# data[].attributes.body
by  Anna Markovic

just a reminder <3

# data[].attributes.body
by Bushra Fatima

We always strive for following rules and also try to be unmistakable. But in the process, we forget the imperfection and the inner passion that is inherently present in all of us, an inescapable reality that makes us who we are.

In my paintings, I depict imperfection through distortion and without a singular perspective through daily life objects, which we use to cover up our flaws and attain perfection. I use these objects as symbols in my visual vocabulary to show its beauty and their imperfection. The work portrays a truth that is universal and beautiful yet potentially abhorrent for us to accept. I explore it using objects in different spaces, such as showing the distorted decorative items in the colourful living room to show their real and confident personality. Distortion encourages people to be out of their comfort zone, be true to themselves and explore from different angles and learn. This extends to other everyday tools that I have shown in other paintings. The kitchen is a warm and welcoming space with aromas that touch the heart. It is okay to mess in the kitchen. Learning and making mistakes makes a person grow.

# data[].attributes.body
Drawing by @sylviaduckworth (Instagram), content by @drdaltonsmith (Instagram)

# data[].attributes.body
Calligraphy by @annerobincallig (Instagram), poem by @amandascgorman (Instagram)

# data[].attributes.body
Calligraphy by @annerobincallig (Instagram), poem by @amandascgorman (Instagram)

# data[].attributes.body
Calligraphy by @annerobincallig (Instagram), poem by @amandascgorman (Instagram)

# data[].attributes.body
Quote from @dr.thema (Instagram)

# data[].attributes.body
The final art mosaic compiling all art pieces submitted to the Our Creative Community for January 2021.

# data[].attributes.body
by Bushra Fatima

We always strive for following rules and also try to be unmistakable. But in the process, we forget the imperfection and the inner passion that is inherently present in all of us, an inescapable reality that makes us who we are.

In my paintings, I depict imperfection through distortion and without a singular perspective through daily life objects, which we use to cover up our flaws and attain perfection. I use these objects as symbols in my visual vocabulary to show its beauty and their imperfection. The work portrays a truth that is universal and beautiful yet potentially abhorrent for us to accept. I explore it using objects in different spaces, such as showing the distorted decorative items in the colourful living room to show their real and confident personality. Distortion encourages people to be out of their comfort zone, be true to themselves and explore from different angles and learn. This extends to other everyday tools that I have shown in other paintings. The kitchen is a warm and welcoming space with aromas that touch the heart. It is okay to mess in the kitchen. Learning and making mistakes makes a person grow.

# data[].attributes.body
by Aleisha Fernandes, Jaskaren Gill, Sonia Heer and Jessica Kwun (Health Peers)

# data[].attributes.body
by Stefanie Matos

This personal piece depicts a couple dancing. There are strokes of purples and blues in this painting representing the colour chosen for SAAM. I believe one of the best ways to prevent sexual assault is through education and open dialogues such as the SFU consent matters campaign (http://www.sfu.ca/sexual-violence/education-prevention/what-is-consent.html). Sexual consent is freely given and can be withdrawn at any time. The dancing couple in this painting is a metaphor for consent. For instance, when someone would like to dance, they may choose a dance partner and ask that person to dance in which that person can respond by either accepting or declining the invitation. Dancing also demonstrates the ongoing communication and consent between partners as they may discuss which styles of dance or moves that are preferred by each person.

# data[].attributes.body
by Minahill Nasir

In the drawing a young girl stands in the centre. Around her are common milestones in a woman's life. She herself is not depicted in any of those milestones but instead her guardians and mentors are.  She stands in the centre having looked at all of their lives and is now contemplating her own.

# data[].attributes.body
by Anna Markovic

When walking alone in the night and I get catcalled, it's as if the world turns dark and everything beautiful turns blank, where there was light is just colorless. I tell myself to not let it get to me, but emptiness just hurts me more. This feeling is not normal, and it is not my fault for walking alone at night. We all deserve to feel safe in our communities. #SAAM

# data[].attributes.body
by Emily Smith

Fall (or Autumn if I'm feeling fancy) is one of my favourite times of the year. Between the warm, spicy foods, weather still nice enough to walk outside and enjoy the leaves, and restoration of a routine from the freedom of the summer, it is truly a great time of year. Since it is usually still pretty nice outside, my dream day in autumn would be a picnic outside with fall decorations, a view of the leaves changing colours and falling, and a warm drink. Something about this time of year makes me feel so reflective and ready for change, and what better way to contemplate than over a cozy cup of coffee!

# data[].attributes.body
by Anna Markovic

My favourite part about autumn is the leaves. Every year I go leaf picking and press them to use them for future pieces. Here I tried a new technique of pouring a little to try and show how I see leaves on trees, like cloud of yellow, red, and orange.

