Megan Hazen from Ottawa

Acrylic on canvas

From the artist statement:

"Self image is something that many people struggle with. We live in a culture in which appearance is regarded as an element of high personal value, and are constantly surrounded by the standards that are set by society. This pressure has often resulted in the loss of some confidence for many, myself included."

Frédérik Giguère from Sherbrooke, QC

Experiment silver print

Translated from the artist statement:

"The idea behind the development of this completely unique technique, halfway between painting and photography, is to control elements we're exposed to when looking at the work. By carefully revealing certain parts of the original photograph, I can create a new composition which changes the meaning and interpretation of the work."

Anna Weyant from Calgary

Oil on panel

From the artist statement:

"This is a painting of my dear friend as she sat to paint her own portrait. Eager to catch the passive strength of her expression, I quickly arranged an easel beside her. I was intrigued by the fleshiness of her skin as it formed to the contours of her face."

Evelyn Zhang from Markham, ON

Oil on canvas

From the artist statement:

"When I was younger, painting was a way for me to escape the cycle of everyday life. Every time I began to paint, I felt myself being whisked away to beautiful lands of wonder and contentment. As I got older, I began to realize that painting was not only a method of escapism, but a way of connecting with others with others through the universal language of art."

Florence Yee from Montreal

Oil paint on canvas

From the artist statement:

"I often catch myself drawing on the shower wall with the most freedom, perhaps because it is ephemeral, soon to be erased by the condensation. In the future, I hope to be able to paint like I will never see it again, yet yield results that I would want to keep forever."

Monica Bulos from Missisauga, ON

Pen and ink

From the artist statement:

"Wanting to challenge myself in the art of surrealism, I found myself drawn to the image of hope. She is lost in her own reflection and she tries to escape the constraints of her stone walls. She is incomplete. All that she sees of herself is the result of the many years she has spent inside her towering walls, curtained windows, and locked doors."

Chris Donovan from Hampton, NB

Digital photography

From the artist statement:

"When a loved one, or even an acquaintance passes away, we often see the reality of mortality much more clearly than before. With this image, I intended to portray a figure contemplating mortality."

Hannah Franes from Ashcroft, BC

Mixed media (acrylic paint, embroidery thread, glass beads)

From the artist statement:

"While walking my boxer, Indigo, on a cliffside trail overlooking my small, friendly town, my idea for this painting came to life. I watched our shadows, and how they contrasted with the view of houses, mountains and sagebrush across our valley. In the springtime, there are little bright flowers scattered on the hills, and the Thompson River flowing through our hometown is full with clear, lively water."

Matthew Walton from Pasadena, NL

From the artist statement:

"This is a portrayal of women’s struggle to be recognised in a manmade world. It appears to me that for women to be taken as seriously as men they have to hide the things that make them human. It is obvious that in this world, women have to try harder, push harder, and work harder to succeed in the fields that men typically dominate."

Gui-Anne Fauvelle from St-Jérôme, QC

Oil on canvas

Translated from the artist statement:

"I was born in a country where survival wasn't easy. Abandoned and placed in an orphanage, I had no name, family or home, let alone an identity. One more baby in an overpopulated country. Then, Life was kind to me and gave me a second chance by sending me a loving mother from Canada."

Kirollos Kilada from Mississauga, ON

Watercolour, acrylic, pen

From the artist statement:

"Pablo Picasso once said: 'Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.' I chose to represent this in my artwork by emphasizing the power that exists in the imagination of a child, as opposed to monotonous boredom that sometimes comes with adult life (black and white cityscape)."

Kevin Nguyen from Toronto

Archival pigment print of a digital drawing

From the artist statement:

"This artwork is part of a mixed-media series that depicts the life of a woman working in the floating markets of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. These pieces transition chronologically through her life, Woman – Age 47 offers a glimpse at middle-age."

Annika Babra from Brampton, ON

Acrylic paint and digital media

From the artist statement:

"Fear is a thought-consuming emotion without boundaries that plagues that majority of humanity, taking physical and mental tolls on the mind. One may attempt to overcome their personal burdens, whether it be of the rational or irrational, yet it may seem hopeless regardless of effort. People will have fears and I believe that is what grounds us."

Jin Cheng from Toronto

Sketching pencils

From the artist statement:

"'Photoshopping' pictures to perfection is the norm nowadays. How we look is on our mind every second of the day, no matter what we're doing. We can't live our day-to-day lives without wondering if our mascara's running or if our lipstick's smudged."

Antonia Kallaur from Montreal

From the artist statement:

"This pencil drawing is an illustration of a personal struggle. The raised arm, firmly clinging onto the pencils is meant to represent myself holding onto my desires to remain studying and pursuing art. The other two hands are meant embody my arthritis, one of the hands clenching my arm and the other checking for a pulse."