ST!LL
BLOOM!NG
February 7 – May 17, 2026
What does it mean to still be blooming?
After years of collective uncertainty, isolation, and grief, ST!LL BLOOM!NG celebrates artists who continue to create vibrant, meaningful work despite adversity. This exhibition brings together nine Afro-Caribbean artists exploring floral and botanical imagery as symbols of transformation, memory, and quiet strength. Through painting, sculpture, collage, and mixed media, these artists reclaim the language of nature as a cultural metaphor, expressing resilience, identity, and ancestral connection. The exhibition positions softness as sovereignty and celebrates growth in all its stages: public, private, painful, and radiant.
🌺 ST!LL BLOOM!NG
This exhibition would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship and support of the Halton Black History Awareness Society (HBHAS). Their commitment to celebrating and advancing artists of colour and our cultural heritage continues to inspire and empower artists, audiences, and curators alike. As my first curatorial group exhibition at the Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB), ST!LL BLOOM!NG stands as both a personal milestone and a shared accomplishment. I extend heartfelt thanks to the artists whose creativity, trust, and vision brought this show to life. Together, we’ve created a space that honours resilience, radiance, and community in full bloom. ~ Francesca Durham, Curator
Sponsorship Acknowledgement
The Artists Story
Featured Artists, Mini Bio & Works (more coming...)
Joan Butterfield
Founder and former Art Director of the Association of African-Canadian Artists, Joan has produced over 300 exhibitions and sold more than 8,000 artworks worldwide. Her paper sculptures explore identity and self-expression through bold, symbolic floral forms.
Artwork: Amina (2024) – Paper Sculpting, 20”x30”
A crown of foliage symbolizes creative self-expression and cultural pride, declaring that we are, boldly and unapologetically, Still Blooming.
🌐 www.joanbutterfield.com
Sheryl A. Keen
A multidisciplinary artist whose textured acrylic works explore refuge, survival, and the multidimensionality of women.
Artwork: Cover Me (2022) – Acrylic Collage, 24”x24”
A safe space of tenderness and survival, guarding the flame without dimming the light.
🌐 www.sherylkeen.com | IG: @keen_kreations
Según Aiyesan
Nigerian-born, Ontario-based surrealist painter exploring collective resilience and transformation through metaphor-rich imagery.
Artwork: Through The Crevices (2025) – Acrylic & Cretextura, 2’x2’
Even when walls close in, Black bodies persist, thriving through collective collaboration and strength.
🌐 www.segunaiyesanart.com | IG: @segun_aiyesan
Kristen Allicock
GTA-based artist and curator behind The Art of KDA, working across painting, mixed media, and digital art inspired by Caribbean heritage and urban life.
Artwork: Yin & Yang: A Love Rooted in Balance (2023) Diptych, 16”x24”
A sacred harmony between yin and yang, where individuality thrives and partnership elevates.
🌐 www.theartofkda.com | IG: @theartofkda
Amanda Tkaczyk
Expressive Arts Practitioner and digital artist exploring grief, belonging, and regeneration through abstract and digital collage.
Artwork: True Say II (2025) – Digital Collage, 16”x24”
Caribbean proverbs and plant imagery intertwine, asking viewers to shift their perspective to find truth in contradiction.
🌐 www.whatsoever.ca | IG: @whatsoever_creates
Curator's Statement
Art, for me, is a bridge. A living space where culture, memory, and emotion meet. I approach curation as an act of care and connection, creating exhibitions that invite dialogue and honour the stories we carry. My work celebrates resilience and transformation, drawing inspiration from the rhythms of community life, ancestral wisdom, and the natural world. Each exhibition is an offering. A space to be seen, heard, and felt. I believe art can restore balance, nurture belonging, and remind us that creativity itself is a form of healing.
Visit the exhibition. Love to see you there.
📍 Art Gallery of Burlington
1333 Lakeshore Road
Burlington, ON
L7S 1A9
905 632-7796
Parking northside of the AGB and is accessible from Elgin Street
🗓 February 7 – May 17, 2026