# data[].attributes.body
I took these two photographs to visualize what I believe would be my favourite parts of autumn - the crisp colours and warm sunlight. Each photograph highlights how our ecosystem changes and adapts to suit the autumn season.

Reflecting upon the time when I took these two photographs, I find myself leaving with a strong sense of place. Autumn creates a certain inviting atmosphere in the environment that welcomes all. Its combination of warmth and crisp colours can almost be seen as a breeding ground or as a greater social space for even wildlife in the neighbourhood.

# data[].attributes.headline
Unforgotten Tree where Life Still lives beneath the Earth

# data[].attributes.subject
Unforgotten Tree where Life Still lives beneath the Earth

# data[].attributes.body
by Raj Pabla

As I began this piece, this took me back to my boarding school days, when we went for Nature Walks to the nearby Orchard.

As a child, we would look for our favourite tree to climb onto and make it our special place.

Then I would venture upon a beautiful sad old tree, neglected in time, with its gorgeous branches reaching out for the faintest of sunlight in order to survive.

Then, beneath all of its limbs - there appeared a small oasis where new life was growing, with an array of beautiful hues of pink, red, blues. 🍄🌷

The strength of the roots digs deeper into the earth and finds moisture/water to survive via the intricate weaving to collect water and channel it upwards through stems and to the branches, and finally to the leaves of the tree.

Autumn is a beautiful season to enjoy and experience. 🍁

It trickles through me like listening to a child's beautiful untainted laughter of joy.  When she/he stumbles on a pile of fallen golden/red leaves.

The child jumps in and out with pure sincere joy.

# data[].attributes.body
by Sadiya Liya

After experiencing something really traumatic at the end of 2019, a dark veil of sadness took over me. I was forced to change my residence. The new apartment was on the 7th floor, through my windows I could view the Moon in its many phases, so was the stars and the sun would shine brightly too. But, the void and its intense magnetic force would not seem to leave my soul. Although I was present at a safe place, yet somehow my mind, my body would not be at rest. One evening, an unwilling visit to the apartment's garbage room, I discovered an abandoned wooden canvas, it was not anything special, but a word was carved on it. The word was "believe", I am usually attracted to meaningful words, "belief" is one of my favorites. I brought it to my room. The canvas was wooden in color, this made me think, "I could finally use my oil paints!" I started painting, to escape my present, to find equanimity. This is my first oil-painting, I learned my ability to be grounded, it took me over a month to finish this, and I was finally able to feel peace in my heart, soul. This painting makes me reflect on the presence of peacefulness and equanimity in myself. It makes me think of my peaceful place.

# data[].attributes.body
I created this art piece to visualize what I believe would be included in my ideal city. Each coloured circle and icon is to represent a different principle or characteristic.

While creating this art-piece, I learned to recognize characteristics in my community that I had not acknowledged before. Simple aspects that I would normally take for granted, such as natural light and water in my city, are often overlooked in my day-to-day life. Upon reflection, such characteristics are necessary because they breathe life in the community; this can also be reflected in how our surrounding environment may affect our perceptions, attitudes, and actions towards ourselves and others, For example, while in quarantine, I felt the need to surround myself with greater biodiversity to combat my lack of social interaction. By spending more time outdoors, exposing myself to the natural light and environment, I felt more positive and focused on my tasks.

# data[].attributes.body
by Wanyun Zoi

Takashi Murakami inspires this piece of art. A few years before, I have visited Takashi Murakami's exhibition in the Vancouver Art Gallery. The art pieces of him touched the sensitive part in my heart. Therefore, I want to demonstrate this special feeling in my way by creating this piece of art.

# data[].attributes.body
by Juliet Smith Hollingsworth

This January, I was lucky enough to spend some time travelling in Greece and Italy. This trip was preceded by a semester abroad, during which I had been living away from my home city of Vancouver for the first time. I've always associated home with the ocean, and I had missed it while studying abroad in a landlocked country for a few months. Travelling to Athens, I felt very glad to be back by the ocean. I know that my happiest times have been spent swimming in the ocean, and my most peaceful moments have been beside the ocean, looking out at it. This painting, of the sun setting over the water on Greece's south coast, represents a peaceful place to me, and a little closeness to home whilst I was away

# data[].attributes.body
by Amy Yo Sue Chen

Similar to the sheep inside the box in Little Prince, for me the most peaceful place sits beyond the mountains where you can totally sense the natural lights, sounds and smells every step towards it. Meanings usually emerge on the way. It is the beautiful clues that drive us to approach meticulously without doubting or harming our inner selves.

# data[].attributes.body
by Colin Mitchell

This drawing was created over the course of 6 hours sitting quietly in the middle of the woods; a very peaceful place.

