The words “Made In Toronto: Highlighting Local Artists and Makers” on a black banner at bottom and three cropped details of the thee artists work in this blog post.

As we continue to highlight some of Akin’s finest artists and makers this winter season, we’re excited to bring you some toasty warm talent! Akin studio members Janet Hinkle, Heather Stewart, and Shayla Bond have gorgeous original, handmade work available this season for purchase online or in person, read on for more details.

Janet Hinkle

Akin Yonge-St Clair member Janet Hinkle is an interdisciplinary artist with a practice rooted in both contemporary fine art and craft. With a fondness for mixing juxtaposing materials and a practice rooted in shared histories, she is driven to explore concepts involving identity. Pulling inspiration from both mid-century forms and futuristic design, her work manifests as installation, sculpture, gatherings, time-based media, and both human-food and human-flora interaction. She is also one third of studio.docx, a creative team that presents innovative contemporary art in public spaces to create unique community experiences. In addition to her creative practice, Janet Hinkle coordinates and curates art projects and artist capacity-building programs.

“This winter I am eager to explore the human-flora ecologies present in many major cities, both harmonious and dissonant. Being based in a location that is witness to dormant and dead plant life for half of the year, I am interested in working with local plants in their over-wintering forms to create new projects and programs.”

Find more of Janet’s work on her instagram @_janethinkle_

Catch Janet’s work in these December and January events:

• Château d'Orquevaux Artists & Writers Residency
this December 2023

• Exhibition: Perennial Darkness, Auroral Cultural Centre,
December 2, 2023 - January 27, 2024

• Window Installation: Shifting Grounds, DesignTO Festival,
January 19-28, 2024

• Exhibition: Château, Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre
Corridor Galleries, January 27 - May 3, 2024

**Storm Cloud**. An installation inside a gallery of Janet Hinkle’s work. The white wall contains pinkish-brown foliage attached to the wall asymmetrically, surrounding an abstract image of pinks, yellows and whites. In front of the wall is a white table holding three small sculptures. **Photo: June Cheng**

Heather Stewart

Heather's artistic journey has been diverse, with studies at OCADU, NSCAD, The Academy for Realist Art, Avenue Road Art School, and a comprehensive three-year adult art program at Central Technical School.

Proficient in various mediums, including acrylic, printmaking, silk screen, and sculpture, Heather finds her artistic comfort zone in the simplicity of a pencil and the nuanced tones of watercolor. Her artwork aims to forge connections, ranging from the overt to the subtly nuanced, inviting viewers to explore the depth of emotion and expression.

A painting by Heather Stewart called Cottage Life. Rows of small cottage near the shoreline. The still blue water in the foreground reflect the cottages and sky, which is gray and blue.

Residing and working in Toronto, Heather is an active member of Akin and The Don Valley Art Club, enriching her work with diverse perspectives and inspiration.

Find Heather’s work on her Etsy page, ArtbyHeatherStewart

Also check out Heather’s work at an exhibition on now at the Women’s Art Association

“My work is often inspired by my travels. I guide kayak trips in Georgian Bay all summer and love traveling to out of the way places. When I return to the studio I use these images as inspiration to capture the vibrancy and beauty of the places that I have been.”

“I love creating paintings that vibrate with colour and create a feeling of space. I practice in watercolour and ink on paper as well as acrylic on canvas and wood panel. Most of my inspiration comes from my love of travel (and the fact that photos just can't capture the mood that I experience while traveling!)”

A painting by Heather Stewart called Long Drop, a small white house with a red roof sits on top of a tall cliff. The sky is a vibrant golden yellow-orange. On the bottom of the cliff is a beach with a white fence, surrounded by water.

Shayla Bond

Shayla Bond is a Toronto-based process artist recognized for her interesting use of sewn fabrics, quilting and weaving techniques. Her work explores themes of perfectionism, control, and obsession, communicated through colour, precision, and repetition.

A believer in the intimate tradition of crafting her own materials, she also experiments with oil mixing using natural pigments along with paper making. By presenting kindred compositions across diverse mediums, she invites viewers to explore the distinct qualities of each to deepen appreciation of craft.

At the heart of her practice lies a dedication to closing the gap between historic and contemporary making. The old crafts are preserved in her body of work where the echoes of the past harmonize with the cadence of the present.

**Framework for feeling.** An image of one of Shayla Bond’s textiles, mounted inside a thin wooden frame on a white wall, this fabric is filled with small squares of white interspersed with various coloured squares, mostly in reds, purples and oranges.

“Primarily textile based, I use fabric and thread to create intricately sewn panels based on computer-generated compositions. My aim with these pieces is to cross pollinate quilting with conventional stretched art, to move the quilt from the floor to wall while mastering precision and control over the materials.

I am also the proud owner of ESBE, an artisanal quilt brand where art meets utility through a modern perspective. Embracing traditional techniques, every quilt is meticulously handcrafted by myself, and is both flawlessly detailed and uniquely imperfect.”

Shaya’s work can be purchased on her Etsy store FurnAlleyGifts or through her artisanal quilt brand ESBE at esbestudio.com

**Briar quilt fields.** An image of one of Shayla Bond’s quilts, blue and white divided into four asymmetrical sections, placed in a field of trees and wildflowers. In the foreground are yellow goldenrod, and lush green foliage all around.

A huge thank you to Janet, Heather and Shayla for participating, we are your biggest fans! We’ll be bringing you more artist highlights in the coming days, so stay tuned!

Looking for more ways to shop locally this winter? Check out Akin’s Winter Art Map, a virtual guide connecting shoppers with local artists, stores and craft markets happening this winter.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

#BringingTheArtsToLife @Canada.Council