ABOUT ME
NADIA GURKOVA, OSA, CFS
BASED IN TORONTO, CANADA
I was drawn to art as long as I can remember but considering art my hobby, I chose a career in Public Relations instead. Many years later I rediscovered art and the profound effect it can have.
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I started seriously pursuing my artistic journey in 2014. I have attended several art schools and many workshops. My work has been exhibited in solo as well as esteemed juried shows in Toronto. In 2020 I have achieved the status of an elected member in the two of the most esteemed art associations in Canada – Ontario Society of Artists and Colour and Form Society. My work has been awarded “Juror’s Choice award” in the Annual Open Juried Exhibition of the latter (2020).
Today I continue to exhibit in Canada, participate in various art project in my local community, teach workshops, show my art on international online platforms. My most favorite creative practice includes painting from life in my studio and “en plein air” (outdoors). My work is in private collections in Canada, US, UK, Russia, Germany, Cyprus and Malta
C.V.
AWARDS
September 2022 - Cabbagetown Art and Crafts fair, Honorable mention, Toronto, ON
April 2021 - Award of Excellence in Still life, Annual Award Show, Don Valley Art Club, Toronto, ON
March 2021 - Third Prize, Colour and Form Society 2 sqare foot Members Exhibition, Niagara Falls, ON
October 2020 – Juror’s Choice award, Colour and Form Society, 68th Open Juried Exhibition, online
July 2015, RBC Art Access fund – grant, Awarded by Ontario Arts Council for “Art in the park” workshops
MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
Ontario Society of Artists, elected member since 2021
Colour and Form Society, elected member since 2021
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
February 2017 “Neighbors”, Toronto Public Library, Fairview branch, Toronto, ON
September 2016, Solo show “My peace” at Graven Feather gallery, Toronto, ON
August 2016 “Blooms and blossoms”, Toronto Public library, Runnymede branch, Toronto, ON
ART FAIRS
September 2022 – Cabbagetown art and crafts, Toronto, ON
August 2022 – Oakville Art in the park, Oakville, ON
June 2022 – Riverdale Artwalk, Jimmy Simpson park, Toronto, ON
June 2022 – Beaches Art and Craft fair, Kew gardens, Toronto, ON
August 2021 – Riverdale Artwalk, Jimmy Simpson Park, Toronto, ON
September 2014 Queen West Art Crawl, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
December 2022 – Square Foot show, Westland Gallery, London, ON
December 2022 – 70th Anniversary Members Show, Colour and Form Society, Carrier Gallery, Toronto, ON
November 2022 – Holiday show, Don Valley Art Club, Papermill Gallery, Toronto, ON
October 2022 – Colour and Form Society, Open Juries Exhibition, Etobicoke, ON
April 2022 - Spring show, Don Valley Art Club, Papermill Gallery, Toronto, ON
April 2022 - Art Gallery of Hamilton, Annual sale, Hamilton ON
April, 2022 - "Reflection", Colour and Form Society, Beaux Art Gallery, Brampton ON
November, 2021 - Square Foot Show, Westland Gallery, London, ON
September, 2021 OSA Members' Exhibition of selected works, Neilson Creative center, Toronto
May 2021 - Colour and Form Society New Members Exhibition, online
April 2021 - Annual Award Show, Don Valley Art Club, Toronto, ON. Award of Excellence in Still life
March 2021 - Colour and Form Society, 2 square foot members Exhibition, The Gallery, Niagara Falls, Third Prize
March 2021 - Ontario Society of Artists, New Members Exhibition, Online
October 2020 – Colour and Form Society, 68th Open Juried Exhibition, Online, Juror’s Choice Award
August 2020 – Society of Canadian Artists, 52 Open International Juried Exhibition, Online
June 2020 – Don Valley Art Club, Summer show, Online
February 2020 – Ontario Society of Artists Emerging Artist Juried Exhibition, Mississauga, ON
November 2019 – Don Vallery Art club Annual Art show, Toronto, ON
March 2017 – “The best from your nest”, curated group show, Artisans at work gallery, Toronto, ON
November 2016 – Art Salon 2016, curated show, “Gallery 1313”, Toronto, ON
September 2016 – “Muse” curated representational exhibition, Super Wonder Gallery, Toronto, ON
May 2016 – Toronto City Hall, Council chambers, Newcomer artists showcase as part of Newcomer day
April 2016 – April 2017 “Common ground”, Art at BISSELL, curated, University of Toronto, BISSELL building
March 2016 “Colour of spring”, curated, Art Square Gallery, Toronto, ON
March 2016 “Architecture and cityscape”, curated, Artisans at work gallery, Toronto, ON
January 2016, “Scape”, Curated landscape/cityscape show, Super Wonder Gallery, Toronto, ON
January 2016, “Inspired by animals”, curated group show, Artisans at work Gallery, Toronto, ON
November 2015, “In the rounds III”, curated group show, Graven Feather gallery, Toronto, ON
October 2015, “Made here” group show at Graven Feather gallery, Toronto, ON
October 2015, “Art at The Palais II: La belle époque”, Emerging Toronto Artists award night, Toronto, ON
June 2015, Group show “Bees and the birds”, curated, Graven Feather and David Suzuki Foundation, Toronto
May 2015, “United colours of Scrborough”, Art fair, Toronto, ON
April 2015, Group “Hop-up show”, Gallery on Wade, Toronto, ON
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
May- Sept 2016, “The Art of Healing”, fundraising project with Ronald McDonald House Charities, Toronto
June-August 2015, “The Art of Healing”, fundraising project with Ronald McDonald House Charities, Toronto
August 2015 – “Art in the park” community workshops in collaboration with Thorncliff Neighborhood Office.
March 2015 – 2018. Private painting workshops at Nadia’s own studio
EDUCATION
2019 – Daniel Keys, workshop
2012-2014 Kalacheva school – various courses, online.
2010 Central Technical School Art Centre, Adult program, Toronto, ON
2009 Academy of Art Canada, Private classes, Toronto, ON
2008 Nik Balyshev Art Studio, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Artist statement
When I started seriously focusing on painting, I learnt to stop and look. Artists call it observation. It changed my life. I saw incredible complexity of Nature. One thing puzzles me exceedingly. How such complexity can be so harmonious? As an artist my goal is to evoke the desire to discover, to take a moment to observe.
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To improve my own observation skills I paint predominantly from life. All summer I’m outside painting landscape studies and inside setting up still lives with all that blooms and ripens. I spend winter going through my studies and photos trying to pull bigger paintings or series of paintings, if I’m lucky. Lately I do thumbnail sketches in value and color for the whole series before starting the first painting. It helps me visualize the outcome and keep on track.
Artist statement
When I started seriously focusing on painting, I learnt to stop and look. Artists call it observation. It changed my life. I saw incredible complexity of Nature. One thing puzzles me exceedingly. How such complexity can be so harmonious? As an artist my goal is to evoke the desire to discover, to take a moment to observe.
​
To improve my own observation skills I paint predominantly from life. All summer I’m outside painting landscape studies and inside setting up still lives with all that blooms and ripens. I spend winter going through my studies and photos trying to pull bigger paintings or series of paintings, if I’m lucky. Lately I do thumbnail sketches in value and color for the whole series before starting the first painting. It helps me visualize the outcome and keep on track.
