Detail: Magnolia Mischief 18x24"
Artist Statement
Rooted in storytelling, my paintings often begin with a real place or memory before moving into imagined directions. I aim to evoke an emotional response by showing that it is possible to hold both light and dark in the same moment. Even in uncertain times, there is something bright or funny that suggests things can still turn out okay. I explore themes of grit, positivity, and community, the strength we find in each other and in the moments that connect us.
I paint with encaustic, layering melted beeswax and damar resin to create depth, translucency, and texture. My line work blends fast gestures with careful carving to add rhythm and movement. Each piece is made in my Toronto studio, where I’m always trying to settle my impatient energy into something still and meaningful.
Artist Bio & CV
Shailyn first got her hands on encaustic in 2016 and was hooked by the process: molten wax, layered texture, and all the unpredictability that comes with it. She’s been painting since she was 15, beginning with photo-realistic oils under the guidance of a local artist in Eastern Ontario. Her style loosened and became more expressive during her studies in graphic design and fine art at St. Lawrence College in Kingston and later at York University in Toronto.
​
She’s a juried member of the North Toronto Group of Artists (NTGA) and a member of the Artists Network, and volunteers with both communities. She first exhibited her encaustic work with NTGA in 2022 and continues to show and collaborate with fellow artists, building her practice within a vibrant creative network. Her work has been featured in exhibitions across the Greater Toronto Area and is held in private and corporate collections throughout Canada and the U.S.
​​​
Exhibitions, Shows & Tours
Current & Upcoming​​​
-
NTGA Spring Show & Art Tour - May 2026, Toronto​​​
​​​
Previous
2025
- NTGA Fall Show & Art Tour, Toronto​
- Skagen Gallery, Summer Show - June 30 - Sept 30, 2025, Toronto
- Common Ground, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
- Artwalk In The Square, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
- Summer Smalls, Micak Gallery, Aurora, ON
- True North Unshaken, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto - Juried Show
- Riverdale Artwalk, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
- NTGA Spring Show & Art Tour, Toronto
- You Do You, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
- The North Toronto Perspective, Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Etobicoke, Group Show
​​
2024
- Six month extended exhibition, Micak Gallery, Aurora, ON
- Holiday Smalls, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
- NTGA Fall Show & Art Tour, Toronto
- Fur, Fins & Feathers, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
- NTGA Spring Show & Art Tour, Toronto
- You Do You, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto - Juried Exhibition
​​
2023
- Kingston Square Foot Show, Kingston ON - Juried Exhibition
- NTGA Fall Show & Art Tour, Toronto
- Bayview Fall Show & Art Tour, Toronto
- NTGA Spring Show & Art Tour, Toronto
​​
2022
- NTGA Fall Show & Art Tour, Toronto
- NTGA Spring Show & Art Tour, Toronto
​
2004
- Steamwhistle Brewery, Toronto - Solo Exhibition
- Distillery District Outdoor Art Fair, Toronto​
​
2003 - Distillery District Outdoor Art Fair, Toronto
2002 - Matthew's Gallery, Toronto - Solo Exhibition
2001 - Art5. Woolfitt's Art Gallery, Toronto - Five-artist showcase
2000 - Art6. Arts and Letters Club, Toronto - Six-artist showcase
1999 - Art4. Evening Telegram Building, Toronto - Four-artist showcase
​
Volunteer Positions
Artist Network: Leslie Grove Gallery committee member
NTGA Executive committee & jury member
​​
Education
York University, Visual Arts
St. Lawrence College, Graphic Design
Tide Out 60x24"