Exhibitions

Samantha Kelly is a current resident of Courtice but has previously lived in Oshawa. As of recently, she has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art at the University of Guelph. Her family has lived and worked in Oshawa since her grandparents decided to immigrate from Malta to Canada in 1962. Thus, Oshawa greatly connects to her family’s history since both Samantha and her relatives have experienced many of life’s precious and defining moments in this city. Within Samantha’s photography work and paintings, she often discusses themes of family heritage, grief, emotion, and memory.

Toroq ta’ Saħħa u Mħabba (Roads of Strength and Love) is a reflection on my grandparents’ decision to leave Malta and immigrate to Oshawa, Canada in 1962. This work aims to capture the perseverance, hope, strength, and love that my Nanna and Nannu demonstrated throughout their lives. By symbolizing nurture and action through the hands of my Nanna and cousin, the images highlight my grandparents’ accomplishments and the challenges they faced as immigrants, striving to build the life they hoped for. My Nanna’s graceful aging details, which she has always preferred to call her “roads,” are emphasized alongside the hands of her granddaughter in various actions of care. The embracing forms honour my grandparent’s decision rooted in hope and love, while the lost detail in the background of native Maltese flowers is representative of their sacrifices and the changes that occurred in their process of immigration. Despite the challenges and sacrifices my grandparents experienced, their strength and perseverance allowed them to lead fulfilling lives as immigrants and create greater opportunities for the future generations of our family. Their example will always inspire and guide each member of our family as we continuously acknowledge their lasting impact.

Margaret Rodgers is an Oshawa-based artist, writer and curator. Her artmaking includes working in various media including painting drawing, and photo-based work, with particular interest in solar printing. Her work has been exhibited in many public galleries and alternate spaces in Ontario, and internationally in San Miguel Mexico, Beijing World Art Museum, and the Lake Placid/Saranac Lake area, NY. She was founder of The IRIS Group, a collective of women artists; taught at Durham and Centennial Colleges, and was Director/Curator at VAC Clarington. She is the author of Locating Alexandra (Toronto: ECW, 1995) about Oshawa based Painters Eleven artist Alexandra Luke. Her book Maple Park Memoirs, a hybrid art, poetry, and coming-of-age story was published in April 2026. She is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada. She holds an M.A. in Canadian Studies from Trent University with degrees combining English and Cultural Studies.

All That Glitters employs various media including painting, drawing, and solar printing, with an inner glow provided through the use of iridescent paint and powder. Found material and acrylic paint are my usual tools. With a range of processes I create a series of text and image based pieces on canvas, with found material such as salvaged silt cloth fragments, print matter, Kraft packing webbing, and other bits and bobs. (Silt cloth is the plastic barrier material used in construction sites to control the dust.) While painting remains the pivotal element in the process, the incorporation of recycled fragments confirms both the idea that art can be made from almost anything, and the connection to where we exist in our material world. Viewers are asked to look for the tiny figure in “Collage 3,” slightly obscured by the silt cloth curtain. She is Ricki Covette, “The World’s Tallest Exotic Dancer.” Her story is attached to the back of the painting, in an old Star Weekly article.

Leila Farsi is a Persian calligraphy artist whose work bridges the timeless elegance of traditional Persian script with contemporary visual expression. With over 20 years of experience, she transforms language into abstract compositions that explore emotion, memory, and human connection.

Leila holds the mastery (Momtaz) Nastaliq Certification from the Iranian Calligraphers Association. Her work has been supported by the Ontario Arts Council and exhibited across Ontario, including a solo exhibition at Station Gallery, where she also serves as a Board Director.

In addition to her studio practice, Leila has taught Persian calligraphy and calligraphic painting for many years through workshops and community programs. She offers in-person, online, and self paced courses, and welcomes commissions for custom artworks.

My acrylic and oil paintings draw from the sense of nostalgia from growing up in the city, exploring quiet, often overlooked moments that define one’s life. As someone born and raised in Oshawa, I’ve seen the city expand outwards, occupying the vast area with emerging neighbourhoods which used to be green fields. With every expansion made, I am reminded of the community in which I have forever called my home.

Ever since I have known, the neighbourhoods have always felt alive with kids finding ways to stay out until the streetlights came on. Even small events or everyday interactions have had a meaningful impact on who I have become today. As a child, I often valued my time spent going to craft events at the libraries or art camps in the Arts Resource Centre. Furthermore, a large part of my experience was shaped by teachers who created safe spaces that encouraged self expression, allowing us to showcase our work in the school art shows.

Through my work, I aim to evoke a sense of nostalgia rooted in memory, aiming not for exact representations but about how those moments felt to live through. To convey this, I use warm golden tones that create a hazy, almost dreamlike atmosphere, mirroring how memories are both vivid and distinct over time. Ultimately, my work is about reflection on growing up, and on the small moments that quietly shape who we become.

Lionel Furs moved to Oshawa in 1959 and has lived and worked in the City ever since.