 Canadian Artist Sonia Farquharson |
Born in England, raised in Toronto, I started drawing and painting from the age of 10 years old. I was fascinated with drawing faces with light and dark contrasts and capturing facial expressions. In junior high school, I participated in various school projects such as painting murals and various art contests. When I first started High School, I started to flourish in my art class. I sold my first painting to my retired English teacher in 1983 and then graduated with the art award for grade 12 and 13.
After graduating, I attended the Ontario College for the Arts, part-time, and received a certificate for Editorial Illustration. I then went back to Humber College to get a degree in Business and continued drawing for various group exhibitions and contests. The 2000 Beyond/The Legend - Music to Visual Art Exhibition and tour across Canada was one that got me noticed. A year later, I was asked to participate in the 1st Annual Black History Month Art Exhibition for the Canadian Human Rights Commission and I've continued with this exhibition for the past 9 years.
My paintings have appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, Burlington Post and various local newspapers in Toronto. I now focus on multicultural type drawings that emphasize my African Heritage and racial unity. I hope my paintings will, some how help people to come together and fight against racial discrimination in our society. The mediums I like to work with are, Coloured Pencils, Conte, Chalk Pastels and Acrylic.
EDUCATION |
||
| Editorial Illustration, Ontario College of Art/ Editorial Illustration/Toronto | 1989 | |
| Business, Humber College/Toronto | 1987 –1989 | |
| Art Studies and Art History, York Memorial Collegiate/Toronto | 1983 –1984 | |
ACADEMIC AWARDS |
||
| Art Award, York Memorial Collegiate | 1984 | |
| Juried Art Show, Humber College (Honourable Mention) | 1984 | |
| Art Award, York Memorial Collegiate | 1983 | |
| Juried Art Show, York Memorial Collegiate | 1983 | |
GROUP EXHIBITONS |
||
| COLOURblind International - Carribana Art Exhibition | July 2007 | |
| GSix Ah Wi - Genius Loves Company 2nd Edition - Gladstone Hotel | July 2007 | |
| African Exhibition - Gallery Streetsville (Mississauga) | Feb 2007 | |
| COLOURblind - Group Exhibition and Tour GTA - Spin Gallery | Jan 2007 | |
| GeniusLovesCompany - Six Ah Wi Upcoming Exhibition with AfroToronto.com | Oct 2006 | |
| COLOURblind (Group Exhibition Tour - TO and surrounding areas) | Jan 2006 | |
| Juried Art Show - Etobicoke Civic Centre | Sept 2005 | |
| Juried Art Show - Nielson Park Creative Centre | Sept 2005 | |
| Six Ah Wi (Art Exhibition at Ashanti Room) | Jul 2005 | |
| Human Rights through Art Exhibition – Burlington Art Centre | Mar. 2005 | |
| Human Rights through Art Exhibition – Hamilton City Hall | Feb. 2005 | |
| Canadian Human Rights Commission – HRAE – Toronto | Feb. 2005 | |
| Halton Regional Centre Auditoriam – Human Rights through Art Exhibition | Mar. 2004 | |
| Canadian Human Right Commission – Human Rights through Art Exhibition | Feb. 2004 | |
| King Edward Hotel – Urban Financial Services Coalition / Art Exhibition | Oct. 2002 | |
| Canadian Human Rights Commission – Human Rights through Art Exhibition | Jan. 2002 | |
| The Legend – Bob Marley Tour, 2000 Beyond Art Group/Harbourfront | Feb. 2001 | |
| The Legend – Bob Marley Tour, 2000 Beyond Art Group/Wagner Rosenbaum Gallery | Oct. 2000 | |
| Kuumba – Black History Exhibition/Harbourfront | Feb. 2000 | |
| Canadian Human Rights Commission/Canadian Law Society – Black History | Jan. 2000 | |
| United Furniture Manufacturing in association with Langston Hughes Institute | Jul. 1999 | |
| Canadian Human Rights Commission/Canadian Law Society – Black History | Jan. 1999 | |
| Canadian Human Rights Commission/Canadian Law Society – Black History | Jan. 1998 | |
| Six-Ah-Wi – Black History/Bramalea Civic Centre | Jan. 1997 | |
BIBLIOGRAPHY |
||
| Burlington Post – HRAE – Burlington Art Centre (Artists Photo) | April 2005 | |
| Hamilton Spectator – HRAE – (Interview) | Feb. 2005 | |
| Cogeco TV – Channel 23 (Interview to promote Exhibition at BAC) | Feb. 2005 | |
| Oakville Beaver – Halton Regional Art Exhibition | March 2004 | |
| Hamilton Spectator – About Town Section (Halton Regional Exhibition) | March 2004 | |
| Share Community Newspaper – Halton Regional Exhibition Artists Photo | March 2004 | |
| Hamilton Spectator – Full Page Spread of “Ethiopian Woman” | Feb. 2004 | |
| City TV – Interview to promote “Music to Visual” Exhibition – Bob Marley | Feb. 2000 | |
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS |
||
| Burlington Art Centre Member | 2005 -2006 | |
| Six Ah Wih – Art Collective | 1998 -2006 | |
| 2000 Beyond Art Collective | 1998 - 2001 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sonia Farquharson
(905) 483-2063
soniafarquharson@artlover.com
I also do Portrait drawings of family and friends by just mailing or emailing your photos to me. Click Here for details.
Return to Art In Canada´s Homepage Gallery