(Oil Pastel on Cradled Panel

11" x 14")

website: www.colinmitchellartwork.com

instagram: @madebythehand

# data[].attributes.body
by Priyasha Shri Saravananselan

This is a description of my ‘peaceful place’, and what makes me happiest. It’s a simple routine that I can always count on to make me feel rested and cared for by myself.

# data[].attributes.body
by Juan Rodriguez

Silent and free.  Freedom is peace. Away from the convolutions of human constructs.

# data[].attributes.body
by Anosha Ashfaq

This was a personal piece drawn in Photoshop. Late night walks are surprisingly therapeutic and peaceful, especially if you value alone time. Another part of my peaceful place is sitting behind my desk, drawing new scenes and characters. I enjoy illustrating moody scenes, which informed my color scheme for this piece.

# data[].attributes.body
by Simran Uppa

Being surrounded by the everchanging colors of nature from a deep jade to crimson revitalizes our senses and helps reconnect us with Mother Nature. The undistributed soil beneath us as we walk through the gates of Nature grounds all our energy and brings forth a sense of revival into our bodies, releasing tension. As the rain pours, the sound of each and every raindrop provides nourishment to Nature and comfort to our soul. Although Nature seems to be static as the trees are steadily rooted into the ground and soil remains stiff, there is a sense of dynamic as the leaves swing side to side in the wind and the rain steeps into the ground to nourish the roots and thrive new life

The serene sense of Nature is a representation of a peaceful place where the energy within us meets the energy of the Earth and awakens our thoughts and emotions.

# data[].attributes.body
by Amanda Maxwell

Charcoal, oil on 24x24 inch canvas

This is what both my son’s and my peaceful place looks like; his is immersed in VR, all things digital, as he navigates our new normal online with his friends, and mine, in my studio, painting and recharging myself through creative projects.

# data[].attributes.body
by Raymond Co

My peaceful place is at home, spending time with my family. It's that consistent part of my life that's always there to support me no matter what.

# data[].attributes.body
by Emily Smith

To me there is nothing more peaceful and exhilarating at the same time than climbing a mountain. I was never big into hiking until this past summer, when with the pandemic I had to get creative with ways to spend time outside of the house. So, I started doing long hikes and scrambling up mountains. Its always physically and mentally hard to get up there, but once you see the mountains all around you and the cars look so small on the highway below, you feel at ease and like all your stresses are less than they seem to you in daily life. "Mountain High" shows the smallness of us when we reach the heights of the mountains and highlights the beautiful sunrise one can see if they get out early enough.

# data[].attributes.body
by Anna Markovic

I name Sunshine Solitude because to me a peaceful place is an empty meadow or forest on a bright sunny day after a long night of rain. This is when the droplets on the leaves sparkle in the bright sunlight and all animals come out of their hiding holes to soak in and enjoy the sun.

The birds chirp all morning and the children play outside in what is left of the puddles of rain.

Here is the calm after the storm where we realize how beautiful and kind our earth is to us.

This to me is peaceful.

# data[].attributes.headline
"A welcoming community looks like a place where growth and curiosity are celebrated... and people take time to admire the flowers"

# data[].attributes.subject
"A welcoming community looks like a place where growth and curiosity are celebrated... and people take time to admire the flowers"

# data[].attributes.body
by Jaclyn Hayward

# data[].attributes.body
by Tammy Nazaruk

# data[].attributes.headline
Working collaboratively with students to achieve a greater purpose

# data[].attributes.subject
Working collaboratively with students to achieve a greater purpose

# data[].attributes.body
by Monique Wong

# data[].attributes.body
by Anna Markovic

Instead of separate defined lines, we are all a blur of colours combined to form one collective piece. Each colour adds a vibrancy or chromatic effect to the piece just as cetain groups and or individuals form and create change in our community to help create our community today.

Our communities are always changing, sometimes harsh and other times sublte. This is reflected through the variety of blending within the piece where some colours have been shifted slowly while others stand together in contrast.

# data[].attributes.body
by Barb Chick

Community is all about feeling welcome and at home where ever you are.

Walking has become for me a way to meet people, their families and their dogs; and to feel a part of a community. While the people I meet on the trails are at different stages in life, I have realized we all have our own journey. Sometimes a brief exchange with someone may brighten your day, sometimes you are unknowingly the highlight of someone else’s day. Sometimes it is just a walk to clear the mind, and connect with nature, and that is ok!

And sometimes the people that join us in our walks are the people we keep in touch with wherever life leads us, near and far.

