Lydia Isaacs

Lydia Isaacs is a Visual Artist and Crafts person from Six Nations Territory. She paints abstract realism.

She uses her love of traditional culture, stories and themes around nature and femininity to inspire her

Art. She is a self-taught Artist of over 10 years using mediums in acrylic paint, watercolor, pen and ink

and soapstone.

Leslie Davies-Lilly

Living internationally for all of my life, has enabled me to learn much from the cultures I have lived

in. The colour palette that I use is very reminiscent of the Mediterranean region of Europe, as this had a

major influence on me.

I completed my undergrad in Switzerland with a major in psychology and a minor in art. After moving

to Canada in 1975, I attended The Toronto Art Therapy Institute. The tools I learned at TATI enabled

me to express my emotions, conflicts and pathos in a way words cannot. My deep desire to help others

learn about themselves and improve their lives led me obtain a Masters in Counselling Psychology at

the Alfred Adler Institute of Adult Psychology in 1992.

Continuing to combine the worlds of art and psychology, I led art therapy groups for 4 years, while also

sustaining a private practice in mental health. I retired in 2007.

As I have matured, I continue to explore psychological issues with art. This medium has an incredible

ability to tap into the subconscious and gain insight into the interior of the mind in a way words

cannot. I am always amazed at the power of art and how it can be used for so much more than just a

simple rendition.The expression of art continues to amaze me in its depth, breadth and clarity of subjects otherwise left

hidden.

Matt Watkinson

I am an artist based in Brantford Ontario and I paint pictures in oil. Before painting, I published a

children’s book called “Tommy Who Tried.”

I started painting when my father passed away in February 2024. At the time, I just needed an outlet to

deal with some of the grief. As a kid, I would always “doodle” and he was very encouraging of that.

I never saw what he saw, but he always insisted that I pursue that while he was alive.

I started making paintings for friends and family and the response was very positive. And, I was out of

work at the time so to make ends meet, I would paint at Harmony Square.

Art is very important to me. All forms and mediums but, oil is my heart and soul.

I love the process of learning and figuring things out. Painting helps me to look deeper into things,

observe more and pay attention to the beauty I see all around.

I don’t have any goals with painting aside from achieving a level of mastery in the craft that gives me

the freedom to paint whatever I see in my mind or in front of me.

No formal education. My first painting was a year and a half ago and have just been sort of figuring it

out as I go.

Some of my heroes, as far as painters, are - Sargent, Andrew Zorn, Rembrandt, Andrew Cadima,

Michael James Smith, and Miriam Hoffman.

I hope that my work invites viewers to look at the subjects I paint through my eyes. My art is just an

interpretation of the beauty I see in life. To paint a story for them, and not just a picture.

Thadeus Zebroski

Thadeus Zebroski is a mixed media artist whose work is rooted in the belief that imagination is a

powerful force for personal expression, connection, and transformation. Inspired by a childhood spent

in rural Ontario surrounded by nature, invention, and escaping into comic books, Thadeus’ creative

practice has always been anchored in expressing meaning through universal storytelling and visual

exploration.He creates vibrant, tactile works that blend painting, drawing, photography, and digital tools. His

surrealistic illustrations are infused with the wonder of fairy tales, folk stories, and childhood memories,

often featuring recurring motifs of transformation, belief, and the quiet magic found in everyday

moments.

The narrative in Thadeus’ work weaves together his many passions: storytelling, education, imagination,

and belief in one’s creative self. His art draws on years of experience as a teacher, father, and lifelong

learner exploring how an idea can become something real and meaningful through artistic creation.

To learn more about the Artist Incubator program, visit www.glenhyrst.