Natasha Perrault’s journey in artistic expression began in grade seven when she first explored theatre in her drama class and acted in her first play. For the first time, she felt truly herself, able to fully express her emotions and thoughts. Inspired by Shane Koyczan, she discovered slam poetry and experimented with some of her journals. Poetry has since become her unique form of expression.

David Walker’s life has been an amalgamation of his deep interests in both the sciences and the arts. He remembers drawing people at age 3 and airplanes at age 5. Throughout his school years, he explored using many different mediums, including clay and wheel pottery. As he grew up, his joy in making art opened up the question of whether he should venture further into the arts; trying to make it his livelihood.

Being told at the age of 25, that Lise Leroux only had six months to live was devastating. After a diagnosis of Syringomyelia and unsuccessful brain surgery, health professionals gave Lise Leroux notification that she needed to “say her goodbyes” and “get her life in order.”

After many tears, Lise prepared herself for the deadline … which passed. The ticking clock kept ticking. Her doctors kept telling her just to wait. Lise got tired of waiting and decided to get her life in order, as the doctors had suggested. In her own way. She would do anything she’d ever wanted. She didn’t have to be afraid, because there were no longer any consequences, since she was dying anyway. She had no time to waste. Six months.

Natalie Wong’s journey with art has been a profound process of healing for both her physical and mental well-being. Growing up in Hong Kong, Natalie's first exposure to art came through Japanese manga books. Despite her natural inclination for doodling, art supplies were scarce in her home, which limited her creative expression at the time. Later on, Natalie experimented with art as a collector, finding joy in crafting collages using beautiful paper.

Kerstin Luettich's journey has been a vibrant fusion of artistry, exploration and self-expression. Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, Kerstin was introduced to the world of art at a very young age. With a mother, who constantly had a bowl of pencils around, Kerstin was able to delve into drawing early on in her childhood, fueling her passion for creativity.

Jeannene Christie has pursued two careers: she was a registered massage therapist and also worked with people with disabilities, especially those with autism. She was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and her symptoms worsened with age. Her encounter with her chronic illness began in her 30s while she was taking a training course for working with autistic individuals.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Victoria Marie has and continues to embark on a life journey one can call a rich tapestry of interwoven threads within and beyond the arts. She moved from the US to Eastern Canada in 1965 and later settled in Vancouver. At age 42, Victoria decided to pivot away from her career in programming and data entry to venture into academia. Pursuing higher education, she earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Arts. Subsequently, she obtained a Master of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology.

Marjorie Young’s artistic journey began at a very young age when her kindergarten teacher introduced her to the Vancouver Art School. Enthralled by the world of creativity, she attended the children’s art program there every Saturday through elementary school. These early experiences laid the foundation for her artistic endeavours as she learned the basics of drawing and tried out various painting mediums.

Vivian Fitzgerald had never considered art as a part of her life until only a few years ago. Although she always had a strong tendency towards fashion, design and DIY makeovers, she only saw art as decorative pieces she could buy. Too busy with other commitments in life, she did not have the time to explore her own creativity and the magic that she admired in people who were able to use their hands to bring life to their imaginations.

Rosemarie Hurst, who was born in Sussex, England and came to Canada when she was 8, has always had a love for photography. Although as she grew older, her photography transformed from trying to capture anything and everything to focusing on nature and the creatures that roam it. This is evident in her work.

Kate was introduced to painting about 10 years ago through a friend who was taking a painting course at the Dunbar Community Center led by Georgia Youngs. While she didn’t think of herself as an artistic person at the time, she gave it a try and fell in love with it.