living artists. If society is so quick to support the commodification of art, should there not be the same devotion to its creators? Within these layered drawings and abstract oil traffic lights, I grapple with things that nurture us and those that shape the way we think and behave. I focus on family, education, and societal structures as major influences through our lives that leave us susceptible to the dangers of conformity. Standardized tests, office cubicles and money are examples of normalized impediments. In truth, there will always be a demand for lateral thinkers, and the multifaceted quality of art is what continues to grow the array of job opportunities. It is the social and political paradigms we live in that fails to recognize this—and as de Bono puts it—fails to progress.

Clare Lee is an artist based in Toronto, Ontario. Specializing in drawing, oil and digital creations, she often uses mixed media within these mediums to convey her ideas. She does freelance digital portraiture, paintings, drawings, custom posters, and other editorial illustrations. Some themes she explores include memories, feminism, identity, and as of late—conformity within the society. As an educator and artist, her goal is to communicate the importance of fostering and valuing creativity.

Emma Loiselle

I explore growth through the balance of femininity and masculinity that exist within nature. It expresses how to heal and grow a relationship between the mind and physical body. In my paintings, nature responds to the uncertainty surrounding the characters, reclaiming the authority in the relationship between humans and plants, for they are the ones who have mastered creating livable worlds. Turning towards nature and intuition to heal, the characters take the position of a listening student—relaxed, grounded and stretching themselves, they begin to hear. Stemming from my investigation of comfort/escapism, a soft-hearted battle of naturalism vs. expressionism occurs in my work, both fighting to overtake the canvas. This tension is reflected in life through finding a balance between doing and dreaming. When arranging the figures in my compositions, they are repeatedly placed in positions that push the limits of their anatomy, challenging the progress of sustained change. Allowing most of the composition to develop on canvas, I focus on the process of the work, viewing each work as a jigsaw puzzle. I fill the gaps of discomfort with different imagery and stroke; this push and pull experience connects my own personal mind-mapping into the wiring of my painting series.

Emma Loiselle is an artist from Oakville, Ontario, with a focus in oil painting, botanical patterns and the female form. Her practice is informed by bodily compositions, pattern imagery, ambitious brushwork, and the process of paint layering. As she begins her career as a young adult, Emma’s work relies on discovering new connections between the body, mind, and nature in order to storytell how we transition, connect, and embody space within the natural world.

Katie Marshall

Most recently, my studio practice has focused on creating drawings of figures in movement and in demanding positions. In doing so, I express my thoughts and feelings by placing them into a physical body which I can manipulate, thereby asserting control over my internal reflections. All of my drawings are created digitally, then warped and twisted until they convey the way I feel. This practice of digitally manipulating the images is the most vital step in creating my art, as it offers space for reflection. Sometimes I can't put into words what's going on inside my brain, and I have always found the world confusing. My drawings show the confusion I feel, and offer a space for the viewers to interpret these feelings. My figures show the flexibility, contortions, pushing and pulling I feel in my mind; they move in ways I cannot, and are the personification of my thoughts.

Katie Marshall is an artist from Toronto, Ontario, with a focus in drawing and wire sculptures. Her work explores her own mind and the inner conflicts she faces within her brain and likes to look at how people perceive their own and each other's thoughts. Katie is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Education (Concurrent) degree.

Elise Ngo

My work explores the difficult internal mental states we experience, as well as the patterns of thought we have trained our brains to integrate into our daily lives. Do these neural pathways serve us well? If not, how can we challenge them, and effectively rewire ourselves? Stop motion is used to invite others into my headspace and turn my feelings into a visual and physical manifestation, with each of my animations centred around a different type of experience or unpleasant emotion that I am intimately familiar with—predominantly anxiety and worry, but also sadness, dissatisfaction, and stagnation. I tend to work on a relatively small-scale to convey a sense of intimacy appropriate to the personal subjects shared. Elements of play and absurdity are also injected into my animations, poking fun at these expressions of my anxieties, worries, and unhelpful patterns of thought as a way of questioning and challenging the space they occupy in my mind.

Elise Ngo is a multidisciplinary artist from Toronto and currently living in Kingston, Ontario, with a focus in painting, sculpture, and new media. Her practice explores internal mental processes, telling stories from a personal lens. She has previously exhibited at the Union Gallery and the Queen’s Faculty of Education’s annual juried exhibitions. Elise currently sits on the Board of Directors at Union Gallery.

Bronwen Parr

My work addresses personal memory and sentiments of home. As someone who has moved at a high frequency throughout my life, I aim to preserve my most treasured memories through my artistic practice. Currently, I am producing oil paintings which directly reference personal photographs, to add clarity to memories which I cherish, and imprint them onto canvas. The painting, At the Cottage, depicts the property behind my family’s cottage in Deerhurst—a place which I treasure dearly. My hyper-realistic style aims to replicate the original photograph with high detail and precision. In this way, I approach painting as a tool to disallow memory loss, even when their photograph counterparts get lost in boxes or crumpled beyond repair.

Bronwen Parr is a visual artist and teacher pursuing her Bachelor of Education (Concurrent) degree. Her work is primarily focused on oil painting and realism, with specific dedication to landscapes. Bronwen often explores the concept of memories—choosing to paint photographs she has taken on travels or near home.

