ARTISTS

All artist biographies were written in the artists’ own words, offering a personal glimpse into their stories, practices, and perspectives.

I am a struggling drug & alcohol addict. I have been to a recovery program in the past year (2025). I did learn a lot about myself and why I abuse drugs & alcohol. I have had a lot of trauma in my young years, and I have learned why I am who I am.
The reason this program at Arts Court is great for me, is that I can get out of my safe zone and try new things. I’ve found that I surprise myself in the program. It is also very relaxing and therapeutic.

Mixed Black and White culture
Jr. Nationals Taekwondo Alumni 1995
BRHS Alumni 1997
DeVry College Alumni 2002
Homeless Canadian Citizen since 2020
Arts & Crafts: Painting, Yarn, Zine, Bracelet, Necklace, Bag, Heavybag, Shorts, Cross-stitch
Sport: Hockey, Badminton, Track & Field, Taekwondo, Soccer, Baseball
Memorable moments: Camp Hillies, Black Belt, Item Collection, Teeth, Lawrencetown Hoop, BRES Speech, Grade Eleven Taekwondo Presentation

Cartoon/Comics
A fashionista who incorporates themes of dandyism, literary reference and poignancy in zine comic strips. Hoping my 31st year is as lucky as a backwards 13. Which was a year filled with ominous dread based on pointless stakes. At least for me.
At 7, I was lynched. At 8, I had a cranial artery severed. At 19, I got stabbed by a skinhead with an icepick. At 22, I had an industrial kitchen accident which involved tumbling down a flight of stairs with a bin of frying pans. Thankfully, the cast iron missed me. The aluminum did not.
31 better be lucky and so far, it has been. I have gone from a social worker working the front desk at a shelter, to hiding in a shelter, to living in my own hotel room from the 1800s. 29. 30. 31.
I am very chatty but if you asked me about it, I may be more boring than Ken Dryden. Who happened to be nice enough to write me a note about how he would trade his Stanley Cup Ring for a butter tart recipe. The gesture almost made me like him more than Bernie Parent. Almost. Nice try Ken.

Samantha is an Ottawa native. In the mediums, she is exploring this season, there is singularity of nature-themed symbolism and macro focus on earths divine elements. She colloquially refers to herself as a bush girl in the tundra.
Whatever, wherever, light is shown or reflected, she can be found playing with colour or studying the lines and texture of anything from trees, to stone, to birds on the sun’s horizon, to shape and mold her approach to life as an art form.
She is her own muse, but only because she walks in the glory that God has bestowed on her . God willing forever.
Current Mediums Exploring: Leaves as brushstrokes, abstract/bold eye shapes enhanced, embellishments.
Past Mediums: Android photos, black-and-white Photoshop, makeup and makeovers, events, fashion.

Artist Portraits by Adrienne Row-Smith