ST!LL BLOOM!NG
🌺 ST!LL BLOOM!NG: Emerging in Radiance, Rooted in Resilience
February 7 – May 17, 2026
Part of the Art Gallery of Burlington’s Community Generator Series
🌸 Acknowledgments
With gratitude,
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
Exhibition Overview
What does it mean to still be blooming?
After years of collective uncertainty, isolation, and grief, ST!LL BLOOM!NG celebrates artists of colour 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.
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 honor the stories we carry. My work celebrates resilience and transformation, drawing inspiration from community rhythms, 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.” ~ Francesca
Purpose of the Exhibition:
ST!LL BLOOM!NG offers a meaningful platform for artists of colour in Halton Region and beyond, centering underrepresented voices and reframing botanical art as a cultural metaphor. It engages community organizations, promotes dialogue around belonging and identity, and creates space for reflection, healing, and collective growth.
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
Intended Impact
Centering Underrepresented Voices
ST!LL BLOOM!NG amplifies the perspectives of artists of colour, placing their stories at the heart of Burlington’s artistic landscape.
Reframing Botanical Art
Flowers and foliage transcend decoration to become metaphors for identity, growth, and resilience.
Creating Space for Dialogue and Healing
The exhibition invites reflection on belonging, self-determination, and collective renewal.
Community Engagement
Built through long-standing partnerships with the Halton Black History Awareness Society (HBHAS) and the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH), this exhibition bridges art, heritage, and community dialogue.
Visit the Exhibition
📍 Art Gallery of Burlington
1333 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON
🗓 February 7 – May 17, 2026