Tyler Pearse

In my paintings, I aim to convey the brightness in our world and base it on lived experiences that focus on three aspects: human connection, adventure, and play. By pulling from my own experiences at summer camp and tagging the simple things that are good, I believe my art can be a symbol of sentimentality, preservation and upholding of personal family/heritage/ideals. I want my work to be an example of permitting oneself to reminisce in fond memories. Through my artistic practice, I aim to make an impact on a personal level and invoke happiness, inspire adventure, and remind viewers of the strength of human connection.

Tyler Pearse is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Education (Concurrent) degree to become an art teacher for high school students. Tyler started practicing his art in grade eight and continued throughout high school. He generally works in oil on canvas and has recently gravitated towards printmaking and photography. He often pulls inspiration from the summer camp which his family runs and lives at, focusing on the wonderful qualities camp provides and the lasting memories it creates. Pearse comes from Huntsville, Ontario, a small town in the Muskoka area.

Yanzhi Wang

My artworks explore how memory, lived experience and the present can lead to inconsistent emotions towards a space. Experiences become memories, which carry to the present. While in the present, the recollection of a particular space becomes inconsistent over time, which affects my emotional connection to the space. My divided compositions reflect the sense of fragmentation that I feel as a result of these inconsistent emotions and recollections. Through layering colours, I aim to show that some details of the memories have become forgotten. Only the best experiences of the places remain, but they gradually become distorted symbols that remind me of the feelings lived at these times. As a result, I question what I truly miss: is it the space or the sentiments? Summer Thoughts: 37°C Rainy Day depicts the recollections of my hometown Guangzhou while I was living abroad and feeling nostalgia for the city I was raised in. The street scenes, the old buildings, the rain and the ice cream create a sweaty and wet feeling in my mind. The superimposed teal layers of paint aim to connect these three fragmented sections and provide random glimpses into my memories. I superimpose an epoxy resin layer consisting of different colours to resemble the reflective puddles of water, creating a sense of impression of the city in my memory. Autumn Thoughts: Missing Spring is inspired by a Chinese poem by Zhiyuan Ma entitled Tune Sunny Sand, Autumn Thoughts. The memories of the past have been continuously beautified and become like a spring garden in my mind.

Yanzhi Wang was born and raised in Guangzhou, China. She started studying overseas at the age of 15. She currently works and lives in Ontario. The experience of studying in Canada has become Yanzhi’s source of inspiration. The sense of loneliness resulting from the challenges of integrating into a foreign culture is represented in her work in tandem with a strong sense of nostalgia for her past. In addition to painting and digitizing works, Yanzhi experiments with various media including sand and epoxy resin, hoping to create both a rough texture and a sense of flow.

Ailene Zamora

My work this past year has become a face-to-face confrontation of the current global, political, and socioeconomic climate. With a global pandemic, comes an unmasking of harsh realities in tandem with a systematic masking of the human face. The series This is being recorded for quality assurance explores the reality of being recorded in these surreal times as an anomaly amongst a generation and as a blip in a technologically-driven age. This is an age where making connections with people has become more accessible, yet feels emptier; where craft and more technically demanding skills have increased. However, with unprecedented circumstances comes uncertain ends. Will my work be defined by this blip? Will advocates of issues that were swept up in the pandemic come back to stand in solidarity once more? Despite this uncertainty, I find solace in art, creation, and impermanence. I have hope that this surge of craft and creation has instilled the drive in people to push for change once more, where we can learn from this drastic time and move forward, not go backwards.

Ailene Zamora is an emerging artist from the Niagara Region, Ontario. Ailene predominantly works with oil paint on large-scale canvas, and in textile creation as a proficient seamstress and small business owner. She has previously exhibited at the Queenston Mile Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2020, and at the Union Gallery in 2021. Ailene currently resides in Kingston, Ontario for her studies, and will be pursuing her Masters of Arts in Cultural Studies in Fall 2021. Ailene hopes to continue to expand her artistic practice and social advocacy through art across Canada in the coming years.

Jung-Ah Kim

Jung-Ah Kim is a filmmaker and programmer from Seoul, South Korea, currently in the first year of her Ph.D. in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies at Queen’s University. Before she came to Queen’s, she received her MFA in Documentary Media from Northwestern University (2019) in Chicago. Her films have been shown in various venues and festivals across North America and South Korea, and she organized regular Korean film screenings in Chicago as well as programming for film festivals. Currently working as a curatorial assistant at the Union Gallery supported by a Research Fellowship from her program, she wishes to continuously engage with curatorial practice as well as producing her own work.

Roy Zheng

Roy Zheng is a filmmaker, videographer and visual artist entering the second year of his Master’s degree in Cultural Studies. Currently, his graduate research explores the social ecology of independently operated film exhibition institutions in Toronto. Roy holds a BA in Film and Media from Queen’s University, having graduated in 2019. He has previously worked as the Production Assistant at Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Media Archivist at Vulnerable Media Lab and Event Assistant at Kingston Film Office. Roy has created visual projects and artwork in multiple cities and countries through his studies at the University of St. Andrews, the University of Havana, the University of Hong Kong and the Bader International Study Center in the UK.