# data[].attributes.body
by The Student Health Advisory Committee

# data[].attributes.body
by Eleanor Wong

To me, the most welcoming community is the place that I was first welcomed into: my home. At home, my family has created a space that makes me feel safe, valued, seen, and loved. Home can take different forms. For example, my friend groups, coworkers, and volunteer teams all radiate the same warmth and sense of community that I experience at home. I believe that home is not a set location, but rather it is a welcoming community where you can be your most authentic self. For this reason, I drew a portrait of my parents, the ones who built that space for me and found that space in one another.

# data[].attributes.body
by Elvina Prasad

As a fifth-year student coming to the end of her time at SFU, I empathize a lot with newer students entering SFU. I wanted to create a piece that reminds students that we as an SFU community will get through this difficult time together and enjoy the calm waters of life ahead. So, hang in there!

# data[].attributes.body
by Melissa Lafrance

A welcoming community lets you explore. It lets you bring your whole self forward. It lets you experience it and gain from it, in a way that is unique for each person. It may gently guide you but is self-guided. It lets you learn a different perspective and welcomes your view. It’s non-judgmental and lets you shine. You may be by yourself, but never feel alone. It shows you its magnificence and unconditional acceptance. All it asks of you is that you reciprocate and explore and grow peacefully without leaving a trace.

# data[].attributes.body
by Paola Quiros-Cruz

A welcoming community reaffirms, strengthen, and support our self-worth. A welcoming community mirrors back affirmations that make us feel resilient, lovable, unique, and radiant. Building community connects us with a mutual heart. We create reliable and compassionate connections to lift each other up.

# data[].attributes.body
by Harp Shergill, Access Case Manager, Health and Counselling Services

Om.
Om is taught with a long “o” sound followed by a vibrating “m”
Ahh-om.
The sacred sound of the universe.
The sound that unites us all.
Chanting with others serves to unify,
and create a sense of community.
Daily chanting of Om helps me
align my mind, body and spirit,
focus on my mind, become calm,
and ease my nervous system.

# data[].attributes.headline
"Walking down the street in my community"

# data[].attributes.subject
"Walking down the street in my community"

# data[].attributes.body
Each person has unique qualities and strengths. When people connect and share their stories, it's an opportunity to get to know people from different cultures and experiences while learning and growing together. People can contribute towards a welcoming community by greeting hello in their own way, "lending a hand" to let others know you are there for them, and acknowledging that the growth of human connections can occur when we connect in a respectfully curious and kind way.

# data[].attributes.body
by Alanna de la Vega

This piece is a snapshot of the first picture I took of our hostel when my best friend and I finally found it in Kyoto, Japan. The day had been long, with an early morning of wandering the streets of Shibuya to lugging our bags onto a Kyoto-bound bullet train. The both of us felt drained and alone. Then, after having gotten ourselves lost in town during the sweltering summer night trying to find our hostel, we spotted Utsuwa in the distance. I had arrived home - "tadaima ̄". The cool shelter from the setting sun, the warm light emitting from inside of the hostel and the kind people who welcomed us daily gave me the idea to draw the exact moment I felt like I arrived home in Japan. We felt welcomed. Our days spent having breakfast there and dinner after long days of exploring were shared with fellow guests and staff members, many whom we still remain friends with! Whenever we came back after going out for the day to explore Kyoto, the kind receptionist would always greet us with "okaeri" (welcome back). This piece was drawn using pen and felt markers while sitting outside during a sunny day this past summer.

# data[].attributes.body
by Pawan K C

Stop and Smell the Flowers is a piece depicting how the current pandemic represented by the plague mask depicts how grey and isolated many of us feel during these unprecedented times. But, being surrounded by a welcoming community represented through the flowers, there can be a renewed sense of colour and beauty in our lives. When we are a part of a community that supports and cares for us life becomes a little brighter and more colourful. So, every now and then we should stop and smell the flowers, or in other words stop and check in on our community and create a healthy environment in which we the flowers can all grow.

# data[].attributes.body
by Ada Tam

This piece was created to celebrate Procreate’s artmash themes of a rooster, alarm clock, and kitchen.

# data[].attributes.body
by Jaclyn Hayward

# data[].attributes.body
This piece was created at Creative Collective's doodling session at the First Friday Carnival. We brainstormed visual representations of the word, "connection", from wires to music (in how it brings people of similar music tastes together). This art piece demonstrates a welcoming community as one where everyone and everything is connected.

# data[].attributes.body
Some hands don’t know how to hold another, they shake or fall. But a welcoming community will embrace the hand you stretch out. Hold it with warmth and guide you to the light.

# data[].attributes.body
by Anna Markovic

Being kind to myself means going on a walk and watching the birds flutter from branch to branch while they sing their song. I like to be all alone, no cars, no people, just the river flowing and the birds chirping. Here I can breathe and release all the worries of life that have been put upon me. I hope you can do the same ❤

# data[].attributes.body
I still remind myself of this sometimes :)