Artwork from Visual Arts Brampton members, featuring: Aleksandra Skrabka, Bernie Schulze, Colleen Douglas, Dr. Mala Singh, Helen Duplassie, Hye Jung, J. Cordy, Jen Black, Manju Das, Margaret Kulbakas, Marian Simpson, Merlene Boyce, Saima Malik & Sylvia Genders.
After a life long career in IT I decided to retire and the first thing I did was pick up a paintbrush. This was a goal carried over from high school, I promised that I'd return to painting when I retired. I wanted to paint Canada. These are scenes from our travels across Ontario, Quebec and the East Coast with plans to see the north and move west in the near future.
I am currently on a learning process. A lot has changed in 50 years. The paints and mediums have vastly improved and new techniques are available that open up new possibilities. A former large format abstract painter, I’ve concentrated primarily on land and cityscapes, a return to basics concentrating on playing with perspectives, sight lines and colours.
Aditi Ganeev Sangwan is a Brampton-based Visual artist and Art educator as well as a founder of a Social Enterprise - Art Studio Izza, focused on visual art based community engagement workshops and Eco Sustainability. Aditi earned her PhD in Visual Art from Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan India. She has over two decades of experience as a visual artist and academic scholar. Her works have been shown in various international exhibitions and she has successfully conducted workshops and presented papers in seminars at several prestigious institutions. Aditi is an Art Instructor at Visual Art Brampton. View Art Studio Izza on Instagram.
Gather Together is a vibrant series of mixed media paintings where lush flower gardens cascade and drip through human contours, inviting viewers into a poetic dance of growth and transformation.
The works delve into the idea that our bodies, like gardens, pass through seasons — blooming, shedding, resting, and renewing-capturing the fluidity of change with vivid colors that celebrate resilience and vitality.
This exhibition is a tribute to the way we gather love, memories, and wisdom over the years, much like petals and leaves layering in a garden. It encourages viewers to feel connected to their own and others’ seasons of life, fostering a sense of shared resilience and growth.
Gardens spill through and across the growth..
blossoms drifting, colours melting, roots reaching deep.
The body is not just flesh, but soil and sky,
Absorbing the quiet memory of every season it has lived.
Spring’s tender bloom,
Summer’s full light,
Autumn’s gentle release,
Winter’s stillness
All seasons are held when Gathered Together in Love, Care and Abundance.
This Journey is not the fading of life,
But its flowering in new and unexpected ways.
Beauty of impermanence
The interconnectedness of nature and self.
Gardens spill through and across the growth..
Through cycle of life Childhood to Old wisdom’s
Gather Together!
Artwork from Visual Arts Brampton members, featuring: Aleksandra Skrabka, Andrew Porter, Bernie Schultz, Colleen Dee, Manju Das, Margaret Kulbakas, Maureen McLellan, Merlene Boyce, Rosa Renna, and Sylvia Genders.
Originally from Mumbai, India, I have been based in Canada since 1978. I retired with my husband in 2001 and began to travel extensively. Visits to Art Museums was always on our agenda and I would be in awe looking at the masterpieces displayed on the walls. I never thought I would or could paint!! But during one of these travels to India in 2019, my interest in art was reawakened watching my sister paint. So, on my return to Canada, I picked up some art supplies and tried my hand at painting.
Though I lean more towards impressionism, I try to experiment all different styles of painting. I work mainly in acrylics and oils, though I love exploring other mediums such as pen and watercolour, gouache, and soft pastels.
My greatest interest lies in painting landscapes and seascapes. I get inspiration from the world around me - sunrises, sunsets, skies, mountains, forests, wildlife, birds, flowers and of course, the amazing, beautiful scenery of the four distinct changing seasons of Canada.
Painting has become a joyful and meaningful form of expression for me as I approach every project with my heart & soul. I am often told that my paintings are uplifting, soothing, meditative, bring joy & peace, and a sense of presence to those who see them. These encouraging comments from my family & friends reinforce why I paint: “To translate beauty and emotion into colour, light, and form”.
As a member of Visual Arts Brampton, I enjoy connecting with the local arts community – attending a vast range of arts & crafts classes and participating in regional opportunities. I am deeply grateful to VAB for their continued encouragement and for providing opportunities to exhibit my paintings at the Artway Gallery.
In 2025, my painting “Sunrise” was selected by the Art à la Carte program for display in the Dining Room of the Ontario Legislative Building. In 2026, my work “Just Me and the Sea” was also selected for the program—an honour that has reinforced my commitment to sharing my art more broadly.
Though I discovered my creative passion later in life, it has brought me immense joy and has become one of the most rewarding parts of my life.
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