Hi I’m Kina and I am a painter based in Ottawa, Canada.

 I can be found working at home or in my studio, as a member of the Loft Art Studios collective in the Enriched Bread building located in Little Italy. I teach part time at the Ottawa School of Art (Orleans Campus), as well as the Beacon Hill Craft Club. I founded Artawa with my partner Bradley Forney in November 2016.

Artist Statement

 I create artwork for that moment of being captivated by something so beautiful that it brings you back to a place and time when you could suspend your disbelief just long enough to feel a sense of pure joy and childlike wonder.

 My ever changing subject matter embodies the innocent, carefree nature of childhood itself. It shifts wildly from one world to another, from the playroom floor to the outskirts of the galaxy, bursting at the seams with detail, light and colour.

    My most recent series of vintage toy paintings is inspired by well-worn, brightly coloured objects I have owned since childhood. The images evoke strong emotional responses from viewers who also had these toys growing up. Their eagerness to share these memories, varying from happy to mildly disturbing to hilarious, continues to inspire me. A painting which may have had only one story from my own memory now carries with it a mosaic of experiences and new stories to tell.

    I dedicate my practice to creating space for my inner child to explore. With every piece I make, I am discovering my own simple truths that manifest through uninhibited play; connecting the dots of meaning like following breadcrumbs to find our way back home to ourselves. Life as an artist is an ongoing practice of lovingly reminding myself and those around me of our right to pursue what brings us joy, to connect with others and to take time once in a while to play.